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1969 Albums

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The Deviants 3 > Deviants

October, 1969
US
Sire
4.5
While The Beatles and others may have represented the acceptable face of psychedelia, the Summer of Love also spawned the murkier underground of the Ladbroke Grove area; The Social Deviants, Pink Fairies and, most famously, Hawkwind were at the top of the class. With his art school background, Mick Farren was a fixture of London's underground. He was a staffer at International Times and a UK wannabe White Panther. In 1967, he formed The Social Deviants with Sid Bishop, Cord Rees and Russell Hunter. Funded by a rich kid (Nigel Samuel), Ptooff! was released independently, via the newspaper's network of counter-culture shops in London (and later reissued on Decca Records). Disposable appeared a year later, with Duncan Sanderson now on bass; but the addition of Canadian guitarist Paul Rudolph in 1969 inspired the band's masterwork, The Deviants 3. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker and released (somehow) on the folky Transatlantic label, the album was all Deviants: a large dose of 50s rock ‘n' roll, fuzzed-out psychedelia and Zappa-inspired weirdness. "Broken Biscuits" is highly proto-punk, while "First Line (Seven the Row)," represents the typical blues-inspired rock of the era, and reveals Rudolph's expertise as a guitarist. "Metamorphosis Explosion," however, is the one track to remember. Farren's vocals are decent, and his words here unexceptional; but when the singing part fades away and the band kicks into gear, the song transforms into underground rock at its finest. However, a US tour in 1969 proved near-fatal when Rudolph, Sanderson and Hunter split from Farren; all would eventually be rectified when they reunited as the Pink Fairies.

Sea Shanties > High Tide

October, 1969
UK
Liberty
5
South Shields-born Tony Hill was a member of the US band The Misunderstood during their chaotic sojourn to London in the late 60s. A few years after the implosion of that band, Hill set his sights on a new group, teaming up with violinist Simon House, bassist Peter Pavli and drummer Roger "Rog" Hadden as High Tide. After landing a publishing deal with Apple Corps and finding management under Wayne Bardell and Clearwater Productions, the band signed with Liberty Records and set to record their debut album-yet in an odd arrangement: Denver "Denny" Gerrard was a recording artist for Deram who needed a backing band; so, in exchange for High Tide's services, the band was afforded studio time to complete Sea Shanties, released in October 1969. "Futilist's Lament" opens the album with a raw, aggressive blast of electric guitar and violin. There's no sugarcoating this psychedelic rock; rough at the edges, thundering and relentless, it's some of the heaviest rock of its time. "Death Warmed Up" continues the unabating thunder. House's violin, often played through a wah-wah, surges to uncomfortable heights. "Pushed, but Not Forgotten" offers some respite, highlighting Hill's deep 60s baritone voice. "Missing Out" offers some interesting interplay between Hill's overdriven guitar and House's violin, while the closing "Nowhere" hints at the blues, but with a progressive edge. It's a stunning debut, one simply without peer. The band's self-titled second album was released in 1970, and picked up where the debut left off. But despite constant gigging, it failed to sell, and their contract with Liberty was canceled. House then left for The Third Ear Band. Unable to get a third album going, High Tide fell apart; Hadden suffered a breakdown; and later, Hill and Pavli relocated to Puddletown, Dorset, to work with Drachen Theaker in Rustic Hinge. Eventually, Pavli would work with Michael Moorcock & The Deep Fix, while House would work with Hawkwind and later David Bowie's band.

In The Court Of The Crimson King (An Observation By King Crimson) > King Crimson

October, 1969
United States
Atlantic
4.863635
The painstakingly documented history of King Crimson begins with their birth on January 13th, 1969 in the basement of the Fulham Palace Café, London. The trio of Giles, Giles & Fripp had expanded a year earlier with the arrival of Ian McDonald. Lyricist Peter Sinfield, McDonald's songwriting partner, became the band's fifth member; this included the duties of road manager, light artist, resident hippie, etc. Yet at Robert Fripp's persistence, fellow Bournemouth guitarist Greg Lake joined on bass and vocals, replacing Peter Giles; Lake had previously been in The Gods. The recording of their debut album was twice abandoned (once with The Moody Blues' producer Tony Clark), but a third self-produced effort, with E.G. Management's David Enthoven and John Gaydon footing the bill, proved successful. The power of the band is immediately apparent as "21st Century Schizoid Man" blasts away: King Crimson resounds like nothing before it. Propelled by Michael Giles's inventive drumming, the band's interplay is precise, and their sound is simultaneously immense yet detailed; Fripp's screeching guitar solo is positively terrifying. The Mellotron figures prominently, dominating both "Epitaph" and the title track. This was no mere accessory; rather, the band were writing specifically for the instrument. It's an important point as the technology of the era was instrumental in defining the genre of progressive rock. The album's gentler moments, "I Talk to the Wind" and "Moonchild," showcase McDonald's ability as a composer and Fripp's grace (and considerable jazz influence) as a guitarist, especially in the latter's improvised half. Here the band is both mature and meticulous. Throughout the album, King Crimson display their talents. Listening to the flute solo in the title track, it's obvious that McDonald is an accomplished soloist; yet that he's showing us he can play is central to the progressive aesthetic as well: There is no hiding his virtuosity or creativity; in fact, he's flaunting it. Even Sinfield's words, sympathetic to Lake's voice, soar, though it's a matter of taste as to whether they "crack at the seam." In The Court Of The Crimson King sets a new standard for rock music, on what Pete Townshend called an "uncanny masterpiece." The cover art, a harrowing face painted by Barry Godber, also would set the album apart. King Crimson's timely supporting slot at The Rolling Stones' free concert in London's Hyde Park in July was most fortunate. Consequently, the album-arguably the first prog rock record-awaited a flurry of interest; it peaked at No. 5 in the UK, while in the US it broke into the Top 30. King Crimson ended their first year with a two-month tour of the US.

Ummagumma > Pink Floyd

October, 1969
United States
Harvest
3.75
Released after the varied (but commercially successful) soundtrack More, Ummagumma was intended to be a tour de force for Pink Floyd. The two-record set is half-live and half-studio-recorded and constitutes the first release on EMI's new Harvest sub-label. Offering the first live document of the band, the first disc was culled from a series of concerts recorded in April and May. Here, "Careful with That Axe, Eugene," the archetype of their slow-building space rock, makes its first appearance on album. "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" and "A Saucerful of Secrets," along with the Syd Barrett-written "Astronomy Domine," also feature. Only "Interstellar Overdrive" from their live set is absent (though it does appear on a test pressing of the album). Whether the excitement of the live Floyd experience comes across on the record is open to debate. Nonetheless, it's a good trip, with the live record enduring as the definitive document of this era in Pink Floyd's career. When it came to new material, however, the band were in a conundrum; rather than committing The Man and The Journey, two song suites first debuted live in April 1969, the band chose to showcase themselves individually by featuring a solo composition from each member on the studio record. Unfortunately, they all come across as unsensational experimentation. Even Roger Waters's cleverly titled "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with A Pict" is merely cleverly titled. And yet, the album was the Floyd's most successful to date, reaching No. 5 in the UK; and at No. 74 in the US, also gave the band their first US chart appearance.

Bakerloo > Bakerloo

November, 1969
UK
Harvest, EMI
4.5
Guitarist David "Clem" Clempson and bassist Terry Poole founded The Bakerloo Blues Line in early 1968, in their native Tamworth, Staffordshire. The band went through a series of notorious drummers, including John Hinch, Pete York, Bill Ward and Poli Palmer, before Keith Baker joined the fold. Managed by Jim "Big Bear" Simpson, the band were an early signing of the EMI Records imprint Harvest, and have the distinction of opening for Led Zeppelin's debut gig in October 1968 at the Marquee Club. Their first release, "Drivin' Bachwards" b/w "Once upon a Time," saw release in May 1969—the former an interpretation of the fifth movement of J.S. Bach's "Lute Suite in E minor," more famously covered by Jethro Tull in August. Their debut album, produced by Gus Dudgeon, kicks off with a tribute to their manager. "Big Bear Folly," a raucous blues number steeped in the prevailing hard blues of 1969, features a fiery Clempson on lead guitar. "Bring It on Home," a Willie Dixon number, is more traditional, and the following "Drivin' Bachwards" even more so. "Last Blues" slows down and stretches out, creating an evocative mood accentuated by Poole's vocals. "Son of Moonshine," however, presents Bakerloo at their heaviest, with a little "Cat's Squirrel" thrown in for good measure. After a hectic year with nonstop touring, the band fell apart towards the end of 1969. Clempson then accepted an invitation to join Colosseum following James Litherland's departure. Poole and Baker went on to May Blitz, but left before any recordings were made. Poole would later perform with Graham Bond and Colin Blunstone, while Baker would play drums on Uriah Heep's Salisbury album.

In Fields Of Ardath > Eyes Of Blue

November, 1969
US
Mercury
4
In the beginning, there were two prominent bands in Port Talbot, Wales: The Mustangs featured guitarist Ray “Taff” Williams, bassist Ritchie Francis and vocalist Wyndham Rees, while The Smokestacks offered keyboardist Phil Ryan and guitarist Gary Pickford-Hopkins. After the two bands merged, they added drummer John “Pugwash” Weathers and changed their name to Eyes Of Blue. The band released a couple of singles on the Deram label before being dropped, but after meeting Lou Reizner, the band signed to Mercury Records. Their debut, Crossroads Of Time, released in early 1969, was ripe with West Coast influences. Rees then left, and concurrent with soundtrack work with Quincy Jones, they recorded their second album, In Fields Of Ardath. Again unsuccessful, the band attempted a third album with Reizner in 1971, but this time under the name Big Sleep and on the Pegasus label. Bluebell Wood is telltale of the times: there’s a marked progression between the 60s music of Eyes Of Blue and what was within. Most importantly, all the music they would make in the 70s seemed possible from there. But by this time, the band had fractured: Francis was planning a solo album with Reizner, while Pickford-Hopkins was off to Wild Turkey. Ryan, Youatt and Weathers would eventually form The Neutrons, after a brief stint with Pete Brown & Piblokto! and Man.

Joy Of A Toy > Ayers, Kevin

November, 1969
United States
Harvest
3
After Kevin Ayers's split from Soft Machine, manager Peter Jenner and a contract from Harvest coaxed him away from Majorca. Back in England, he quickly assembled his old Softs cohorts at EMI Studios to record his debut solo album, Joy Of A Toy. New to the fold was David Bedford, a classical composer by trade, offering his arrangement skills and doubling on keyboards. The album jumps off with the classic (if dated) psychedelia of "Joy of a Toy Continued." Bedford's arrangement augments "Town Feeling," but it's really all Ayers. His distinctive baritone and no-nonsense approach belie his expressive talent. "Girl on a Swing" and "Eleanor's Cake (Which Ate Her)" are at once beautiful and wistful, even though "The Lady Rachel" is the favorite. Either way, Ayers's melodies are infectious. "Song for Insane Times" is Soft Machine-esque, with Mike Ratledge's truncated solo at the end being the dead giveaway. Both "The Clarietta Rag" and "Stop This Train (Again Doing It)" continue with merry psychedelia, though "Oleh Oleh Bandu Bandong" (something in Malaysian) is trippier. Ayers is a first-rate songwriter, and on this debut, a first-rate performer; but both wouldn't always hold true. Ayers released a couple of singles, but even "Singing a Song in The Morning" b/w "Eleanor's Cake Which Ate Her" recorded with Caravan and Syd Barrett, failed to raise interest. The album did see a release in the US; however, it failed to chart on either side of the Atlantic.

Manfred Mann Chapter Three > Manfred Mann's Chapter Three

November, 1969
United States
Polydor
5
It would be hard to have passed through the 60s without hearing one of Manfred Mann’s numerous singles that littered the Top 10 in England—including his most famous “Doo Wah Diddy Diddy” b/w “What You Gonna Do,” which topped both sides of the Atlantic. Two singers marked the band’s early days: Paul Jones (“chapter one”), and in 1966, Mike D’Abo (“chapter two”). But as the South African (born Manfred Lubowitz) keyboardist entered the 70s, he and longtime musical partner Mike Hugg left the pop world behind, releasing two albums under the moniker Chapter Three. (The band was initially called Emanon, “no name” spelt backwards.) Drummer Hugg, dating back to 1962 with the Mann-Hugg Blues Brothers, was also a pianist and composer, best known for The Yardbirds’ hit “You’re a Better Man Than I.” The group also featured future East Of Eden bassist Steve York and drummer Craig Collinge, plus Bernie Living on wind instruments, and a host of guest musicians, including Steve Corbett and Dave Coxhill. Their debut is an excellent record; serious brass arrangements outfit its heavy-ish tunes à la Colosseum, though it still sounds rooted in the 60s. No matter, check out the organ solo in “Snakeskin Garter” or the weightlessness of “Konekuf.” From deep grooves to swinging jazz, the album is one dark, sexy beast! “Sometimes” is a lighter, even timeless number, while “One Way Glass” makes the best of the York and Collinge rhythm section. Hugg’s voice is probably an acquired taste; here, it perfectly suits the music-just listen to how well it renders the slow, dark reinterpretation of his “Mister You’re a Better Man Than I.” Mann’s “A Study In Inaccuracy” lets the horns honk loose, before Hugg’s plaintive “Where Am I Going” closes with a touch of beauty. Released on the Vertigo label, it was followed by Volume Two in October 1970. But by then the band had split as the Mann-Hugg partnership drew to a close. A final third album was recorded but remains (mostly) unreleased.

Liege & Lief > Fairport Convention

December, 1969
United States
A&M Records
5
On May12th, 1969, Fairport Convention was involved in a motorway accident that claimed the lives of drummer Martin Lamble and clothing designer Jeannie Franklyn (then-girlfriend of Richard Thompson, to whom Jack Bruce would dedicate his debut solo album). Sandy Denny wasn’t travelling with the band, choosing instead to ride with her boyfriend Trevor Lucas and his band, Eclection. After recruiting traditional fiddler Dave Swarbrick and drummer Dave Mattacks, and recuperating at Farley Chamberlayne, the band responded with their strongest album yet, Liege & Lief. The rousing “Come All Ye” sets the opening tone high, followed however by the haunting and dirge-like “trad arr” ballad, “Reynardine.” Another traditional number, “Matty Groves,” rocks the band back into action. Both that and the excellent “Tam Lin” showcase the immense talent and interplay between Thompson, Swarbrick and guitarist Simon Nicol. Thompson contributes two songs, “Farewell, Farewell” and “Crazy Man Michael,” but the bulk of the album is taken from British folk songs, many from the collection of Cecil Sharp. Reaching No. 17 in the UK charts, the record has become the gold standard for British folk rock. Ashley Hutchings then left to form Steeleye Span (and later the Albion Country Band), while Denny would start her own band, Fotheringay. Once again Fairport double-downed on the change, recruited Dave Pegg on bass and the resulting Full House album spent weeks on the UK Chart, cresting at No. 13. Over the next few years, the folk rock scene would experience a musical renaissance in England, one that was certainly progressive in its own right. Along with Pentangle and Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention would endure numerous personnel changes yet enjoy a long career and international success.

Renaissance > Renaissance (Yardbirds)

December, 1969
United States
Elektra
4.5
Following the demise of The Yardbirds, guitarist Keith Relf and drummer Jim McCarty opted for a completely different direction than the American blues of their former band: music that combined classical, jazz and folk influences - how progressive! With Relf's sister Jane on vocals, bassist Louis Cennamo and pianist John Hawken were the keys to this new direction of "classical interpretation." The lengthy "Kings & Queens" opens the album; Relf's guitar takes a back seat to Hawken's piano, which paces through hook and quotation with surprising imagination. The band's execution throughout is impeccable: Cennamo and McCarty are a tight rhythm section, giving the arrangements a lift. Revealing a strong folk influence, Jane Relf takes her first crack at lead vocals on "Island." "Bullet," clocking in at over 11 minutes, gets gritty and ends with Cennamo's solo bass fading into an eerie chorus. All in all, it is an auspicious debut that managed to reach No. 60 in the UK. Renaissance recorded a second album, Illusion, the following year; however, it would not see release until 1971. Folksier, it contains the most vital track the band would record, the excellent "Past Orbits of Dust," featuring Don Shinn on electric piano. But the band had already begun to splinter: Hawken guided a transitional lineup in 1970 with some members of the Nashville Teens, but by the time the next Renaissance album was released in 1972, none of the original members would be present. However, adopting the name Illusion, Hawken, McCarty, Cennamo and Jane Relf would regroup in 1977 for two nondescript albums on Island Records.