Archive for July, 2015

Vinyl

Tim Kuhl, “Drive” from 1982 (2015): Something Else! sneak peek video

The video completes the whole presentation for Tim Kuhl’s “Drive,” which is musical art, poetry, and, as it turns out, visual art — all rolled into one.

Vinyl

Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin – Ichigo Ichie (2015)

There isn’t anyone who is exploiting the possibilities presented by big band jazz more aggressively these days than Satoko Fujii. Another chapter in her orchestra book is opened with the Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin debut ‘Ichigo Ichie.’

Vinyl

Jeff Beck’s Yardbirds tenure was brief, but influential: ‘Highly strung and unpredictable’

The Yardbirds ‘Roger the Engineer,’ released on July 15, 1966, led to a disastrous tour that ended the Jeff Beck era. Jim McCarty tells us what happened.

Vinyl

Caddy – The Better End (2015)

Ignited by a happy and relaxed mood, the jangly pop of ‘The Better End’ by engineer Tomas Dahl – aka Caddy – beams with a fresh-faced spiritedness.

Toto, "St. George and the Dragon" from 'Hydra' (1979): Toto Tuesdays

Toto, “St. George and the Dragon” from ‘Hydra’ (1979): Toto Tuesdays

Toto’s proggy “St. George and the Dragon” failed to chart as the lead single from 1979’s ‘Hydra,’ but it’s only grown in estimation since.

Bob Dylan's wrongheaded Knocked Out Loaded was almost saved by epic 'Brownsville Girl'

Bob Dylan’s wrongheaded Knocked Out Loaded was almost saved by epic ‘Brownsville Girl’

Bob Dylan’s otherwise entirely forgettable ‘Knocked Out Loaded,’ released on July 14, 1986, had its merits. Well, one of them, anyway.

Vinyl

Jeff Beck + Rod Stewart, “People Get Ready” from Flash (1985): One Track Mind

Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart equalled the emotional directness of their initial collaborations with “People Get Ready,” released on ‘Flash’ in July 1985.

Deep Purple began a long charge forward with Shades of Deep Purple

Deep Purple began a long charge forward with Shades of Deep Purple

Released in July 1968, the embryonic ‘Shades of Deep Purple’ already underscored the novel and industrious path that Deep Purple would take.

Vinyl

James Leg, “Up Above My Head” from Below The Belt (2015): Something Else! sneak peek

James Leg has never completely forsaken his roots, and there are times when he comes all the way home. “Up Above My Head” is one of those times.

Vinyl

Inside Steve Hackett and Steve Howe’s ill-fated GTR supergroup: ‘The price of success was very high’

GTR debuted in July 1986 with a lineup led by prog legends Steve Hackett and Steve Howe. What could go wrong? As Hackett tells us, almost everything.