Whitesnake did not always suck, in fact they had a archives worth of music a good decade before they belted out the vomit they are known for. In the late 70's Whitesnake was like a hangout for former Deep Purple members. On this album David Coverdale and Jon Lord lay down some solid blues rock with guitar help from the unsung duel lead hero's Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden. I would not call this essential but it certainly rocks. This was Whitesnakes second album.
Not exactly a hard to find album, but I'm in a terrible mood, and to be gut raw honest I hurt. Sometimes life is foreboding, unsure and scary. To me that's what this album is about. In the past decade there has been too much emphasis placed on emotion, to the point where it's processed and functionless, but in 1974 it was merely a bi-product of a few young men feeling like they were facing a bleak future. This is one the most important pieces of music ever recorded.
I don't quite have the words to express how flawless this album is. This is the jewel of the Dio, Ritchie Blackmore union and in my opinion the best Rainbow line up. Cozy Powell is an absolute monster on drums and Tony Carey's keyboard skills are unparalleled. Straight forward neo classical hard rock from an era where singing about wizards was not tainted with irony.Every track on this album is great and the two ending epics Stargazer and Light in the Black defy the whole Led Zeppelin catalog. A couple of weeks ago a friend said.... "Look a rainbow". I was excited until I realized he was just talking about some shit in the sky... And I just noticed on the bottom lefthand side of the cover, there is a dude watching that hand grab the rainbow.. I bet he was FREAKED!!!... Rainbow should totally sue Skittles.
If anyone wonders why we haven't caught Osama Bin Laden, then let me be the first to tell you he was captured long ago... By the real army, the Baker Gurvitz army. They are holding him for collateral, until the U.S. government gives them their horse-dragon hybrids back.. So far it's been quite the stand-off........ Nice Conan jacket Ginger Baker!!!
It's really hard to place a description on this album. Quirky maybe... Lower Mason-Dixon Zappa perhaps, great grand uncle Bungle... Fuck I don't know. I will tell you what I do know about Hampton Grease Band. This was the lowest selling record in Colombia Records history, they were from Atlanta, Their frontman Col. Bruce Hampton now travels the jam band circuit so I'll probably avoid ever seeing him perform live. And I also know that this was a very unique
After much searching I finally found this live jewel. Van Der Graff Generator cut their teeth in the early 70's with abstract Bowie-esque prog rock and made some great albums within that formula. Jump to 1977, no color, no more beauty to contrast the darkness and no more generator. This is the kind of prog that fucks your wife, falls in love with her, and then murders you to get you out of the picture... And finally fathers you children with no remorse. This prog dose not like you, and frankly it's not too fond of me either... Thats my kind of progression. Musically this falls somewhere between King Crimson's Red and early Public Image Limited and is vocally reminisent of a young Michael Gira. Bleak, Monolithic and beaten down.
Why Buddy Miles does not share a tier with the likes of Al Green and Otis Redding is beyond me. Miles was best known as the drummer in The Band Of Gypsy's and recorded with everyone from Mike Bloomfield to Wilson Pickett. The man drums like he looks.... And I would not fuck with anyone who looks like that. I'm sure many a man fell for making fun of that Medallion in some Chicago bar, or pool hall or Ray Charles concert. But aside from his ability to destroy drums, guitar, upright bass and probably deserving people Miles had a chilling and tender voice simultaneously.... Basically the way people were trying to sing at the time was the way he naturally sang. The title track of this album is his version of his song that the gypsy's played at woodstock, and it is incredible. This album also contains two covers..... Well more like adaptions. A mornful version of Neil Young's Down By The River and a hauntlingly upbeat version of The Allman Brothers Band's Dreams. Get It! 
