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YES |
WIGWAM |
THE ELECTRIC PRUNES |
RY COODER |
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WILLIE NELSON
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YES
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THE
JONES GANG Any Day Now (AAO) Assisted by his former band mates in The Small FacesIan MacLagan and from The Faces, Ronnie Wood (Woody also designed the cover art)drumming ace Kenny Jones revives the pop sound he helped to pioneer in the 60s. The song Mr. Hart would have made a perfect paisley pop Small Faces hitI can just picture Steve Marriott and tearing it apart. Commanding this first Jones Gang CD, Jones is ably assisted by bassist Rick Wills and singer Robert Hart, who belts it out in the spirit of Faces singer Rod Stewart. With the Gangs guest guitarists including Wood, Dave Buckett Colwell, Gary Grainger and Richie Barrett, Jones Gang gets it right more often than not on a CD that rekindles the best elements of 60s Brit-pop and early 70s stadium rock. www.jonesgangmusic.com
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WIGWAM Some Several Moons (Major Léiden) Moving to Helsinki from London back in the mid 60s, Jim Pembroke became situated as one of a select few of first class U.K. rockers to move their talents to the continent. Pembrokes amazing songs, vocals, lyrics and production has graced many fine rock records to come out of Finland and even Sweden. Now 35 years after his early recordings with Blues Section and Wigwam, Pembroke & Co. have recorded and released another brilliant new studio album in 2005. Entitled Some Several Moons, the eleven track CD keeps that patented Wigwam album from their Love and Virgin records years. One song in particular entitled Deep Pop (Before The Only One Comes) is among the most effective songs among the many great ones Jimbos written in 30 years. Not enough can be said of the great guitar work from Jims long time Wigwam bandmate and song co-writing partner, Pekka Rekku Rechardt not to mention a top performance from original Wigwam bassist Mats Hulden. Also in this 2005 lineup is drummer... and the great Finnish New Age keyboardist and composer Esa Kotalainen, who rocks on with Jimbo and the boys. Killer cover art from Cady Pembroke tags this art as kind of a laid back set ranging from sonic prog-pop to a more country inspired Dylan & The Band kind of vibe that Pembroke excels in. Maybe one day Wigwams deep pop will find the wider audience they deserve, though time is running out. http://members.surfeu.fi/mmerilai/wigwam/
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THE ELECTRIC PRUNES California (Prune Twang) I can remember grooving to I Had Too Much To Dreamthe great 60s hit single from The Electric Prunes. Lo and behold, three decades later the original band has reformed for a 2004 studio CD called California - A Sonic Landscape. Described as containing 13 new intellectual tunes designed for stimulation, a snootful of tremolo, fuzz beyond fuzz and all, California is a brilliant return to form from a band that became synonymous with late 60s psychedelia. Featuring album concept and production from original Prunes James Lowe (vocals) and Mark Tulin (bass) (and a guest appearance from Peter Lewis of Moby Grape), California also features original lead guitarist Ken Williams. Featuring a stunning selection of whirling, studio wizardrycomplete with ultra-psychedelic cover artCalifornia will make you tune in, turn on and drop out! For a vintage reminder of the Prunes power as a live group check out their critically acclaimed reissue CD on Byrdman Records entitled Stockholm 67, featuring the great I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night). www.electricprunes.net
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RY
COODER Chávez Ravine (Nonesuch) I dont speak the Spanish lingo well, but Ry Cooders 2005 CD, Chávez Ravine is filled with the greatness that made him such an icon of the electric guitar. For among the several English vocals, Cooder and company tackles the 1962 Beatles chestnut Three Cool Cats, which was actually written in 1953 by Leiber / Stoller and is also associated with L.A. jazz pianist Hampton Hawes. A great crew assist Cooder on his Spanish and World Beat music flavored set including George Harrisons drummer of choice Jim Keltner, Cooders son Joachim Cooder, Hawaiian guitarist Led Kaapana and vocalist Little Willie G. and his great singing on 3 Cool Cats. All kinds of outside pop culture eclectica like that abounds throughout Cooders latest treasure chest of Latino pop-rock magic. www.nonesuch.com
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