Captain Beyond - 1972.

Captain Beyond is a one-of-a-kind progressive album with rock, heavy metal, and jazz influences with a "space rock" lyrical bend. Formed by former members of Deep Purple (Rod Evans, vocals), Iron Butterfly (Rhino, lead guitar, and Lee Dorman, bass), and Johnny Winter (Bobby Caldwell, drums) Captain Beyond is an album that flows from riff to riff, drumbeat to drumbeat, often with various time signatures within the same song. Taking a tip from the Moody Blues, songs flow directly into each other without benefit of any lag time between selections. Taken as a whole, the album is kind of a rush, as quick, riff-laden guitar lines predominate for a few songs before slowing down temporarily into a lull until the next takeoff. Lyrically, the album differentiates itself by exploring themes of the outer world and meanings of existence, often with references to the moon, sea, sun, and so on. Listeners may get the feeling of taking a journey to space in a rocket ship headed for destination unknown. Musically, the album is superior in all aspects. Rod Evans has a strong rock voice, Rhino plays an enormous amount of hook-laden guitar lines, and Lee Dorman plays complex basslines (for example, at the end of "As the Moon Speaks-Return") that lead to typically rhythmic, nimble Bobby Caldwell drumming. The tightness between musicians is enormous, never lets up for long, and leaves the listener feeling like the ride should continue for the indefinite future. A stunner!

"Dancing Madly Backwards (On a Sea of Air)" – 4:01
"Armworth" – 1:48
"Myopic Void" – 3:30
"Mesmerization Eclipse" – 3:48
"Raging River of Fear" – 3:47
"Thousand Days of Yesterdays (Intro)" – 1:19
"Frozen Over" – 3:46
"Thousand Days of Yesterdays (Time Since Come and Gone)" – 3:56
"I Can't Feel Nothin' (Part 1)" – 3:06
"As the Moon Speaks (To the Waves of the Sea)" – 2:25
"Astral Lady" – 0:16
"As the Moon Speaks (Return) – 2:13
"I Can't Feel Nothin' (Part 2)" – 1:13

http://rapidshare.com/files/34707059/1972_-_Captain_Beyond.zip.html

Captain Beyond - Sufficiently Breathless - 1973.

Captain Beyond's second album must have confused the diehards. Where their self-titled debut had upheld the basic progressive heavy rock blueprint of lengthy instrumental explorations, constant tempo changes, and opaque, yet cinematic lyrics, Sufficiently Breathless downplays them for a subtler, song-oriented production. The predominant mood is snappy and businesslike; no track runs over five and a half minutes. This newfound conciseness certainly benefited such heavy-rocking efforts as "Distant Sun," even as the band stuck to their diverse guns on the moody, acoustic title track and the sleek Latin funk rock of "Bright Blue Eyes" and "Everything's a Circle." The results were intelligent and self-assured, yet the band's never-ending bad luck again intervened when vocalist Rod Evans quit in late 1973, leaving the album adrift. The band would proffer a markedly different style on their return four years later, but anyone dismissing progressive heavy rock as an oxymoron should definitely check out this album first.

"Sufficiently Breathless" – 5:15
"Bright Blue Tango" – 4:11
"Drifting in Space" – 3:12
"Evil Men" – 4:51
"Starglow Energy" – 5:04
"Distant Sun" – 4:42
"Voyages of Past Travellers" – 1:46
"Everything's a Circle" – 4:14

http://rapidshare.com/files/123816446/Captain_Beyond_-_Sufficiently_Breathless__1973.rar

"Argus" - Wishbone Ash - 1972

In the summer of ’72 I’m standing in a downtown record store holding this album in my hands. Hmmm…great Storm Thorgerson album cover. Hmmm…twin lead guitars. Could be interesting. But who are Andy Powell and Ted Turner? I didn't buy the album that day, but about a week later, I did. I took it straight to a friend's house, and we had a listen. Needless to say, it just about took our faces off.

British band Wishbone Ash plays a mix of blues/boogie, folk, and progressive rock- style riffs mated to endearingly cosmic lyrics. As always, the band's basis is the tag team guitars of Andy Powell and Ted Turner. Fans of this duo's mix of harmony guitar licks and duelling solos will find much to admire here. The band hailed from Britain and their unique style is spotlighted at its best on this there third album released in 1972. Also featured are Martin Turner on bass and vocals and Steve Upton on drums. The band’s unique style is spotlighted at its best on this album.

On “Argus” the band’s move towards more progressive material with "Warrior" and "Throw Down The Sword" was a great strategy and both tracks provide some of the best twin harmony guitar jams of the 70's. Tracks like "Time Was" and "Leaf And Stream" retain a folk consciousness and "The King Will Come” remains a cool mini-epic song. If you have never explored Wishbone Ash this is the album to start with. Some of their other discs are very good, but this is the band at their high water mark. The music and melodies are haunting while the axe work both harmonic and solo is outstanding.
"Argus" was and still is Wishbone Ash's ultimate statement. Part progressive rock, part blues / boogie rock and a bit of folk rock thrown in, this album really put all of the band's strengths together to form what is in my mind one of the classic guitar albums of the early 70's. Yes, there are indeed many of us who have owned this album for 30-some years, and who are still infatuated by its brilliance. Great music stands the test of time. It rises above mere nostalgia. “Argus” packs a wallop. What a combination of energy and sophistication! The music is well thought out--it's classy, but tailored to knock your socks off. If you have any idea of what it takes to make a band jell, I can almost guarantee that after the first four songs, you and your friends will be looking at each other with blank stares. "Juggernaut" does not even begin to describe this album. If you don't shout for joy at the sound of "Argus”, you don't deserve to call yourself a Rock fan.

CD 1
01. Time Was 9.46
02. Sometime World 6.57
03. Blowin' Free 5.20
04. The King Will Come 7.08
05. Leaf And Stream 3.55
06. Warrior 5.53
07. Throw Down The Sword 5.59
08. No Easy Road 3.39
09. The Pilgrim 10.10
10. Phoenix 17.06

CD 2
01. Time Was 10.14
02. Blowin' Free 5.51
03. Warrior 5.44
04. Throw Down The Sword 6.47
05. The King Will Come 8.11
06. Phoenix 19.35
07. Blowin' Free 5.38
08. Throw Down The Sword 6.13

http://lix.in/-346060

http://lix.in/-376da2

Fosterchild - 1977.

After seeing this band play live at the Riv Rock Room in Edmonton in 1978 I sought out their self titled first LP release and to my surprise was quite good. Now after years of languishing in a basement trunk here is a fresh vinyl rip of an album back from the mists of time.
A native of Calgary, Vern Wills grew up playing in a number of bands honing his chops on the circuit. By 1974 he'd grown tired of the lack of support for Albertan musicians and headed to New York to join The Walkers. When his work visa ran out two years later, he returned to Canada, hooking up with Jim Foster upon his return to Calgary. A chance encounter a few years earlier sparked a friendship which led to the two beginning the process of writing material for their new band.
The early doors of the orphanage revolved frequently, but within a few months the group was rounded out by Peter Sweetzir on keyboards, Barry Boothman on bass and drummer Gerry Wand. They became staples of the 'b' circuit in Western Canada developing their style of mixing country with a laid-back rock feel. They signed to Bob Gallo & CBS in '76 - cutting the '45 "Let Me Down Easy" later that year. Their first full album came in the form of a self-titled country/rock effort in the summer of '77. The lead single "Until We Meet Again" hit the airwaves and the band hit the road doing mostly Western Canadian dates. On the backs of other tracks as well, such as the other singles "Magic Is In The Air" and "I Need Somebody Tonight", the album showed Wills & Foster's penchant for writing solid rock tunes with a country base.

Their sophomore effort came the next year in the form of TROUBLED CHILD. Like its predecessor, Gallo oversaw production with Jim Gaines, recording at Vancouver's Little Mountain Studios. It followed the same path of mellow, unoffensive country/pop. The album showed definite growth in the music and high hopes were put on the record. "Cuts Like A Razor" came out as the first single, backed by the title track. With the single showing a respectable Top 50 placing, "It's Too Late Now" became the second single. But waning interest from the label saw the band's cross-Canada tour cut short, followed by Sweetzir leaving the fold. They were released from CBS before year's end.

It would be only a year later that they would get picked up by Vera Cruz Records out of Edmonton. Recorded in Damon Sound Studios, ON THE PROWL came out the summer of 1980, the result of off-time writing in between deals. Foster had persuaded friend Doug Johnson to come in as new keyboardist and the record was the first time the band had a real say in how things were done. It showed a distinct change in direction - with more emphasis on a pop sound, something Gallo and CBS had tried to discourage. Instead of simply sounding like a cheap Stampeders knock-off, the album showcased Wills' & Foster's ability to combine clever pop hooks with a country influences that were a little more subtle than before, such as the lead-off "Hideaway", "Is That Girl Still In Town", the title-track and "Don't Play The Black Queen".

The band hit the road, touring with label-mates One Horse Blue but problems with the new label again cut short the tour. Once they were back Johnson went home to Vancouver and joined Loverboy. Unsure as to whether or not to continue, they ended up touring sporadically the next couple of years with the occasional replacement in the line-up, eventually calling it quits in '82. Foster would go on to join One Horse Blue shortly after, then released his debut solo album in 1986.

Here