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Highlighting in album tracklistings denotes 'contains Mellotron'. On 'multi-part' tracks I've tried to indicate which parts contain 'Tron, although this isn't always possible.
Ratings:
The * rating (½-5) is my personal, entirely subjective and completely partisan rating of the music.
The 'T' ('Tron, of course...) rating (0-5) is an only slightly more objective indicator of an album's Mellotronness.
By the way, if you know of any Mellotron albums that aren't listed here, please look at my albums page first! Thanks.
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Ze Słowem Biegnę do Ciebie (1977, 38.49) ***½/0Ze Słowem Biegnę do CiebiePrzed Premierą |
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SBB [a.k.a. The Amiga Album] (1977, 78.28) ***/0 |
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| Tanzbar Magische Blaue Stunde Hektik 2:10 Ouzo Unterbrochene Erotik Kala Tumba |
Mutraczka Nr. 7 I Wonder Why [CD adds: Nervoeser Nikolaus Tom Cat Gonitwa Beci |
Professor Moog Balon Guma Maskarada Podroz Trema] |
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Jerzyk (1978, 39.49/66.21) ***/0 |
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| Jerzyk Kijek Oddech Taniec Bulibara Garbusek Palamakla Wołanie o Podkład Janek |
Władkowa Kołysanka [CD adds: Debiut Kety 11 Traktów Renia Mutraczka Jak Było Tak Było Ale Było Cierpiarz] |
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Welcome (1979, 41.50) **½/0Walkin' Around the Stormy BayLoneliness Why No Peace Welcome Warm Nights and Days Rainbow Man How Can I Begin Last Man at the Station |
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Memento z Banalnym Tryptykiem (1980, 39.54) ***½/0Moja Ziemio WyśnionaTrójkąt Radości Strategia Pulsu Memento z Banalnym Tryptykiem |
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SBB were a Polish fusion outfit, led by über-keyboard man Józef Skrzek, who produced several inventive albums during their career, especially their second and third, both from '75, Nowy Horyzont and Pamięć. Like many Eastern European bands (Omega spring immediately to mind), SBB's discography is a confused thing, with albums appearing in different territories under different titles, although their website seems to put matters straight by listing their releases not only in order, but with the month as well as the year of original release.
As a result, it seems Ze Słowem Biegnę do Ciebie is definitely their fourth album, and like its two predecessors, is a ripping slice of prog/jazz rock, consisting of two side-long pieces, one with vocals, although not a jot of the credited Mellotron, unless the extremely faint sustained sound on side one (which pretty much rules it out anyway) is what we're looking for. Neither the first nor the last time we'll hear from 'the inaudible 'Tron'. Or not. Fine album, anyway. Now, their second album of '77 really starts the ball rolling properly; SBB (Wołanie o Brzęk Szkła) (****) is a storming record, with some of the most incendiary MiniMoog playing (from Józef Skrzek) you may possibly ever hear scorched into its grooves/binary pits. This is a fucking great album, make no mistake, even for someone who generally avoids fusion, although, despite rumours, it appears to not only be entirely 'Tron-free, but hasn't actually got the thing credited. Follow My Dream (***½), from later the same year, hasn't got it credited either, but the year's second eponymous SBB album apparently has. Confused? Good.
SBB's eponymous 1977 album is more often known as The Amiga Album, due to its release on the East German label of the same name. It's probably what you'd call a transitional record, with echoes of both the band's more interesting fusion past and its less interesting blandola future, with drivel like Tumba or I Wonder Why (a particularly poor English-language vocal track) sitting cheek-by-jowl with dynamic, inventive material such as Mutraczka or the aptly-titled Hektik. The double album's oddest moment is probably the straight blues instrumental that closes the record, Trema; er, why? Anyway, a rather average LP with, again, absolutely no audible Mellotron whatsoever, and sparse enough arrangements that if one were in attendance, I'm quite certain you'd be able to hear it somewhere. Surely?
The following year's Jerzyk was, strangely, only released on cassette at the time (although it's now available on CD), so don't bother trying to find it on vinyl, just in case you were thinking about it. It's best described as a better version of The Amiga Album minus the disposable vocal tracks, although the expanded CD version does go on a bit, to be honest. Yet again, absolutely no Mellotron whatsoever; maybe they were using it as a generic term for their sparsely-used string synth? Anyway, worth hearing for SBB fans who haven't run into it before, though fairly indistinguishable from their other albums of the period for the rest of us. Incidentally, the release dates of both Jerzyk and The Amiga Album are a little vague, and could easily be reversed.
Sadly, the band had 'normalised' considerably by Welcome, but it still has its moments, although, to be honest, they're few and far between. Opener Walkin' Around The Stormy Bay is a high-energy slice of prog-fusion, and How Can I Begin has some nice organ work, but most of the rest of the material's pretty dispensable. There's Mellotron credited on three tracks, but I can't hear the thing myself, so that's a fat 'zero' on the 'T' rating, then.
Memento z Banalnym Tryptykiem is a better affair, surprisingly, without all the cheesy vocal material of its predecessor (I believe this was due to leaving their previous label). There's some quite ripping fusion guitar work to be heard here, which, while creating its own problems, is vastly superior to awful attempts at songwriting. The side-long title track is especially good, building to a superb guitar-driven crescendo before a sudden tape cut. Mellotron's credited on two tracks but is, once again, completely inaudible.
The only (apparently) relevant SBB albums I now haven't heard are the above-mentioned 'Amiga album' and a cassette-only release from 1978, Jerzyk, although I've no idea whether or not the latter's made it onto CD anywhere. There's also a '79 Skrzek solo release, Pamiętnik Karoliny, but going by these three, I can't imagine what use Skrzek actually made of his Mellotron; the only other band I can think of who used it so little are Novalis, and even they managed more than this. So, the only genuinely poor album I've heard by the band (apart from its opening track) is Welcome, but everything else is pretty much worth hearing, assuming you're into fusion.
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Lost Masters (1993, recorded 1970-72, 70.03) ***½/TT |
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| After Your Heart Gypsy Eyes Valerie Love is Here Now (Love is Like a) Heat Wave Out in the Night Badaz Shuffle Eliza Green the Shimmie Queen |
My Sunday's Gone Never Let Your Daystar Fade Away Born to Love No Rules in Love The Deeper the Longer Lovelight Cry of the Lonely |
Get the Picture Evil I'm Cryin' Ride the Wind Richard's Song |
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Well, have you heard of SRC before? Nor me, although it seems they're rated among the cognoscenti as one of Detroit's best barely-known bands. They apparently worked their way through several different styles during their career, all of which can be heard on 1993's odds'n'sods collection Lost Masters, which mops up various non-album single tracks and their unreleased fourth album. Their shift from '60s garage rock to '70s soul/funk is well documented, with highlights including the one/two opening pairing of After Your Heart and Gypsy Eyes (not the Hendrix tune) and the near-psych of Badaz Shuffle. The later, soul/R&B-inflected material is mostly good, but doesn't give the same visceral kick as the album's first few tracks, at least for those attuned to the '60s/'70s rock aesthetic. For a proto-punk/R&B monster, incidentally, you need go no further than I'm Cryin', which is about as far from the tune its title suggests as you can get.
The marvellously-named Glenn Quackenbush (brother of guitarist Gary) plays Chamberlin on Love Is Here Now (a cool strings part), Badaz Shuffle (a distant flute line and upfront strings), closer Richard's Song (pseudo-orchestral strings) and less obviously, a high string line on No Rules In Love. Overall, then, although apparently not a good starter for those unfamiliar to the band (thought it was pretty good myself), Lost Masters is a must-have for aficionados, with a few Chamby tracks for those who care. Mark tells me there's no more tape-replay to be heard in the rest of their catalogue, which is a shame, but saves me from trying to find them for that reason alone.
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Sadistic Mika Band (1973) **½/T |
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| Dance is Over Silver Child Cosmic Watch Citron Girl Shadow Show I'm Sittin' on the Edge of Skies Galaxy Way Arienu Republic |
Milky Way Picnic Boogie |
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Black Ship (1974) ****/TT |
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| Sumie no Kunie (i) (ii) Time Machine Black Ship 2nd June 3rd June 4th June Yoroshiku Dozo Dontaku |
Four Seasons Suki, Suki, Suki Typhoon Sayonara |
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The Sadistic Mika Band were pretty odd, if truth be told. The recipe goes something like this:
Sadistic Mika Band adheres to this 'formula' in particular, with every song sounding as if it's been influenced by another strand of US pop/rock'n'roll. Dance Is Over is frantic rock'n'roll, Citron Girl is '50s-style balladry, I'm Sittin' On The Edge Of Skies is pseudo-country, etc. The album sleeve spoofs early-'60s 'beach party' movie posters, while the back cover illustration is closer to 'Gone With the Wind'; all very odd. To my ears, there's only one Mellotron track, though no clues as to who plays it (or anything else, for that matter); Silver Child is relatively contemporary rock, with a few string chords here and there. I'm not quite sure what the band were trying to achieve with their debut, but although they do it perfectly well, I don't really feel I can recommend this.
Black Ship is a better proposition all round; Sumie No Kunie is a lengthy, Rhodes-driven jazz/prog workout, with duelling guitars from Kazuhiko Katoh and Masayoshi Takanaka, and the title track is distinctly prog, too. The rest of the album's more straightforward, but still a major improvement over its predecessor. Hroshi Imai's Mellotron turns up on a couple of tracks: Black Ship has some string chords fading in, then 'stabbed' in the 2nd June section, while Four Seasons has a beautiful flute part, with two lines weaving in and out of each other.
Their third (and final?) effort, Hot! Menu (***½) is also worth hearing, but Black Ship was most definitely their highpoint. Get this and don't bother looking too hard for the others.
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To Whom it Concerns (1977) ***½/TTT½RagnarokTime Only Rumours To Whom it Concerns True or False Memoires |
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There appears to be some confusion over names here; Canada's own Saga put their first album out in 1978, a year after their Dutch namesake's (presumably) one and only. The bands couldn't sound more different, though; the Canadians (still, I believe, known as Pockets at this stage) were extremely forward-looking, with no organ or Mellotron to be heard. In fact, their only concession to 'tradition' was their acoustic and electric piano use; otherwise, they were strictly synths only. In fact, if you haven't heard them, think of a slightly transatlantic sounding UK (the Wetton/Jobson/Holdsworth/Bruford outfit from around the same time).
On first hearing To Whom it Concerns I decided that it was just another average Euro-rock album from the mid-'70s; nothing special, just with a bit of Mellotron. Wrong. Now don't get me wrong, this is no classic, but it's actually a really nice European prog album, loaded with Mellotron. Keyboard player Guido Goebertus makes excellent use of 'Tron brass, with the usual strings making their presence felt, plus a little choir. The 'Tron-free track, Time Only Rumours is a pleasant little acoustic strumalong thing, very Genesis to be honest. In fact, Genesis are probably Saga's main influence overall, although they definitely have more of that 'late '70s' sound about them.
The album's a bit of a rarity, and I wouldn't recommend paying a fortune for it, but if you see it cheap...
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Saga de Ragnar Lodbrock (1979, 38.23/54.52) ****/TTT |
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| Les North Mendiants Le Temps de Géants La Chasse Hellequin Le Loup Fendri Chant de la Lance Chants Funèbres de Ragnar Lodbrock Du Fond de l'Empire des Morts La Route Longue des Combats Alors qu'Approche la Mort Chant Final |
[CD adds: Réveillez Vous Picards En Regardent Vers le Pays de France Ballade des Menus Propos Lai ou Rondo à la Mort Ballade Pour Prier Notre Dame Ballade des Pendus Ballade Finale] |
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Saga de Ragnar Lodbrock wasn't so much a band as a project, whose chief aim was to set the 12th-century poem of the title to music. The Saga describes the lesser-known Viking invasion of France in the Dark Ages, and while sung and narrated entirely in French, the music's medieval tonalities create enough atmosphere to override any language barriers. The original 18-minute Chants Funèbres De Ragnar Lodbrock was recorded first, in April '78, but ended up on side two, with several companion pieces written in a similar style to flesh out the album. Listening to it, I'm reminded of French medieval folk outfit Malicorne (slightly like a Gallic Gryphon), but the project's main members had enough of their own style for comparisons to be fairly redundant.
Studio owner Armand Frydman joined the project after they chose his studio to work in, and ended up playing all the keyboards, including a Mellotron. He makes good use of it throughout, mainly flutes and choirs, and although the CD doesn't give separate timings for each part of the piece, I think it's fair to assume that it's on every part, considerably enhancing its funereal aspect. I don't believe the 'Tron was used on the side one material, although there may possibly be some flutes on Le Loup Fendri (The Wolf Fendri), although they're more likely to be an overdubbed real one. The bonus tracks are solo pieces by vocalist François Proust, written for the theatre, but fitting the overall concept of the original album.
So; if you like medieval music with a progressive bent (or vice versa), you can't go too far wrong with Saga de Ragnar Lodbrock, assuming you don't have a problem with French vocals (don't laugh; I've run into several people who love prog, but won't buy 'foreign language' releases!). Once more (and more, and more), top marks to Musea for rescuing this rather wonderful obscurity and doing such a good job on the reissue. And no, they're not paying me. Highly recommended.
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The Blistering Sun... (2005, 62.03) **½/½ |
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| Alright, OK Featherwoman 93 Maidens Wildflower Violet or Blue Lonely Streets Older Hit Song |
Burning Witch Paperplane Proof Surprise Anything, Anywhere C'mon Over Calypso |
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After listening to Rachael Sage's The Blistering Sun..., I'm at a complete loss as to understand why I found this is the 'folk' section of a well-known London second-hand shop for 50p. Folk? Try 'rather dull generic modern female singer-songwriter', and you might be a little closer. It's not a bad album as such (haven't I said this somewhere else?), but it is a rather boring one, despite Ms. Sage's best songwriting efforts. As so often, I'm sure most of her energies went into the 'lyrics' bit, leaving the 'music' end of things in the 'completely generic' category, not helped by being an hour long, which is at least fifteen minutes too much.
Sage plays Mellotron, amongst other keyboards, with flutes on Older and Burning Witch, though not to any great effect, frankly. If you go for that 'post-Suzanne Vega'-type stuff, you may go for this, but the rest of you won't. There's at least one more Mellotron album in her catalogue, 2003's Public Record, which I shall review when I track a copy down.
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Sunrise (1973, 48.05) ***½/T½ |
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| Marie Celeste Circles Rainbow Rider Sunrise (Part I) Sunrise The Divinity of Being Perception Devil's Tune Paramount Confluence |
Sunrise (Part II) Aspiration Creativity Realisation |
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For All the Clowns (1975, 42.28) ***½/T½ |
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| Flying Dancer The Source Part 1 Part 2 For All the Clowns Prélude The Mountain King Part 1 Part 2 |
Dream Queen Fool the Fortune |
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Some sources quote Sunrise as Sahara's third album, although the sleevenotes claim it's their debut; I now suspect the confusion has arisen over the band's previous identity, Subject Esq. who recorded two albums before changing their name. Not as confusing, however, as the music, which is highly indicative of a band who didn't really know what they wanted to do. They flit from hard rock to almost-country to full-on symphonic prog, to... I think you get the picture. The album's side-long title track is definitely the best thing on it, with several Crimsonesque sections, then in Part C) of Part II (!), a gorgeous unaccompanied Mellotron strings part from Michael Hofmann, with a bit more 'Tron later in the piece. Probably not worth buying on those grounds, to be honest, but the album does have its moments among the musical confusion.
For All the Clowns seems to be a little more cohesive, although I'm not sure it matches its predecessor's highs. Slightly more Mellotron this time round, too, with background choirs on the title track and both parts of The Mountain King, but I wouldn't say it was exactly the most exciting use ever, to be honest. In fact, I'm starting to wonder whether there's any more 'Tron this time round than on Sunrise; it's certainly less interesting, although the album's possibly better. So; neither album's a must on any front, but both are probably worth picking up if you find 'em cheap.
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Sahg I (2006, 48.23) ***½/TT½ |
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| Intro: Parade Macabre Repent Executioner Undead Alchemist Rivers Running Dry Whisper of Abaddon Godless Faith Soul Exile |
Boundless Demise Black Passage |
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Sahg are a new Norwegian stoner metal band - none of your church-burning nonsense here, these guys are influenced by old-school Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus et al. and more recent purveyors of all things distorted and metallic. While they don't refer to it as a side project per se, the members all play or have played in other leading bands including Gorgoroth and Enslaved. Sahg I actually does exactly what you'd expect, and does it bloody well; OK, so Olav's vocals sound a bit Ozzy at times, especially on the several occasions they're stuck through a Leslie, but this rocks in a pleasingly retro fashion, so no stupid 'death grunts', blastbeats or other crapulent modern metal tricks here, thank you very much. Best track? Maybe Soul Exile's Sabbra Cadabra-type feel, although nothing here had me reaching for the 'next' button.
Mellotron from Brynjulv Guddal, I believe, although I simply can't tell whether or not it's real, even on the acoustic interlude, Whisper Of Abaddon. Anyway, strings on all highlighted tracks, used in the kind of way I wish more metal bands would do, rather than the crummy sampled strings to which most of the genre who use keys at all seem addicted. All in all, then, the kind of album old Sabs fans may well enjoy, without having to worry about suddenly being beaten over the head by a Celtic Frost-influenced section. Nice Mellotron, too, whether or not it's real.
See: Enslaved
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The Fifth Door (1994, 51.20) ***½/TT |
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| Intro II Wild The Token Safe Havens Revolution is at Hand The Fifth Door Fairy Queen A Miracle |
Tears The End of the Day [unlisted track] |
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Sailor Free were an early-'90s hard rock/psych outfit from Italy, who would almost certainly have ended up on the excellent Black Widow label had they hung around any longer. I haven't heard their self-titled debut, but what appears to be their last album, The Fifth Door, is a pretty good effort within its chosen genre, combining riffing guitar with a spacey feel in places, sounding remarkably like an update of that whole Uriah Heep/Stray thing circa '71. Difficult to pick out highlights on one listen, but the atypical Intro II stands out, as does Wild, for totally different reasons. The violin solo from guest Barbara Barbatelli that closes Safe Havens is a nice touch, as is the slightly Van der Graaf-y sax on Fairy Queen both of which add to the album's psych credentials.
Vocalist/keys man David Petrosino plays a Vox rather than a Hammond, dragging the overall sound back into the late '60s in places, though that's not actually a problem. His Mellotron work is to the fore on relaxed opener Intro II, with a melodic flute part, with some background strings on Fairy Queen and more upfront strings and flutes on Tears. The unlisted final track seems to be part of Intro II reversed, with the 'Tron flute part sounding remarkably similar backwards. Now, I have a theory: these three/four tracks are credited as being recorded in a different studio to the rest of the album. Studio 'Tron?
The band would seem to be long gone, but if that early hard rock sound's your thing (and I have to admit that sometimes it's mine), at least some of The Fifth Door is worth a spin. I doubt whether there's any 'Tron on their debut, especially if it's only here for the reason guessed at above, but I'll report back should I ever hear a copy.
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Live at the Cleveland Agora [a.k.a. Splitting Ions in the Ether] (1980/1998, 26.30/67.21) ****/TTT |
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| Searching for Food Gone to Ground in the Khyber Pass The Balrog Parasites and Bureaucrats Aspen Flambe The Reluctant Bride Fantasy Come Reality |
The Abduction The Nuremberg Waltz [Italicised tracks added to CD] |
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Artifacts of Passion (2001, 63.25) ****/TTTThe Dead Sea ScrollsNorth-West Territory Contortions of the Balrog Esmerelda The Nemo Syndrome Erin and the Green Man The Abduction of the Adolescents Lake Effect Dog-Eared Page |
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I've always found it strange that although prog was huge in the States in the '70s, such a vast country produced hardly any major acts in the field. St. Elmo's Fire, from Ohio, were one of many hopefuls who managed to get one album out before folding due to public indifference. Unlike many of their contemporaries, however, the band reformed in the late '90s, reissuing their sole album with bonus tracks and recording both previously-unrecorded and new material, while staying true to their original intentions.
Live at the Cleveland Agora was apparently originally meant to be a 10" mini-album, but was mispressed as a 12", and is now impossibly rare in its original form. Reissued as Splitting Ions in the Ether (from an Eno lyric, fact fans), it now begins with a drifting polysynth piece, Searching For Food, before letting rip with 'Tron and Moog Taurus on Gone To Ground In The Khyber Pass. The music is largely instrumental, more Crimson than Yes (they covered Crimson in their early days), with a fusion edge in places; oddly, I'm occasionally reminded of Canadian trio FM, maybe because of the turn-of-the '80s synths the band utilised. Laid-back this isn't, and is all the better for it if you ask me (or even if you don't). Steve J. Stavnicky's Mellotron use is fairly sparse but effective; mostly strings, although there's an unidentified brass (?) sound on the last two tracks, with heavy key-click to the fore, along with more of those ubiquitous strings on The Nuremberg Waltz. You're never going to find an original copy, but this timely reissue is well worth the effort.
In the late '90s, four fifths of the original band reformed, and having sidestepped the hideous '80s, sensibly realised that a large percentage of the modern prog audience values 'authenticity' over misguided attempts to sound 'contemporary', which isn't to disparage genuine progression, of course. In other words, the Mellotron and Taurus pedals are right at the front of the mix, having obviously been kept safe and sound in the intervening decades. Like so many reformed bands, St. Elmo's had a considerable stock of unrecorded music from first time round (two of the pieces are rewrites of material from Splitting Ions), making their first album a little easier to write, with only three completely new tracks included on the hour-long Artifacts of Passion. It's a good album, recognisably by the same band that produced Splitting Ions, although with a more mellow, quite folky edge in places, particularly on the fiddle piece Esmerelda. The rustic fiddle parts inescapably remind one of Kansas, though there's little real similarity; again, Crimson are an influence in places, but generally, St. Elmo's sound more like themselves than anyone else. The bulk of the album's Mellotron work (this time by bassist Paul M. Kollar) is on the two opening tracks and Lake Effect, with particularly heavy use on The Dead Sea Scrolls, with a fantastic string part running right through the piece, although there's more of those 'what is that sound?' moments in The Abduction Of The Adolescents.
All in all, two very good albums, if US prog with a Crimso influence is yer thang, but be aware that there's quite a bit of country blues-style guitar on Artifacts of Passion. A compilation of demos, Antiquities (***½), appeared in 2004, but is surprisingly 'Tron-free, although the Taurus is used as heavily as ever. Anyway, nice Mellotron work all round on the first two. Buy.
See: Brain Forest
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Interlude (2001, 47.51) **½/T |
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| Roseneck Northwestern Queen of Polythene Stevie Red Setter Shoot Out the Lights Mountain Rain Bar Conscience |
Le Ballade de Saint Etienne Thank You Boy is Crying (Single Mix) Lose That Girl (Trouser Enthusiast Mix) |
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Finisterre (2002, 47.43) **½/TT |
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| Action Amateur Language Lab Soft Like Me Summerisle Stop and Think it Over Shower Scene The Way We Live Now |
New Thing B92 The More You Know Finisterre |
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Saint Etienne are the British trio of Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs, active since the turn of the '90s. Stylistically, they combined '60s pop with the then-current dance scene, later moving across to other forms of electronica. Fêted by the music press at the time, they're the kind of pop group it's OK for intellectual, arty types to like, it seems (along with the tedious Stereolab), with their samples from '60s British realist cinema and spoken-word interludes.
2001's Interlude not only isn't a 'proper' album; it wasn't even released outside North America, for reasons unknown. It's actually a collection of B-sides from the previous year's Sound of Water, plus four otherwise-unavailable tracks and a couple of remixes on the CD version. It displays a variety of styles, some probably put aside for non-album tracks, as they don't easily fit into the band's house style (pun intended), not least the stark electronica of Bar Conscience. One 'Tron track, from an unknown player (Saint Etienne don't do anything as gauche as crediting musicians), from the small batch of newly-recorded material, with strings on Le Ballade De Saint Etienne. Now, I'm not sure about this, but Duncan Goddard from Radio Massacre International hired his M400 out to the band at least once, so there's a good chance that's what we're hearing here.
The following year's Finisterre (their sixth album 'proper') might be arty, but it's almost as lightweight as it's possible to be, drifting past in a cloud of female vocals, 'lite' beats and analogue (or pseudo-analogue) synths. There's barely any point in my trying to critique the music; suffice to say, if you like what they do, chances are you'll like this. The unknown Mellotron player strikes again, with strings on Amateur, flutes on Soft Like Me and more strings on the closing title track; it might be elsewhere, too, but it's hard to tell. Incidentally, the cover picture is an iconic shot of Ronan Point, a jerry-built British tower block that partially collapsed two months after it was finished, in 1968, killing several (though mercifully few) of its residents.
So; not a particularly edifying listen for anyone who likes at least a little rock in their diet; this is pure pop in a '60s-cum-'90s vein and more the latter than the former. There isn't enough Mellotron on either of these albums to be worth bothering with unless you're already a fan of the band, in which case you'll need Interlude, to mop up various hard-to-find tracks.
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God (1996, 48.26) **½/0 |
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| God You're the Voice You Then Me Speak to Me Abba (Father) Me Without You That's What Matters Carry Me High |
A Cold Heart Turns Go and Sin No More Psalm 139 |
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Rebecca "St. James" Smallbone is an Australian Christian artist who moved to the States with her family in her late teens. After an initial album at the age of 14 (!), Refresh My Heart, under the name Rebecca Jean, she released an eponymous record in '94, then God in '96, still not quite 19. Surprisingly, it's nowhere near as offensive as you might expect from a CCM release; musically, it's fairly rocky, with a good helping of Americana thrown into the mix, so if you don't listen to the (horrendously Godlike gloopy) lyrics, it just sounds like a fifth-rate Bonnie Raitt or something. I wouldn't go as far as recommending any tracks or anything, but I've heard an awful lot worse on the CCM front. Like Bebo Norman. He's fucking awful.
Now, Carl Marsh is credited with accordion and Mellotron, but maybe he pissed someone off (hey, even Christians can have off days, right?) during the recording, 'cos none of his contributions seem to be audible. The tracks I've seen mentioned as having some 'Tron input (notably Speak To Me and the title track) only have real strings, so Christ knows where it might be. Literally in this case. Anyway, relatively harmless CCM, which comes as a relief, I can tell you. I was gritting my teeth before playing this, but if it hadn't have been for the final 'hidden' track, Psalm 139 (gak), I might almost have given this three stars. But only almost.
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La Casa del Lago (1974, 39.15) ***½/TTristanaNella Vita, un Pianto Viaggio Nel Tempo La Casa del Lago Messicano La Terra della Verita' |
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Saint Just were yet another of those Italian one- or two-shot bands that emerged in the early '70s, often splintering into other outfits, while making music frequently every bit as good as that emanating from bigger artists. La Casa del Lago was their second and final release, following their folkier self-titled debut. It still has many folk elements about it, with much use made of acoustic guitar, while Jane Sorrenti's clear voice reminds you of British folk-rock stalwarts such as Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span. While perfectly good, it's nowhere near the quality of the likes of Celeste, although it's a perfectly good album. The best track may well be the longest, Nella Vita, Un Pianto, while others, such as the title track, tend to drag a little, although the overall quality is pretty high.
The uncredited Mellotron on Nella Vita, Un Pianto was presumably played by pianist Andrea Faccenda, with a pleasant repeating string line over the last minute or so of the song, although it's not exactly groundbreaking, to be honest. There is a little confusion over the 'Tron use, due to the (also uncredited) violin and cello parts, but I'm pretty certain it's the real deal (oh, the irony) on this track.
So; do you? La Casa del Lago is a perfectly pleasant album, but little of it really stands out from the pack, even though it's more folk-tinged than your standard Italian fare. A whole 'T' on the 'Tron front is probably slightly overstating the case, too, so I shall sit happily on the fence in this instance.
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Claustromania (1991, 47.10) ****/TTT½ |
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| Prisoner Vault Claustromania Spirit 1 Venus and Beyond Before Your Eyes Time Caravan Spirit 2 |
Polaris Soul Ritual A New Era Androgyno's Song |
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Sweden's St. Mikael (a.k.a. Mikael Sundström) apparently spent the '80s trying to find like-minded musicians, eventually resorting to recording his material on his own, in classic 'one-man band' style. After 1990's Visions of a Trespasser and the following year's cassette-only The Unknown, Claustromania appeared later in 1991, and sounds, quite literally, as if it could've dropped out of 1968. Its contents cover a good chunk of the psychedelic spectrum, mixing slightly Moodies-esque material (Venus And Beyond, Androgyno's Song) with shorter instrumental pieces (Spirits 1 and 2) and other general weirdness in a generally pleasing manner.
Mikael sticks some Mellotron on the album - a real one, as samples weren't really on most players' radar that early. Thankfully. The title track has a brief flute part near the end, while Spirit 1 is basically a 'Tron flute solo, although it sounds like it's been stuck through some kind of distortion, barely sounding like a Mellotron in its upper registers. Strings on Venus And Beyond and Time Caravan, with ghostly-sounding flutes on Polaris and more strings on the final two tracks, particularly on A New Era, making for a reasonably hefty 'Tron album.
This doesn't appear to be on CD, and isn't going to be easy to find, at least as a physical artefact, but is worth hunting down for psych fans and Mellotron nuts alike; no fighting over copies, now... St. Mikael has released several albums since Claustromania, but I don't believe he used a Mellotron again. I shall report back should I be proven wrong.
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Drink Me (1995, 47.09) ***/T½ |
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| Motorbike to Heaven Drink the Elixir Granite Statue Machine of Menace Overhear Me Shepherds' Isle Muscleman Your Ma |
Warmth of the Heart Gertrude Campbell Nothing Happens No 1.'s Cooking A Man With a Box Insomnia |
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Salad appeared towards the end of the largely deservedly-maligned Britpop movement, releasing their debut, Drink Me, in '95. It's fairly generic female-fronted stuff, to be honest, although nowhere near Oasis and their ilk for that all-out irritation factor.
Drummer Rob 'no relation' Wakeman doubled on keys, as did vocalist Marijne van der Vlugt, so I've no idea who played the Mellotron, but there are quite upfront choirs at the end of Motorbike To Heaven and flutes and more choirs on Granite Statue, although that would appear to be it. If you're into the style, you'll probably like this, but the converse is also true, and the Mellotron's fairly minimal.
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The Electric Pow Wow (1993, 59.08) ***½/T½ |
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| The Grooveline Too Many Mountains I Was Made to Love Her I Dont Want to Be With Nobody But You I Dont Want to Waste Your Time Good to Your Earhole Trail of Tears Little Things |
Too Rolling Stoned Wild Ride You Cant Judge a Book Teenage Love Affair Dodo Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family |
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Back From the Living (1995, 50.42) ***/T |
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| Tell Your Story Walkin' Start Again I Once Was There Wonderin' Crack Killed Applejack Born to Mack The Lying Truth Amelia |
God I'm Going Down Much Ado About Buttin' Shake This Town Start Again (live) |
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Stevie Salas burst onto the scene in the late '80s as the latest hotshot guitarist, mixing a heavy dose of funk in with his metal, in then-fashionable style, although you always got the impression that he meant it a little more than many of his contemporaries. An artist's second album is probably a little early to tackle a covers project, but 1993's The Electric Pow Wow is largely that. Apparently, it started off as a full covers album, then Salas began writing material in a similar vein to the tracks he was covering, ending up combining the two lots of material. Generally speaking, it all works pretty well, although some of it's a bit too close to funk/soul for this reviewer's taste, although Salas' guitar work saves most of the dodgier tracks. Vow Wow's Rei Atsumi plays Mellotron, with a lovely string part on I Was Made To Love Her, plus flutes at the end, under Salas' feedback, with more of the same on his version of David Bowie's Dodo, plus overly-sustaining choirs at the end. Samples? Studio trickery? No idea.
1995's Back From the Living was his third solo effort, some years after all the fuss over his eponymous debut had died down, and it's... OK. Not bad, not stunning, just OK. Reasonable material, but I'm afraid it's all forgotten as soon as it finishes playing. Atsumi on Mellotron again, with some rather weary sounding flutes and strings on Amelia from a machine that was probably way overdue a service (bad times for Mellotrons, those). It's nowhere near enough to make the committed 'Tronhead want to buy the record, crappy early computer graphics sleeve and all. Ordinary, although The Electric Pow Wow's surprisingly good.
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Not Everybody's Gold (2000, 65.15) ***½/T |
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| Prelude Riding the Fence The Last Enemy January Let Loose the Arrow We Don't Know |
Sweet Hope Suite Eternity in Our Hearts And We Wait The Hill of Peace Unlisted track |
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Salem Hill formed in 1991, playing that peculiarly '90s form of prog that isn't exactly 'neo', but isn't 'trad' either; think: vaguely like Echolyn or Spock's Beard, though those are only pointers. Not Everybody's Gold is their fifth album, and it apparently compares well to their earlier material, generally being regarded as their best yet. As long as you don't approach it expecting a full-on '70s thing, you shouldn't be disappointed; the songs are reasonably good, though I occasionally wish they'd write slightly darker material.
Michael Ayers' keys tend to be of the modern variety, which makes it surprising that he used a Mellotron on the album. Unless, of course, like so many current progressive outfits, it's samples. Why is it that artists of other genres make the effort to track down real Mellotrons/Chamberlins, but so many prog bands don't? anyway, I'll assume it's real until I find out otherwise. Actually, he only appears to use it for short melodic parts on The Last Enemy and The Hill Of Peace, anyway, so it's hardly the most major use ever.
Not Everybody's Gold is a good album, just not actually a classic. The lengthy Sweet Hope Suite is the best track; it's just a pity they felt it necessary to make such a long album, when, with a bit of judicious editing, it could well've been more concise, and better. Anyway, good album, but don't bother for the 'Tron.
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A Good Tip for a Good Time (2001, 36.12/40.33) ***½/T |
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| Listen to Me Daddy'O So, the Circus is Back in Town M.F. Lucky Girl I Can Give You Anything Deadbeat Move on High Heeled Leather Boots |
Time to Freak Out! Tanquaray Albert Bones Electric Meal [Bonus tracks: Got Soul if You Want it Sister Disco] |
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The Cato Salsa Experience are yet another in a long line of Scandinavian garage acts, all holding faithful to the sound of young America, circa 1965. And they all do it well. Startling, isn't it? Cato "Salsa" Thomassen and pals formed the band in the late '90s, their second album, A Good Tip for a Good Time, appearing in different 'territories' (as they say) in 2001/02. Despite a total lack of originality, it would be churlish of me to mark this down on that front, as they do what they do with mucho enthusiasm and vim. It's sort of pointless to try to pick out individual tracks, as they all sound pretty much the same, although Time To Freak Out! is particularly deranged; a one-trick pony, but it's a good trick.
Two of the band are credited with Mellotron: "Salsa" and drummer Jon "R. Lucar" Magne Riise (you may have gathered by now that the band are keen on pseudonyms, at least in the surname department). There isn't really that much to be heard, though, with nothing apparent apart from the flutes on I Can Give You Anything, making you wonder why they needed two people to play it. Anyway, rather average on the (real?) 'Tron front, but a perfectly good, raucous, garage punk album for those who just can't get enough of this stuff.
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4 Cadavres Exquis (2002, 51.53) ***½/TTTCadavre No 2 (Samarkande)Cadavre No 3 (Koninkrijk der Dode Zielen) Cadavre No 5 (Surmenage et Désordres Mentaux) Cadavre No 4 (L'Avènement) |
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Rude Awakening (2004, 69.25) ***/TÉpisodesAnalgésique Analogique Rude Awakening Présences Les Dépossédés |
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Douglas' Basement (2006, 59.14) ***½/TTCatharsisDouglas' Basement Pray Hard But Pray With Care... Cadavre Exquis No 8 (1<1) Cadavre Exquis No 7 (L'Arrache-Cœur) |
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3 Synapses (2008, 52.02) ***½/TSynapse No.1Synapse No.2 Synapse No.3 |
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Samarkande are, generally speaking, the French-Canadian electronic duo of Sylvain Lamirande and Éric Fillion, although their second album is credited to Lamirande plus guest musicians, including Fillion. Their brand of EM seems to be the 'quiet but menacing' variety, with little rhythm but plenty of unsettling sounds and an ominous feel to the proceedings. They're actually an improvisational outfit, avoiding the usual EM clichés by refusing to use step sequencers and/or Froese-ish guitar lines, preferring to take inspiration from the ancient city for which they're named, once the most cosmopolitan in the world, by utilising influences from anywhere and everywhere.
Their debut, 4 Cadavres Exquis, sits firmly in the above category, with only the last track, Cadavre No 4 (L'Avènement), featuring any sort of rhythm, and then not exactly in a Berlin School kind of way. Fillion uses his M400 subtly, frequently fading a chord in and back out almost before you've noticed, or adding no more than an echoed flute line that far from overwhelms the piece. Cadavre No 2 (Samarkande) is typical, with a few string chords early on preceding a 'perpetual motion'-style descending choir line that rolls round and round before eventually fading from view.
Lamirande's near-solo effort, Rude Awakening, is well-titled; when people talk about 'industrial' music, they usually mean the posturings of the likes of Marilyn Manson (whatever happened to?) or Nine Inch Nails. This is real industrial music. It sounds like heavy machinery running amuck, full of the clanks, groans and whistles of an aging and ill-maintained factory grinding to a halt. Whether or not it's even music has to be a matter of opinion; there's next to nothing on the album resembling a tune, or even anything tuned, with the possible exception of Karoline Leblanc's harpsichord and Fillion's Mellotron on the near-20 minute Présences. Fillion adds the odd flute note here and there, and some dissonant choirs, well in keeping with the piece (and the album), but don't get your hopes up for any sort of 'Tron-fest here.
Back to business as usual for 2006's Douglas' Basement, another full Lamirande/Fillion collaboration, although a rather more rhythmic one this time. Not as in Tangerine Dream rhythm, mind, more a less discordant version of Rude Awakening's industrial clattering. Actually, thinking of this as a cross between the duo's two previous albums is probably a fairly good approach; it's certainly more listener-friendly than its predecessor, but more upfront than their debut. Fillion gets a bit of Mellotron in everywhere except the uncharacteristically short title track, with a flute harmony suddenly appearing from nowhere on Catharsis, with a similar string part cropping up a minute or two later, and brief string and/or flute parts on the last three tracks, not least the flutes at the end of Cadavre Exquis No 7.
After the by-now requisite two-year gap, mid-2008 brings 3 Synapses, consisting of, er, Synapses 1-3. No change on the style front, with all three parts falling into the 'challenging' category, although I'm sure I heard a brief step-sequencer line in No.1. Careful now, chaps... Lamirande's mad sax overdubs at the end of No.2 are a minor deviation, but fit in with the album's overall vibe, while the rest of the sonic maelstrom is exactly what we've come to expect from the duo. Little Mellotron, as usual, with a repeated background choir part in No.1, even fainter choirs (and possibly strings) in No.2, and nothing apparent in the last track.
Samarkande are for the EM fan who feels he (they're invariably 'he') will go insane if he hears another bad Tangs rip-off; they actually have something new to say in the genre, largely by approaching it from a new angle, and refusing to follow well-worn paths to electronic righteousness. The newcomer to their work might be best off starting with 4 Cadavres Exquis, moving on to Douglas' Basement and 3 Synapses, then approaching Rude Awakening if he's feeling brave. There isn't that much Mellotron on any of them, but 4 Cadavres should probably be your first port of call for that, too.
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Måltid (1973, 42.23/57.05) ****/TT | |
| Dundrets Fröjder Oförutsedd Förlossning Den Återupplivade Låten Folkvisa i Morse Syster System Tärningen Svackorpoängen Minareten |
Værelseds Tilbud [CD adds: Minareten II Circus Apparatha Probably the Probably] |
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Snorungarnas Symfoni [Gregory Allan FitzPatrick/Samla Mammas Manna] (1975, 34.09) ****/T½Första SatsenAndra Satsen Tredje Satsen Fjärde Satsen |
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Samla Mammas Manna are one of Swedish prog's better-kept secrets, with many aficionados having never heard the band, or really gathered where they were coming from at all. They took influences from the more 'out there' end of British art-rock, as well as Swedish folk and God knows what else; think Gentle Giant/Henry Cow in a jazz stylee, and you might be just beginning to get a handle on their sound. And that's before vocals are even mentioned...
I haven't heard Samla Mammas Manna's eponymous debut, but Måltid is pretty hard going, although ultimately worth the effort. Dundrets Fröjder gets things off to a good start, building up to a loping jazzy groove, slowly picking up speed, with Mellotron strings cutting in around the seven-minute mark. Oförutsedd Förlossning is totally different, while Den Återupplivade Låten heads off in another direction again, with a short burst of 'Tron flutes this time. The last 'Tron track on the album is Tärningen, highlighting their unusual Mellotron use: rather than layer it all over a track, they just bring in a few chords here and there; maybe only a few bars in a whole song, which avoids overkill, although sometimes you feel that a little more wouldn't have hurt. Anyway, don't buy Måltid expecting symphonic prog, but if your palette's a little jaded, they might be just the tonic you need. Incidentally, two of the bonus tracks on the CD are from the same sessions, but Circus Apparatha has been rather pointlessly appropriated from their first album.
Samla's third album, '74's Klossa Knapitatet, is 'Tron-free, but the follow-up is quite an oddity, being a collaboration between the band and American ex-pat Gregory Allan FitzPatrick, who composed and arranged the entire album, effectively using the band as collective session musicians. FitzPatrick's material, while no means 'standard' prog fare, leans more in that direction than Samla's own stuff, with four lengthy tracks contrasting with the band's own highly variable track lengths. There's a decidedly folky bent to some of this album, and it's difficult to work out whether the passing similarity with Samla's own sound is due to they and FitzPatrick coming from the same musical area, or because his ideas have been filtered through theirs. Either way, it's different enough from Måltid to almost be a different band, except that they keep lurching back to type, just when you least expect it.
Lars Hollmer's Mellotron strings in Första Satsen (I think the tracks are titled simply 'first to fourth parts') are few and far between, with just a few seconds here and there, but Andra Satsen opens with a clunky flute/strings part (I think), before a few more odd bits scattered throughout the song. Tredje Satsen seems to be bereft of 'Tron, but a flute line in Fjärde Satsen reminds you it's still there. Not exactly a Mellotron Classic, then, but despite being written by someone else, a worthy album in the Samla catalogue.
So; two very good albums, though not for the beginner to the style. Samla split in '77, reforming as Zamla Mammaz Manna, then becoming involved in the British RIO (Rock in Opposition) movement, alongside Henry Cow and co. There are various other albums released under various names, but I'd be surprised if there's any more Mellotron use; there certainly isn't any on 1980's Familjesprickor (Family Cracks) (***½). Anyway; recommended.
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Sanctuary (1972?) ****/TTT½All in My Dreams1982A Time and a Word Hard to Be Winter's Dream |
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US outfit Sanctuary's sole self-titled album is so obscure that even its year of release is unknown, although 'around 1972' seems a safe bet. Its sound is mostly post-psych rather than prog per se, and it's a pity the band didn't get the breaks; they could have developed nicely given a bit of time and money.
Keyboard man Eric Bikales shines on various instruments, including Mellotron. All In My Dreams showcases his skills, with a descending strings run to be proud of, although 1982A only has a smattering of cellos on the outro. Their cover of Yes', er, 'seminal' Time And A Word misses the opportunity to smother the chorus in 'Tron, only using it for a few chords at the end, and Hard To Be again waits until near the end for what sounds like a 'Tron strings'n'flute duet, although most of the album's tracks sound like they contain real flute. The best track (as so often) is the side-long Winter's Dream, which is definitely more proggy than the rest of the album, with some excellent keyboard work. Although none of the tracks feature the 'Tron that heavily, this one has the most, definitely with flutes this time, a quick burst of cello and the obligatory strings, including a brief solo section with some excellent high-speed playing and a superb crescendo at its conclusion.
Your chances of finding a vinyl original of this are probably akin to discovering a MkII 'Tron in perfect nick for sale at your local social club. Actually, less. I think it's been bootlegged onto CD, but here's hoping for an official release sometime, not to mention the other tapes that Bikales says he has stashed away somewhere. Worth the effort.
Fan page (dead link?)
