Unicorn - Too Many Crooks (Pause Rewind Play)

 

I'm a little early here as this first Vinyl reissue of Unicorn's third album isn't released until 5 May. However it fits in beautifully with this Pause Rewind Play weekend and the album can be pre-ordered now. I do suspect that it is not going to be around for too long and Think Like A Key certainly deserve applause for their recent efforts.

If Unicorn had come from or harnessed the support of the West Coast Of America, they could have been noted in the same circles as The Eagles. Maybe even if they had relocated to the States as Foghat did? Instead they are more noted for the bands that they supported Live.

Produced and adored by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour who had also produced their previous album, Blue Pine Trees as well as playing pedal steel on it. Very much noted as Country Rock, there was more to the band than that. They came out of the same Pub Rock as Brinsley Schwarz and they were also Folk Rock influenced. 

Any of the band's first three albums are highly recommended, this is probably the best and is the most Pop Rock influenced thus far. The title track is an achingly beautiful Pop song. No Way Out Of Here is a fantastic song with its 10CC like vocal harmonies. Then there is Disco Dancer, which is nowhere near as cheesy as the title suggests, it is nearer to Power Pop than anywhere close to Disco.

Easy is a cracking slice of Soft Rock, more akin to those Folk Rock roots, but also reminiscent of bands like Liverpool Express. Keep On Going also gets more than a little Glam Rock in feel and sound. But it is the Country Rock that shouts loudest. There is no doubt that these boys could play.

The fourth album from 1977, One More Tomorrow was half produced by Gilmour, with the other half being handled by Muff Winwood. There was an attempt to be more commercial, but you sense the band were half hearted and happy doing what they were known for. 

Punk didn't necessarily kill Country Rock, but it did wound the non headline acts. A shame really, because although Country Rock still gets an undeserved reaction as boredom personified. Those that were good at it still sound great and Unicorn were certainly more than good at it/

You can pre-order Too Many Crooks from Think Like A Key here. It is available on both Vinyl and CD.

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Miller Anderson - Bright City Remastered Edition (Pause Rewind Play)

 

I first came across Miller Anderson in the Ian Hunter fanaticism that I had in the 70s. Hunter mentioned him in an interview and I went on to investigate learning that he had been in both The Scenery and At Last The 1958 Rock And Roll Show. That friendship lives on to this day with Hunter recommending him for both Blood Sweat And Tears and Mountain.

Anderson played on two of Hunter's solo albums and had a reference on the song, All American Alien Boy, But he is most noted elsewhere, particularly as Vocalist and Guitarist in the Keef Hartley Band, which included an appearance at Woodstock, as well as being the Guitarist on the T Rex Dandy In The Underworld album.

It was the Hunter connection, that led me to buying this and the follow up album under the name Hemlock and what a revelation Bright City was. For someone noted as a Blues Rocker, there is such a variation across the seven original tracks. The opening, Alice Mercy (To Whom It Will Concern) is seven minutes of excellence. 

The song takes in Blues Rock, Folk and Prog and features a great Guitar v Organ battle. The title track is half the length and features a wonderful arrangement, beautifully and gently sung, akin to a West Coast 60s Ballad, a little Glen Campbell at times. Grey Broken Morning is another big arrangement, Bacharach at times, all Piano, Brass and Orchestral. 

High Tide High Water shows how different the default template was for Anderson, a belt it out Blues Rock vocal akin to Chris Farlowe. Nothing Is This World mirrors the Funky feel that Classic Rock was to endorse later in the 70s and The Age Of Progress adds Female Vocals to a song in Joe Cocker territory. A gentle verse leads into a blasting chorus.

The absolute gem is the magnificent original closer. Shadows 'Cross My Mind which is splendid Prog with Psych overtones. it is a monster of a song across its six minutes. Another Time Another Place is added which was the B Side to the Bright City 1971 single. Esoteric have doubled the length of the original album by adding two BBC Sessions recorded on the same day in September 1971.

The first four songs were a session for Sounds Of The Seventies Radio Show and includes a version of On A Ship To Nowhere that was to appear on the 1973 Hemlock album. The second four were for a John Peel In Concert. Lovingly Remastered with the bonus of the BBC Sessions, Bright City sounds as great as it did when I first bought the LP. Proff that there was far more to Miller Anderson than being a sideman. 

You can buy the album here.

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Ian Bairnson RIP

 

I was fortunate enough to discover music under my own steam just as Glam Rock was taking over the UK. I say fortunate because although Glam had spent a good while since being laughed at, there was no better time to become enthralled in the joy of music and Glam Rock was about the joy and fun. It was singles led, but it concentrated on choruses, great Pop with big riffs. You could sing along, pretend to play the guitar and be taken into another world away from the grim reality of the council estate. By 1974, albums had started to take me in other directions via the likes of Sparks and Mott The Hoople, but then I heard a single by a band that looking back, probably made the biggest mark on my music fandom. 

That band was Pilot and that single was Magic. It was quickly followed by January and I was completely hooked. I can look back now and acknowledge that the Power Pop and Pop Rock that I write about to this day. Both songs were incredibly catchy, but it was that guitar sound and the riffs of Ian Bairnson that affected me most, particularly that intro to January. I instantly became a Pilot fan, something that stays with me to this day. Getting news and information on bands wasn't that easy in those days. I wasn't led to Alan Parsons Project by the Pilot connection, instead it was via the John Miles connection, but I was delighted to discover that David Paton and Bairnson were heavily involved.

The Project was exactly that a collaboration of musicians, but Bairnson was the only musician who played on every APP album, his guitar work lighting up the concept albums. I'm currently in the middle of reviewing The Turn Of A Friendly Card album and the closing solo on the reprise of the title track is worth the admission alone. Bairnson was also a part of Kate Bush's first four albums and played that wonderful closing Guitar solo on Wuthering Heights. In the Eighties, he also became involved with Bucks Fizz, co-writing If You Can't Stand The Heat and Run For Your Life.  Adding to his songwriting canon for both Pilot and Alan Parsons Project.

He remained an in demand Session player sprinkling Guitar gold dust on albums from the likes of Joe Cocker, Neil Diamond and Jon Anderson. He was a brilliant live Guitarist and also played Live with Eric Clapton, Sting and many more, It was announced by his wife Leila in 2018 that Ian was suffering from a degenerative neurological condition that meant that his public playing days were over and this has resulted in his untimely death, 69 is no age. I personally thank him for all the musical enjoyment that he has given to me for almost five decades. Those Pilot albums are never far from my reach. But most of all, I thank him for what I do now and what hearing Magic for the first time meant to me. 

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Pause Rewind Play

 

Something a little different is coming to I Don't Hear A Single over the weekend. IDHAS is noted for its coverage of new music, but we are often asked about reissues of Archive material. So for the next couple of days we take a break from the new to review some recent releases of music that has been released before. 

We intend to do features like this occasionally, but only when there is time, which isn't that often.

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Marc Jonson and Ramírez Exposure - Turning On The Century Volume 1

 

The collaboration of Marc Jonson and Ramirez Exposure is an intriguing one. A mix of generations and different continents has resulted in this fine album. Jonson could lovingly be called a veteran, now residing in Plainfield New Jersey, Victor Ramirez in Valencia and noted for the splendid Ramirez Exposure.

One a respected solo artist whose songs have been notably covered, the other one of the new breed of Power Poppers. This isn't the first time they have worked together. Jonson produced Ramirez Exposure's 2017 album, Young Is The New Old and they embarked on two tours together, the second with long time IDHAS hero Richard Lloyd in tow.

This album was released last October, but I am delighted to tell you that Volume 2 is due next month and it is every bit as good. The mix and matching of voices works perfectly and enhances the variety on display. Jonson has a wonderful slight gravel to it complemented perfectly by Ramirez's gentler tone.

The harmonies are splendid, multi tracked for the biggest sound. The material moves effortlessly through the years. Tape Recorder deserved the attention that it received, there is so much within. A top notch Jangle with a wall of Spector-ish sound. Zing Zong is a cracking slab of Psych Pop as a complete alternative.

Tilting At Windmills is stripped down beautifully, Everlys like and The Magic Creek is wonderfully produced and all 1967. Sour Lemonade Sour oozes aches and I Don't Know Your World heads down a Country path, yet remains a jaunty campfire affair.

Rain Rain is pure Bubblegum with a great arrangement, particularly the vocal harmonies. Appears is the ballad, again mastered with ease. There is a real 60s feel to proceedings and the vocal harmonies just completely win you over. I can't wait to tell you about Volume 2/

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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dazy - OTHERBODY

 

Richmond Virginia's James Goodson releases this mini album swiftly after his debut album as dazy. Fans of OUTOFBODY (and there were many) will know what to expect and be delighted accordingly. This is great fuzzed up Power Pop, very US 90s.

Melodic yet scuzzy, you can't help thinking that these are songs that you've heard before, but can't quite pin down. You haven't of course and we are at an advanced stage where everything has been done before, but you are left with a comparison to an unintentional magpie.

That isn't to decry the offering, it is really good at what it does and there is a real catchiness to the songs, although all this fuzz can get a little wearing. Always In Between gets a little jangly and is dazy at his most poppy. 

Tucked Inside My Head heads into fine Psych Pop and I Know Nothing flirts heavily with UK Glam Rock, so much so that I can't get Chicory Tip's Son Of My Father out of my head. There a couple of Primal Scream like Ooh Ooh Ooh's on different songs. OTHERBODY is a really enjoyable listen, but you can't help wondering where dazy goes next,

You can listen to and buy the album here. 

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Das Phaedrus - The Stars Are Real

 

When I covered Das Phaedrus's second album, Dark Winning here, I mentioned that the Dunedin quartet were not purveyors of the type of music that you would expect from New Zealand. The lead vocal swapping allowed great variety.

However, whereas Dark Winning had a particular crunch, The Stars Are Real has a wonderful darker feel. That isn't to say that you should prepare yourself for a miseryfest, the complexity of the arrangements and that variety would never allow such.

There is the straight ahead such as the cross between IRS and Glasgow 80s Indie that is Photowall and the 60s mix of UK Psych Beat that is Close Me Up with its hypnotic riff. The band can also slow things down to great effect. but there is usually a twist.

Heartless Hinds is a Piano ballad that suddenly turns into something akin to 10CC. Wildflowers has an Acoustic, part Folk, part Country gentleness and Speech even has a Jazz tint that matches the song's chant. Then there is the aforementioned darker material.

The title track is moody and magnificent, s little like Brian Bordello with a band and a bigger budget. Red Gold Avenue is all West Coast moodiness. Casey Wrote has a real Country Twang, again restrained, but the chorus goes all Fleetwood Mac. 

For all this atmosphere, the best song here is the slightly chaotic Right Weapon In The Wrong Hands. Riffs come from everywhere, very Indie, absolutely top drawer. The Stars Are Real is incredibly inventive in a way that you would not expect. Top Notch!

You can listen to and buy the album here. It is at Name Your Price, so what have you got to lose?

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