Touch - s/t

Name: Torch
Album: s/t
Year: 1980
Style: Hair Rock, Power Pop
Similar Bands: Journey, Supertramp, Def Leppard, Styx, Prism, Loverboy
"One-Word" Review: Sweaty, Generic Love-Sick Rock
Based Out Of: NYC
Label: Atco, Atlantic, Warner Communications Company

Cover, Record

Back, Record

Torch (1980)

1. Don't You Know What Love Is? 3:50 (single #69)
2. When the Spirit Moves You 3:56 (single)
3. Love Don't Fail Me 4:24
4. Black Star 3:32
5. There's A Light 3:56 (single b-side) /
6. So High 5:18
7. Last Chance for Love 3:51
8. Yes (You Need to Rock 'n Roll) 4:22
9. Listen (Can You Feel It) 5:02

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Craig Brooks - Guitar, Vox (American Tears, Michael Bolton, Roger Glover, Malisham White Vision, Bitter Suite)
• Mark Mangold - Keys, Vox, Arrangement, Words & Music, Co-Producer, Mixing (American Tears, Michael Bolton, Drive She Said, The Sign, Mystic Healer, Jon Bivona, The Radiant, Flesh & Blood, Valhalla, Chantal, Houston, 91 Suite, Magic Freak Society, Ellen, Seven, Benny Mardones)
• Doug Howard, Bass, Vox (Utopia, Todd Rundgren, Edgar Winter, Stun Leer, Roy Buchanan )
• Glenn Kithcart - Drums, Percussion (American Tears)
• Tim Friese-Green - Engineer, Producer
• Scott Litt - Assoc. Engineer
• Clayton Hutchinson - Assoc. Engineer
• Tom Heid - Assistant
• Garry Rindfuss - Assistant
• Greg Calbi - Mastering
• Robert Lewis - Cover Photo
• Jim Houghton - Back Photo
• Lynn Dreese Breslin - Album Design
• Bruce Payne - Direction (Deep Purple)
• OM Productions - Hand

Unknown-ness: Never heard of such a generic, emotionless named band called Touch. But i love the stereotypical cover of mystery, sexy, future, and angular shapes. What game are they playing? Who's the sexy girl? Who / what is she playing (robot)?  Why are they floating in space on an angle? None of these answers and more are sure to lie in the songs contained on the record. From the leftover 70's looks of the band on the back, I'm going to guess they are a general power pop band. 

Album Review: And Power Pop band they are. Their long hair heavier version of the power pop genre puts them in line with Def Leppard more than the sunny, digestible bands. They mask the hooks and harmonies under some heavy guitars- but not all the time...they do use synth lines, sometimes verging on Prog. but tending to keep one foot in hair rock at all time. The opening song is a study in mansplaining, as the song can't believe the girl in question doesn't know what love is...but they are prepared to explain & show her love. Comes off creepy, which is par for a lot of the imagery in this genre. And "Black Star" is a driving rocker with some Nick Gilder-like harmonized chorus.

Three of the four members here had released 3 albums together for Columbia Records as American Tears. This was their only album as Touch, and a second recorded album never saw light of day. However, as of Oct 2020, the full Torch lineup is back in action, recording new songs together.

Stand Out Track: When the Spirit Moves You

Links:
Spotify Album
Wiki
Discogs
Allmusic
Heavy Harmonies
Melodic Hard Rock
Steve Hoffman Music Forum
Who Sampled
Get Ready to Rock - 10?s: Mangold
Psych Baby 2011 Interview
Rate your Music
People Pill Mangold
Goldmine Giveaway
0 Day Rox

Steve Swindells - Fresh Blood

Name: Steve Swindells
Album: Fresh Blood
Year: 1980
Style: Pub rock, Power Pop, New Wave
Similar Bands: Dire Straits, A's, Graham Parker, Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, 
"One-Word" Review: Unpolished Americana Wave
Based Out Of: London, England
Label: Atco, Warner Communications Company, Atlantic

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Fresh Blood (1980)

1. Turn It On, Turn It Off 3:12
2. Fresh Blood 3:36
3. I Feel Alive 3:47
4. Low Life Joe 4:16
5. Bitter and Twisted 3:50 /
6. Don't Wait on the Stairs 3:22
7. Is It Over Now? 4:08
8. Down on Love Street 5:37
9. Figures of Authority 5:12
10. Show Down in the Night 5:12

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Steve Swindells - Producer, Writer, Vox, Keys (Squidd, Pilot, Hawkwind, Hawklords, Danmingo, The Plastic Surgeons, Sacrosanct, Spirits Burning, Bridget Wishart, Dave Evans, Capdevielle, Robert Calvert, 
• Huw Lloyd-Langton - Guitars (Hawklords, Widowmaker, 2001 A Space Rock odyssey, Broken Bits band, Cosmograf, Hawkestrel, Hawkwind, Robert Calvert, Nic Potter, Dr Brown, The Meads of Asphodel, Sacred Geometry Band)
• Nic Potter - Bass (Van der Graaf Generator, Pool Sharks, The K Group, The Misunderstoods, The Noise, The Tigers, Unkestra, Henry Schifter, Colin Scot, Peter Hammill, Rare Bird, Chuck Berry, Guy Evans, Magna Carta, Steve Hyams, VDGG, Huw Lloyd-Langton, )
• Simon King - Drums (Hawklords, Hawkwind, Captain Lockheed & Starfighters, Michael Moorcock's Deep Fix, Opal Butterfly, Brian Eno, Robert Calvert, The Bunch,  )
• Simon Fraser - Engineer
• Bill Price - Mixing
• Jerry Green - Asst. Engineer
• Bob Carlos Clarke - Photos
• Richard Evans - Graphics
• Bill Curbishley - Mgmt & Direction
• Pete Fountain - Mgmt & Direction

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this dude. From the cover and back, it looks like he's trying to be a scummy version of Billy Joel...a harder edge and if the back has any say, it looks like the model for the film They Live. 

Album Review: The album starts out strong, the first two tracks are fun and bouncy, with calm focused vocals similar to Mark Knopfler, but the rest takes a dive into darker territory mixed with blue collar Americana. Don't Wait on the Stairs has a little Elvis Costello / Graham Parker sound in his voice. A couple songs, like Bitter and Twisted embrace electronic synth effects, which were en vogue at the time. Figures of Authority brings in an extra layer of Goth, sounding a little like Sisters Of Mercy, or one of the early record reviews Bay of Pigs. 

So apparently, he's English, from Ipswich, Suffolk. And after music didn't pan out (to which he considers being "out-gay" might have been a contributing reason in 1981), he shifted it to a hobby and worked as a party/concert promotor and later a journalist. He then returned to music, and is still active self-releasing old and new material. A couple of his songs were recorded by Roger Daltrey.

Stand Out Track: Turn It On, Turn It Off

Links:
Wiki
Discogs
Allmusic
Facebook
music gateway 
Soundcloud
Steve's Wordpress
Second Songs
Record Collectors Mag

Sherbs - The Skill

Name: Sherbs
Album: The Skill
Year: 1980
Style: Power Pop
Similar Bands: Journey, Genesis, New Musik
"One-Word" Review: Smooth, Slightly Eccentric Pop
Based Out Of: Sydney, Australia
Label: ATCO, Atlantic, Warner Communications Company

Cover, Record

Back, Record

The Skill (1980)

1. I Have The Skill 3:46 (single)
2. Back to Zero 3:22
3. Cindy is Waiting 4:16
4. Crazy in the Night 3:50 (single)
5. I'll Be Faster 3:43
6. Never Surrender 3:47 (single) /
7. No Turning Back 5:30 (single b-side)
8. Love You to Death 4:08
9. Into the Heat 3:14
10. I'm O.K. 3:31 (single)
11. Juliet and Me 4:16 (single)
12. Parallel Bars 4:08

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Garth Porter - Keys (Samael Lilith, Toby Jugg, Sherbet, Highway, Melanie Horsnell, Craig McLachlan, James Blundell, Colin Buchanan, Lee Kernaghan, Doc Neeson's Angels,  Jay Denham, Sinead Burgess)
• Tony Mitchell - Bass (Blackfeather, Sherbet, Highway, harry Young & Sabbath, Wheelbarrow, Rick Wakeman, Streets, Barry Andrews, Hepworth Band, Stewart D'Arrietta, Martin Erdman, John Waters)
• Daryl Braithwaite - Vox (Bright Lights, House of Bricks, Samael Lilith, Sherbet, Highway, Australian Olympians, Company of Strangers, Sony Music All Stars, Margaret Ulrich, James Reyne, Lisa Edwards)
• Harvey James - Guitar (Mississippi, Ariel, Sherbet, Highway, Party Boys, Richard Clapton, )
• Alan Sandow - Drums (Daisy Roots, Sherbet, Highway, Flash & the Pan, Dave Miller, )
• Richard Lush - Producer, Engineer
• Alan Ewart - Cover
• David Cafe - Engineer
• Neil Rawle - Engineer
• Warren Barnett - Lacquer Cut
• Roger Davies - Mgmt
• George Marino - Mastering

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. No real tells with the artwork, name or title, but it kinda reminds me of the bland early 80's style that many soft rock / power pop bands went for. Its interesting though that they have a lot of sports themes - specifically gymnastics on the cover and some song titles, with the "plot twist" that the red ball is oozing paint on the back.

Album Review: They were also know as Sherbet (1969-1979) and Highway, and were a huge Australian band in the 70's with a string of top 20 hits, 10 platinum albums, and were the first Aussie band to reach one million $$$ in domestic sales. They were a Motown/rock cover-band for their first 3 years, transitioning to original clean cut boy band pop rock after. The name Highway was crafted for a harder sound to try & break into the US market, which always eluded them and even failed with the change. They held on, maintaining the name, even in their homeland, but their popularity decline and failure lead to a short break up in 1979, where they reemerged as Shrebs in 1980 with a modified new wave / power pop sound and some slightly quirky effects. The trade off landed them minor success in the US, but eroded any success they previously saw in Australia- or anywhere else for that matter. They reverted back to Sherbet in '84 for a farewell tour, were inducted into the Aussie music HOF in 1990, and have had occasional reunions since 1998, despite the passing of James in 2011 due to lung cancer. 

Stand Out Track: I'm O.K.

Links:
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

facebook

Australian music history

Tampa Bay Times 2016

Midnight Flyer - Rock 'N' Roll Party

Name: Midnight Flyer
Album: Rock 'N' Roll Party
Year: 1981
Style: Hard Rock, Classic Rock
Similar Bands: Sheer Mag, Cold Blood, 10 Wheel Drive, Janis Joplin, ZZ Top, Foghat
"One-Word" Review: If TX Discovered Metal
Based Out Of: UK
Label: Swan Song ATCO, Atlantic

Cover, Record

Record, Back

Label

Rock 'N' Roll Party (1981)

1. Rock 'N' Roll Party 3:50
2. Waiting For You 3:13 / (single)
3. French Kisses 3:59
4. Sweet Loving Woman 3:27
5. Rough Trade 4:01 (Single)

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Mick Ralphs - Producer (Bad Company, Mott the Hoople)
• Maggie Bell - Vox (Stone the Crows, Kinning Park Ramblers, Locarno, Palais Band, Power, BA Robertson, British Blues Quintet, Chris Farlowe, Manfreds, Hamburg Blues Band, Frankie & Johnny, Jon Lord Blues Project, John Baldry, Deavid Allen, Rod Stewart, Ellis, London Symph Orch, Eric Burdon, Raven Ohtani, Rick Wakeman, Tony Coe, Eddie Hardin, Ronnie Wood, Pete Brown, Dave Kelly, Clem Clempson, Michael Kamen, Eddie Hardin)
• Dave Dowle - Drums (Brian Auger's Oblivion Express, Runner, Streetwalkers, Whitesnake, Francis Monkman, Kevin Lamb, David Coverdale, Adrian Snell, Renaissance, Steve Hyams, Moody Marsden, Annie Haslam, Canterbury Glass, Bernardo Lanzetti)
• Antony Glynne - Guitars (Razar, Roger Chapman, Rick Wakeman, The Divorce, Mike Oldfield, The Fabulos Singlettes, Asia, Soft Cotton County)
• Tony Stevens - Bass (Foghat, Nobody's Business, Savoy Brown, Shortlist, Joe Jammer, Roger Chapman, Julio Finn Blues Band, Jimmy Dawkins, Kazimierz Lux, Tommy soundtrack, Rock Follies, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Julie Covington, Andy Mackay, Billy Nicholls, Dana Gillespie)
• Chris Parren - Keys (Forever Amber, High Society, Hudson-Ford, JJ Jackson's Dilemma, Locust, Rocky Horror Band, Strawbs, Brother Jack McDuff, Albert Hammond, Ray Russell, Wilding / Bonus, Ian Gomm, Jim Capaldi, Andy Mackay, Julie Tzuke, John Mizarolli, Great Dames of RnR, Dave Davies, Zen Attack, George Michael, Jim Diamond, Trevor Walters, Jack-E McAuley, The Monks, Cliff Bennett)
• John Cook - Keys (Kestrel, Mungo jerry, Octopus, Slack Alice, Stars, The Mixed Bag, The Joseph Consortium, Kirby, Stretch, Danny Kirwan, Noel Janus, Kit Hain, Ozzy Ozbourne, Graham Bonnet, Cozy Powell, John Parr, Jackie Lynton, Bernie Marsden, Fay Hallam)
• Peter Grant - Exec Producer (Led Zeppelin Mgr)
• Niall Connoly - Photo

Unknown-ness: Never heard of them. Their name is a quite generic pub rock style name, and their look spans the gamut of hippie, 70's AOR rock, 80's metal facade, and two air plane pilots...maybe the flyer part of their name? This is an EP, with only 5 songs, but i'm going to guess its just female fronted pub rock.

Album Review: The singer has some range to her voice, and on the opening track, it reminds me a lot of Sheer Mag (and it is an obvious borrowed lyrics and melody from ZZ Top's "Tush"). The album blends honky tonk pub with power guitars and a rangefully powerful & slightly raspy vocal. The members in the band were a supergroup of sorts, with members of Whitesnake, Foghat, and Bell at the helm. Both Bell and Stevens were also part of various early Tommy recorded performances.

Stand Out Track: Rock 'N' Roll Party

Links:
Wiki - Maggie Bell

Discogs

Allmusic

classicrock history

hunter-mott

Loudness - Thunder in the East

Name: Loudness
Album: Thunder in the East
Year: 1985
Style: Hair Metal
Similar Bands: Judas Priest, Dio, Iron Maiden, Motley Crue
"One-Word" Review: Hyper Hair Drive
Based Out Of: Japan
Label: ATCO, Atlantic, Warner

Cover, Lyrics, Record

Back, Sleeve, Record

Thunder in the East (1985)

1. Crazy Nights 4:04 (single)
2. Like Hell 3:44
3. Heavy Chains 4:18
4. Get Away 3:55
5. We Could Be Together 4:35 /
6. Run For Your Life 3:48
7. Clockwork Toy 3:55
8. No Way Out 4:01
9. The Lines Are Down 4:57
10. Never Change Your Mind 4:09

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Minoru Niihara - Vox, Lyrics (Earthshaker, Ded Chaplin, Sly, X.Y.Z.->A, Honjoh Misako, She-Ja, Powergod,Fumihiko Kitsutaka,)
• Akira Takasaki - Music, Guitar (Lazy, JI-ZO, Tuska20, Tusk of Jaguar, Honjoh Misako, Buddha Brand, Tomoko Aran, Mass Mental?, Mari Hamada, JAM Project, Hironbu Kageyama, Animetal The Second, Koshi Inaba, Amorphis, Ayasa )
• Masayoshi Yamashita - Bass (Blood Circus, M.T. Fuji, Akira Takasaki, Honjoh Misako, Paul Raymond Project, Higuchi Project Team, Animetal The Second)
• Munetaka Higuchi - Drums (Lazy, Sly, Blood Circus, Higuchi Project Team, Honjoh Misako, Hamada Mari, Rock'n Roll Standard Club Band, JAM Project, Rica Matsumoto)
• Max Norman - Producer
• Bill Freesh - Engineer
• Ray Leonard - Asst Engineer
• Tosi Nakashita - Mgmt
• Masumi Sasaki - Mgmt
• Danny O'Donovan - Co-Mgmt
• George Azuma - Supervisor
• Mikio Shimizu - Director
• Hiroyuki Munekiyo - Director
• Akira Ohmachi - Guitar Tech
• Masaharu Nakajima - Drum Tech
• Barry Levine - Photography
• Jeff Wilkinson - Art Director
• Paul Cooper - Exec Producer
• Bernie Grundman - Mastering

Unknown-ness: Never heard of Loudness, but it is quite obvious that this is japanese hair metal. No ifs, ands or butts.  The name Loudness is a little too on the nose, i'm not sure if its a parody of metal, if it's like a disclaimer for a culture where metal is not first nature, or it's their best guess at what an American metal band should be named & look like. In any case, they are all in on the look and hair.

Album Review: While the pictures and artwork flaunts their Japanese culture in the western hair metal culture, there is no hint of the band being from Japan when it comes to the music. It is chugging, raging, melodic scream-singing, with the typical power ballad moments added in, where the singer occasionally sounds like Steve Perry. Of course i'm very naive to what was going on in Japan's culture, as Japanese Metal was on the rise in 1981, when Loudness began. This is their fifth album overall, second in English (after re-recording album 4 in English) and reached #74 in US charts. It was the first Japanese heavy metal artist to be signed to an international record deal. But as popularity swayed their musical direction, their next album moved away from metal to a more commercial glam-metal sound, losing them some of their fanbase. Although denied visa/entry for a tour by the awful US president in 2017, they are slated to come back stateside in 2020.

Stand Out Track: Clockwork Toy

Links:

Wiki

Facebook

website

cancelled tour due to trump

spinditty

allmusic

metal archives

Niihara Interview 2018

discogs

antiwar songs

skullznbones

artists worldwide

J.J. Fad - Supersonic the Album

Name: J.J. Fad
Album: Supersonic the Album
Year: 1988
Style: Rap, Hip Hop
Similar Bands: Salt & Pepa, Sugarhill Gang, Neneh Cherry, Queen Latifah
"One-Word" Review: Spittin Non-Threatening Diss Battles
Based Out Of: LA, CA
Label: Ruthless Records, Warner Communications, Atco Records, Atlantic Recording

 Cover, Record

Back, Record

Supersonic the Album (1988)

1. Supersonic 3:53
2. Way Out 2:49
3. Blame it on the Muzick 3:47
4. In the Mix 3:32
5. Eenie Meenie Beats 2:55 /
6. My Dope Intro 3:38
7. Let's Get Hyped 3:41
8. Now Really 3:20
9. Time Tah Get Stupid 1:55
10. Is It love 3:04

Album Rating (1-10): 8.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Baby D (Dania Birks) - Vox (West Coast Rap Allstars)
• Sassy C (Michelle Franklin) - Vox (West Coast Rap Allstars)
• M.C. J.B. (Juana Burns)- Vox (West Coast Rap Allstars)
• Dr. Dre (Andre Romelle Young) - Producer, Mixing, Backing Vox (NWA, so much)
• D.J. Yella (Antoine Carraby) - Procucer, Mixing, Backing Vox (NWA, World Class Wreckin Cru, Kid Frost TMS)
•  Arabian Prince (Mik Lezan) - Co-Producer, Mixing, Backing Vox (NWA, Egress, Mistress & DJ Madame E, Ministry)
• Eric Wright (Eazy-E) - Executive Producer, Backing Vox (NWA, DOC, Bone Thugs-N-harmony more)
• Donovan Smith - Engineer
• Bernie Grundman - Mastering
• Chris - Mastering
• Aaron Rapoport - Photography
• Bob Defrin - Art Direction
• Lay Law (Larry Goodman)  - Backing Vox (Above the Laaw, Who Am I, Anotha Level)
• M.C. Ren (Lorenzo Jerald Patterson) - Backing Vox (NWA, DOC, CPO, Eazy E, Snoop Dogg, Big Bennay, Gangsta Squad)
• Stan The Guitar Man - Guitar, Backing Vox (Torcha Chamba, Michel'Le, A Lighter Shade of Brown, KMC, DJ Quik, Above the Law, Small Change, Kid Sensation, Toddy Tee, Street Mentality, Cristofire, LL Cool J, Coolio, Bo$$, Too $hort, Ebony Vibe Everlasting, jade, Sa Lench Mob, TomJones, Po Broke N Lonely. Spice 1, Rodg, Quincy Jones, MoKenStef, Soultry, Dr Dre, B-Legit, 40 Thevz, C-murder, Tha Liks, Big Kutch, Bushwick Bill, Cherish, DOC, K-Ci & JoJo)
• Steve - Scratch Records
• D.J. Train (Clarence Lars)- All Scratches (CPO, MC Ren. Kam, Street Soulga, Mel-Low)
• Jerry Heller - Mgmt (NWA)
• Cara Lewis - Agency

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, and rap and hip hop was never a focused genre for me, but i of course recognize the producers Dr Dre & Eazy E. The pastel sporty outfits complete with stop watches fit the late 80's pop/hip hop genre, so i have no doubt this will be up beat old school hip hop.

Album Review: As expected, this hip hop album is part pop (side A) and part Hip Hop (side B) (although those genres are not designated specifically to those sides). The album features typical rapping about how the members will rock the mic and throws shade to competition. The sample from Supersonic is used elsewhere on the album (Eenie Meenine Beats). Dr Dre is called out twice, and he does offer support in performance and backing vocals. JJ FAD stood for original members: Juana. Juanita, Fatima, Anna & Dania...but changed to Just Jammin' Fresh And Def when the lineup changed. The Grammy nominated (lost to DJ Jazzy Jeff/Fresh Prince's Parents Just Don't Understand) song Supersonic has been sampled and referenced by many artists (including usage in the trailer for the Sonic the Hedgehog movie in 2020), but most disheartening is that the group and their importance in the Compton scene (their album was put out by Ruthless Records first, before NWA, to legitimize the label & pave a road with their catchy, approachable act) was neglected by the Straight Outta Compton biopic. Twenty years separate their second and final album and their reunion, where the three women line up has reformed and still perform today (2020).

Stand Out Track: Supersonic

Links:
Full Album Spotify
Wiki
FB
discogs
allmusic
instagram
hopes & fears
LA Times forgotten women of Straight outta Compton
Hip Hop DX: 30 yrs later
XXL
the Source
Who Sampled

Charlie - s/t

Name: Charlie
Album: s/t
Year: 1983
Style: Powerpop, Arena Rock
Similar Bands: Journey, Foreigner, Bad Company, Styx
"One-Word" Review: That's Journey, Right? RIGHT?
Based Out Of: London, UK
Label: Mirage, Atco, Atlantic, Warner

 Cover & Record

Back & Record

Charlie (1983)

1. It's Inevitable  3:52 (single)
2. Tempted 3:57
3. Spend My Life With you 4:14
4. Never Too Late 4:31
5. Playing To Win 4:06 /
6. The Heartaches Begin  4:09
7. You're Everything I Need 7:02
8. This Time 4:19
9. Can't Wait 'Til Tomorrow 4:00

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Terry Thomas - Writer, Guitar, Backing Vox, Producer, Mixing (Magic Mixture, Axe, Bad Company, Foreigner, Tommy Shaw, Fastway, Giant, Richard Marx, Doctor Rockit, Biran Howe,  Sons of God Quartet, Janus Stark, Flash Terry, Anja Garbarek, White Trash)
• Terry Slesser - Lead Vox (Back Street Crawler, Beckett, Crawler)
• John Anderson - Bass, Backing Vox (Axe, Black Cat Bones, Shaun Guerin)
• Robert Henrit - Drums, Percussion (Argent, John Verity Band, Phoenix, Barnet Dogs, Kinks, Roulettes, Unit Four plus Two, Ziggy Byfield and the Blackheart Band, Colin Blunstone, Roger Daltrey, Leo Sayer, Duncan Browne, Michael Fennelly, Adam Faith, Limey, Russ Ballard, Dave Davies, Ian Matthews, Mike Berry, Kazuo Takeda, Francie Conway, Zombies)
• Steve Gadd - Drums
• Kevin Beamish - Producer, Engineer
• Bruce Barris - Asst. Engineer
• David Thoener - Mixing Engineer
• John Davenport - Asst. Engineer
• George Marino - Mastering
• Jay Anning - Art Direction
• Pete Turner - Cover Photo
• Felix Krish - Bassic Info
• Andy Clark - Digital Dexterity
• Richard Cottle - Digital Dexterity, Sax (Abbacadabra, Glamorama, Manic MC's, Obsession, Respect, Royal T, SFX, Shaft)
• Adrian Lee - Digital Dexterity
• Chris Parren - Digital Dexterity
• Nick Payne - Sax (Bill Wyman's Rhyth, Kings, Bootleg Kings, Moon, Q-Tips, Paul Young, John Slaughter Blues Band, Lonnie Donegan, Mick Abrahams, Culture Club, Anthony More)
• Bud Prager - Mgmt
• Dave Thomas - Mgmt

Unknown-ness: Never heard of Charlie. Pretty tough name to search for, but I like the dark desert highway energy on the cover + font...like a shady version of the show Night Rider. I'd love if this goes in a dark, synth-wave direction verging on disco, alas, no synth on the back cover credits.

Album Review: The band has gone through 9 different line ups since starting in 1970 with six albums preceding this one, and they are still active through 2015. Based on the vocals and production, I would have never guessed they were from London, but this was mainly a Terry Thomas outfit, but for this album, under US label requirements, they needed to find a new singer, and Slesser was auditioned in, sounding just like Steve Perry. They blame their lack of UK success on the rise of punk, and found fairer lands here in the US, with four minor hits. There is a lot of hair energy in this album, lots of power chords and high kicks in tight leather pants. Save the monster power ballad "Spend My Life With You." "Never Too Late" has a little bit of Tina Turner's "Simply the Best" in it.

Stand Out Track: Never Too Late

Links:
Terry Thomas Wiki
Charlie Wiki
Discogs
Allmusic
History
Terry Thomas Interview
Bad Cat Records
Steve Hoffman Music Forum

New York Rock and Roll Ensemble (Manos Hadjidakis) - Reflections

Name: New York Rock and Roll Ensemble (Manos Hadjidakis)
Album: Reflections
Year: 1970
Style: Folk, Baroque, Chamber Music, World Music
Similar Bands: Theodore Bikel, Kaveret,
One Word Review: Folksy-Classical Pop
Based Out Of: NYC, NY
Label: Atlantic Recording Corp. ATCO

 Cover & Record

Back & Record

Reflections (1970)

1. Orpheus 2:31
2. The Day 3:40
3. Love Her 4:17
4. Dance of the Dogs 2:58
5. Kemal 4:01 /
6. Dedication 2:47
7. The Three Answers 3:48
8. Street Song 3:26
9. Bitter Way 4:15
10. Noble Dame 3:11

Album Rating: 4.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Dorian Rudnytsky - Vox, Bass, Cello (Invicta)
• Brian Corrigan - Vox, Guitar (Invicta)
• Clifton Nivison - Vox, Guitar (Invicta)
• Mike Kamen - Vox, Keys , Oboe (Emil & the Detectives, Bowie, Metallica, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd...many more big names)
• Martin Fulterman - Drums, Oboe (Emil & the Detectives, X-Files Theme)
• Manos Hadjidakis - Composer, Producer
• Adrian Barber - Recording Engineer, Producer
• Chuck Davidson - Cover Photo
• Alyse Kaylan - Album Design
• Bruce Tergesen - Producer

Unknown-ness: I never heard of this band, and have no idea what to expect. Will it be chamber style ensemble music? It says Rock & Roll, but what is their definition of that style? The cover art & photo location makes them look like a wedding band playing classical music in full rock band uniforms, but that begs the question, what could that sound like?

Album Review: This 5 man band has taken composer Manos Hadjidakis (never heard of him either), and put lyrics over 8/10 of his songs, which was to become a film score (was never made). Some sound like Israeli traditional scores, some are just folky, and some are classical music with male vocal choirs over top. Kemal sounds like a klezmer version of Nightmare Before Christmas b-sides.

Stand out Track: Kemal

Links:
Wiki
Discogs
Allmusic
Rate Your Music
Rockasteria
Darius

Fat Mattress - s/t

Name: Fat Mattress

Album: s/t

Year: 1969

Style: Folk/Psychedelic Rock/Pop

Similar Bands: Monkees, Bee-Gees, Echo Orbiter, Ween, The Who

"One-Word" Review: Renaissance Psychedelica 

Based Out Of: Folkestone, England

Label: Atco, Polydor-Englad, Atlantic

 Fat Mattress - Cover

Fat Mattress - Inner Fold

Fat Mattress - Record Labels

Fat Mattress - s/t (1969)

1. All Night Drinker 3:28
2. I Don't Mind - 3:51
3. Bright New Way - 3:45
4. Petrol Pump Assistant - 3:01
5. Mr. Moonshine - 4:04/
6. Magic Forest - 3:05
7. She Came in the Morning - 3:47
8. Everything's Blue - 2:50
9. Walking Through a Garden - 3:20
10. How Can I Live - 4:26

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:
Noel Redding - Guitars, Vox (Strangers, Lonely Ones, Loving Kind, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Burnettes, Road, Shut Up Frank, Lord Sutch & Heavy Friends, 305 AM)
Neil Landon - Vox (Pat Cahill, Cheetahs, Burnettes, The Flower Pot Men, The Ivy League, Mainhorse Airline, Klaus Voorman)
Jim Leverton - Bass,  harpsichord, organ, vocals, production (The Big Beats, Lonely Ones, Loving Kind, Engelbert Humperdink, Burnettes, Blodwyn Pig, Caravan, Juicy Lucy, Hemlock, Joe Brown & The Bruvvers, Steve Marriott, The Blue Devils, Rocky and the Natives)
Eric Dillon - Drummer
Mitch Miller - Drums
Chris Wood - Flute
Jimi Hendrix - Percussion
George Chkiantz - Engineering
Gered Mankowitz - Photography
Paragon Publiciy - sleeve design
Adrian Morgan - Liner Notes

Unknown-ness: I had never heard of Fat Mattress, and when I found this album, it was just the record: no cover, in a white cut out sleeve. So I did not know what I was getting with this. I was familiar with the label, and knew that it was an older record, but I was mostly enticed by the rather silly name to pick it up. A quick google search shed light on the album, but that does not mean I knew what I was getting when I picked it up in a thrift store. And when I did get it I had no ideas to go off of as to what it contained.

Album Review: I had never heard of Fat Mattress, and when I found this album, it was just the record: no cover, in a white cut out sleeve. So I did not know what I was getting with this. I was familiar with the label, and knew that it was an older record, but I was mostly enticed by the rather silly name to pick it up. A quick google search shed light on the album, but that does not mean I knew what I was getting when I picked it up in a thrift store. And when I did get it I had no ideas to go off of as to what it contained.


The research on the record revealed that it is a side project by the bass player in The Jimi Hendrix Experience: a folkier, psychedelic pop band. They even opened for JHE a couple of times, but barely held together for two albums.

“All Night Drinker” starts out with a very psychedelic feel, accented perfectly with a flute and back-mixed vocals, The tempo of the song is mystical and echoing production feels very beatnik-y. Overall it generates a bold, yet dark feel. It is also aptly names, as the music leads itself quite naturally to background music to an alcohol imbibing montage.
“I Don't Mind” starts with a drum beat and a jangely guitar sounding like a Belle & Sebastian song, but quickly evolves into a Monkees style side to side pop song, reminding me a little of “Pleasant Valley Sunday.” And the calming psychedelic chorus drifts off and blends nicely into the second verse, like something Echo Orbiter would do. The spacey breakdowns materialize nicely into straightforward driving pop, and vice versa. And the whole songs ends with a vibrating vocal fade.
“Bright New Way” is a bright and sunny, folksy guitar hoe-down, a little like the Kinks. It reminds me a little of Ween’s “Argus” or “Chocolate Town.”
“Petrol Pump Assistant” starts with a bass line that sounds like The Lion Sleeps Tonight, but the song takes on a style much closer to the Beatles “Tax Man:” a bouncy pop song, with a great build and drive in the chorus. The end is a bit of a drawn out jam, but it does not last too long.
“Mr. Moonshine” is a straightforward psych song. Wandering and echoey, and dark bass notes behind the Bee-Gees harmonies. The break down into an instrumental is truly dreamy, like spinning and falling at the same time, before it comes back into a heavier, classic rock stylized version of the chorus.

“Magic Forest” has a couple of odd voices before it dips into a psychedelic camp fire story song, reminding me of John Entwistle’s solo album. The chorus is a fun, staggered jangley romp, and it makes it hard to return the the body of the song, so it stays on the hook for the majority of the second half of the song, carrying the repetitive momentum out to the end.
“She Came in the Morning” sounds like a folksy produced balladeer’s song. Like something you’d hear on the adult comtemporary male vocalist records. I don’t even know the difference between the likes of Jack Jones, Paul Anka and Johnny Mathis to tell the difference, or give an accurate description. Just that this is a light slowish floating/dream song.
“Everything's Blue” sounds like a radio single. It starts out rushed and wired, and the chorus is great garage rock hook. This reminds me of the Who, maybe a little Big Star. Lots of energy and emotion as the song strides on to the end and fades out.
“Walking Through a Garden” is a renaissance style psychedelic tune, which sounds like it would involve a group dance amongst fancy dressed high society elites. Maybe like a very slow song from XTC’s Mummer album.
“How Can I Live” starts with a nice Beatle-y psychedelic jam, full on harmony and 7-note head-nodding bass line on loop. But they just can’t get away from the Lion Sleeps Tonight bass line, this time, it is inverted in the first breakdown.

Stand Out Track: Petrol Pump Assistant

Links:
WIki
Rate Your Music
Psychedelicized
Accelerated Decrpitude
allmusic

Back Street Crawler - 2nd Street

Artist: Back Street Crawler

Album: 2nd Street

Year: 1976

Style: Pub Rock, Guitar Rock, Southern Blues

Similar Bands: Bad Company, Allman Brothers Band, Rod Stewart, Lynyrd Skynyrd

"One Word" Review: Southern Guitar Blues

Based Out Of: England

Label: ATCO, Atlantic Records

2nd Street - Cover, Sleeve Photo, Record 

2nd Street - Back, Liner Notes, Record

2nd Street (1976)

1. Selfish Lover 3:26
2. Blue Soul 3:46
3. Stop Doing What You're Doing 3:26
4. Raging River 3:16
5. Some Kind of Happy 5:00 /
6. Sweet Sweet Beauty 3:14
7. Just For You 6:18
8. On Your Life 3:54
9. Leaves in the Wind 5:12 

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Memebers & Other Bands:
Terry Wilson Slesser - Vox (Beckett, Charlie)
Paul Kossoff - Guitar (Free)

Terry Wilson - Bass, Guitars (Bloontz, Blackwell, Speedy Keen)
John "Rabbit" Bundrick - Keys, Vox (The Who, Johnny Nash, Bob Marley, Free)

Tony Braenaugel - Drums, Vox (Bloontz, Taj Mahal, Eric Burdon Band)
John Bundrick

Richard Digby Smith - Engineering

Glyn Johns - Mix Producer

Abie Sussman - Art Direction

Bob Defrin - Art Direction

David Wilcox - Illustration

Sam Emerson - Sleeve Photo

W.G. Snuffy Walden - Guitars (Stray Dog, Free, Eric Burdon Band, TV: My So Called Life)

Unknown-ness:
I’ve never heard of this band. I found the record in a dusty pile of records in a shady but very nice thrift shop in New Orleans. There was not much that I liked about the album to be honest, I was just on a hunt while on vacation to find records that I’d not heard of, thinking that this would be something local. Based on the name and the “character” on the front, it seems like the back image is setting up some sort of Jack the Ripper esq. storyline. But I like how it was done: reminds me of Joe Jackson.

Album Review: So this was an album from a very talented guitarist, but heavily medicated, Paul Kossoff, whom I’m not really familiar with, yet understand he was highly revered. Due to his drug issues and subsequent health issues, I read that W.G. Snuffy Walden actually recorded much of the guitar on this album. Walden has recently become more famous for popping up in TV scoring, with such hits like thirtysomething, Wonder Years, My So Called Life, West Wing, Friday Night Lights, Rosanne, Quarterlife and Under the Dome to name a few.

“Selfish Lover” starts off right away with a bluesy back alley rock song, dripping with sleaze and sweat. The song has a distinctive hard rock composition, where the vocals are guided by the music, rather than the music supporting the vocals. The chorus is off-times, dropped in the middle of the verse with out any sort of bridge leading up to it. The chorus has a big and heavy sound. I keep thinking the vocals are saying Sandwich lover, but I know it is not that. We know what direction Weird Al would have taken the song if it were popular enough to earn parody
“Blue Soul” is a slow, sulking ballad. The only power the song gives off is in the chorus, and it feels like an Allman Brothers or Lynard Skynyrd or some other classic/country rock blend. The way the vocals are harmonized, it almost has a Native American feel to the production and lyrically “Cold Wind Blow, Blow These Blues Away.”
“Stop Doing What You're Doing” picks up a bluesy bass line straight out of Higher Ground. The song is repetitive, catchy and slightly psychedelic. It drives and grooves with care free, hippy-jazz abandon. The song is basically made up of short, but jamming instrumental sections patched together with the chorus, and spoken word verse seems.
“Raging River” switched gears back to the slow, methodical southern bluesy trippin’ jam. It has a nice flow to it, and is catchy, not just ramblin’ but it could put you to sleep if you are not spaced out on drugs. The vocals have a free range to speak over the instrumental sections at whim, giving it a slight jazzy feel.
“Some Kind of Happy” begins with a quiet, solemn organ sound, and launches into something that feels like a Rod Stewart song in the verse. The chorus builds up with emotion, and the lead vocals sound a little Jimmy Page-ish, and is backed up by a choir of female vocals. The end of the song is long and drawn out, with the guitar feeling like a storm, and the choir of the title repeats over and over with more randomly sung vocals. It is climactic in its chaos.

“Sweet Sweet Beauty” is a slowed down, sweaty and bluesy love ballad. It has a country/western (think Blaze of Glory) feel. It could be a soundtrack scored song to when a rough and tumble outlaw falls for a delicate yet deadly woman.
“Just for You” has a slow gritty start, which carries on through out, with a minorly rhaspy Eric Clapton or George Harrison reminiscent chorus. It also carries a very sad undertone, which classifies it as a bluesy jam. It builds up toward the end, and finishes with a quick, and abrupt ending
“On Your Life” is a crooning ballad, sung in another Rod Stewart-like performance. It is a slow and boldly confident song featuring an organ in the background that makes the song, and especially the chorus, seem like gospel.
“Leaves in the Wind” ends with an optimistic and upbeat jazzy pub rock song that sounds like a jazzier J Geils Band. The chorus breaks from the verse’s jazziness and is powerful and ethereal. The contrasting verse and chorus of the song, and later combined with the instrumental sections, really define what this band stands for and does.

Stand Out Track: Stop Doing What You're Doing

Links:

Wiki

Allmusic

Discogs
Last FM
Facebook

Alex Gitlin's site

Cactus - Restrictions

Name: Cactus
Album: Restrictions
Year: 1971
Style: Southern Bluesy Rock
Similar Bands: Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, CSNY, Black Crows, Blind Melon, 70's Kinks,
"One-Word" Review: Lame-Musician's-Musicians-Jammy-Rock
Based Out Of: Long Island, NY
Label: Atco, Atlantic,

Restrictions - Cover & Record

Restrictions - Back & Record

Restrictions (1971)

1. Restrictions 6:17
2. Token Chokin' 3:07
3. Guiltless Glider 8:45 /
4. Evil 3:14
5. Alaska 3:38
6. Sweet Sixteen 3:17
7. Bag Drag 5:11
8. Mean Night In Cleveland 2:10

Album Rating (1-10): 4.5

Members & Other Bands:Carmine Appice - Drums, Percussion, Backing Vox (Vanilla Fudge, Beck Bogert & Appice, Rod Stewart Band, King Kobra, Pearl)
Tim Bogert - Bass, Backing Vox (Chessmen, Pigeons, Vanilla Fudge, Beck Bogert & Appice, Pieces, Boxer)
Rusty Day - Lead Vox, Harmonica, Percussion (Amboy Dukes)
Jim McCarty - Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar (Mitch Ryder's Detroit Wheels, Buddy Miles Express, Rockets)
Ron LeeJack - Slide Guitar
Albhy Galuten - Piano
Eddie Kramer - Recording Engineer
Dave Palmer - Recording Engineer, Mixing
Gene Paul - Recording Engineer
Ronnie Albert - Recording Engineer
Carl Richardson - Recording Engineer
Geoffrey Haslam - Mixing, Producer
Patrick D'Angelo - Cover Painting & Design
Jeff Mayer - Liner Photo

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of these guys, but when I saw the simple name and the interesting surrealism artwork, I wanted to give it a shot. Would it be wacky prog, or catchy new wave? From the hippie appearance on the back cover, I am assuming it will be more of a light 70’s rock feel. The packaging is in bad shape, but I do like the cover; especially the phallic cactus bursting out of the ground…nice touch, Cactus.

Album Review: I’ve looked around about this band a bit and discovered that they were greatly compared as the American Led Zeppelin and/or a choice fall back band for Dead fans. Either case, the band was created as a supergroup, where the rhythm section of Vanilla Fudge was trying to attract Jeff Beck, who could not make it due to an auto accident, and Rod Stewart, who also faded as a candidate due to the accident. All in all, I’d say this has the prospect of being funky, jammy, and for my tastes, somewhat boring.

“Restrictions” begins with drums, then electric guitar soon to follow, blasting off then retreating quickly for the quiet vocal introduction. Then the song finds its bluesy southern rock groove, and reminds me a lot of the Black Crows. Vocally, the singer could be trying to capture the raspiness of Jimmy Page, and the guitar solo whines and rocks out. But the heart of the song is the bluesy backing vocals and bar room atmosphere. Around 3:30, the song breaks from its driving force for a Blind Melon like quiet breakdown. The song then returns for few minutes of meandering jamming before it fades out with the repeating backing chorus.“Token Chokin'” is another southern song, this one more swampy and dripping than before. It’s played in the Kinks 70’s jug band style, but without the hooks and catchiness the Kinks have. I hear a bit of the Rolling Stones in the vocals here too. Parts of the song are really good, like the build up that doesn’t slink back into the boring chorus, but picks up and carries the pace and momentum a while longer. Unfortunately, my record was badly scratched and I cannot play this entire song…only about 2:20 through. But I got the idea.
“Guiltless Glider” is a long 8:30+ song that begins with a slinky, marching bass line. The drums come in for support, and the lead guitar wails and croons as it travels its own way. By the first minute, they’ve developed a nice hook. But the echoing vocals make this feel like a dirty 90’s hair/alternative band. I’m thinking of an Ugly Kid Joe ballad, or something. The vintage 70’s hair band metal chimes in at about 3 minutes with the Page (but a little more contained) like vocals and the commanding guitar backing him up. The guitars, drums and bass all get to play together in the middle of the song for the instrumental breakdown, which fills the space very nicely. The interplay is interesting and never dull as it builds until it seems to loose all energy. The drums take over for a true-solo, giving the rest a rest. Then after the instruments come back for a short prog-like section, the original bass line picks up again to finish out the song with a fade.

“Evil” feels like Led Zep, repeating powerful guitar sections broken up with drum fills and raspy angry-like vocals. This is the typical atmosphere you might picture if a gospel church turned over and worshipped the other imaginary side. It is like an evil gospel, so I can see why metal music is often equated with satanic ritual…that is what the music and vocals suggest. The music is good, it continuously builds and rotates around, where it could go on in its riff forever.“Alaska” sounds like the opposite of what you would imagine for Alaska…it is full of harmonica and gives off the air of a hot southern summer porch jug band stomp. It is bluesy, but the vocals are all about Alaskan things, so it ends up trying to juxtapose the two areas together, but the bluesy south wins out over the vocal context of penguins and snow shoes. “Sweet Sixteen’s” first couple of notes remind me terribly of the Matchbox 20 song “Smooth.” But it quickly turns into a driving guitar powered southern metal song. And I’m ashamed I even thought about that song in the first place, but that does not mean I like the song. It had a loud and abrasive electric guitar instrumental section. The song ends very abruptly“Bad Drag” took me back to watching Dazed and Confused. I’m reminded at first of Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” but the song is tamer than that, and by far more funky. Perhaps a bit Psychedelic, like Iron Butterfly. The screaming agony of how bad the drag is seems out of place a bit, and is definitely over the top. The song ends with people talking.
“Bad Night In Cleveland” ends the album with a quiet fade in and does not begin until around 25 seconds. It is a bluesy ballad, and gives the image of one guy out on his front porch playing the guitar and complaining about the weather, his dog, or wife. Or in this case, a bad night in Cleveland, I guess. It is mostly instrumental, and it adds the harmonica at the end. It is sad and toe tapping depressing, but it is the blues, so it’s how it is supposed to be.

Stand Out Track: Token Chokin' 

Links:allmusic
Wikipedia
Cactus Webpage
myspace
Columbus Dispatch Newspaper
Star Online
Tim Bogert
Carmine Appice

Bent Fabric - Alley Cat

Name: Bent Fabric & His Piano
Album: Alley Cat
Year: 1962
Style: Instrumental Swinging Piano
"One Word" Review: Silent-Film Rag-Time Honky-Tonk Scores
Similar Bands: Scott Joplin
Based Out Of: Copenhagen, Denmark
Label: Atco Records, Atlantic Recording Corp.

Bent Fabric - Cover
Bent Fabric - Back

Alley Cat (1962)

1. Alley Cat 2:24 (Sample)
2. Across The Alley From The Alamo 2:11
3. You Made Me Love You 3:03
4. Trudie 1:56
5. Markin' Time 1:38 (Sample)
6. In The Arms Of My Love 2:28/
7. Delilah 2:15
8. Catsanova Walk 1:58
9. Symphony 2:19
10. Early Morning In Copenhagen 2:22
11. Comme Ci' Comme Ca 2:06
12. Baby Won't You Please Come Home 2:50

Album Rating:
5.0

Band members & Other Groups:Bent Fabricus-Bjerre - Piano (Frank Bjorn)
Ed Gray - Cover Photo
Haig Adishian - Cover Design

Unknown-ness: I never heard of Bent Fabric. I really liked the name Bent Fabric and by that alone, I thought that the record might be from a great underground band from the 60's. I did not realize it was a single guy (Whose name really is Bent Fabricus). To top that off, I HAD definitely heard his song Alley Cat many many times. After noticing that this WAS the same Alley Cat that I was familiar with, I assumed it was a cover. I had no idea the song was so recently recorded. I assumed it was from the 20's or earlier. Adding to the mysticism was the cute cat on the cover, the derby wearing, cigarette smoking piano player on the back, and the feline flavored song "Catsanova Walk." Really, I had no idea what to expect with this record until I read the back that described it as swinging piano music.

Album Review: Okay, I have a musical no-no that I have to admit to before I get into the review. When I recorded this record to CD, I accidentally recorded it at 45 rpms, rather than 33. I noticed that the tracks were far shorter than the indicated length on the record, and it was only half way through the recording that I realized this error. The problem was that I really liked the record thus far, at the faster speed. So I finished recording at the 45 speed, and that is the version I am going to review. I listened to a few songs at 33, and I somewhat ashamedly admit, I really like the sped-up versions better. Keeping this in mind, I will not remark about the speed of the songs in the reviews.

The record starts off with the familiar bouncy, Grammy award winning "Alley Cat." I've heard the song many times, and I've even done the dance at a Bar Mitzvah or two with the grandparents, thus I thought it was a song that pre-dated 1961. It truly does bring the imagery of a cat slinking across a picket fence at midnight. The second song has more bouncy bass and piano, but sounds more traditional to rag-time music than "Alley Cat." "You Made Me Love You" is a slower song, which prances along with cat like curiosity and attention. "Marking Time" is a quicker, jittery song. "In The Arms Of My Love" sounds like the backdrop of a romantically set scene in France. "Catsanova Walk" is quite a strutting song. It incorporates "chopsticks" into the chorus of the song. It could easily be in the background of a Charlie Chaplin silent film. It is followed by the slower waltz of "Symphony." "Early Morning In Copenhagen" is a fun visual song, bringing to the mind a walk down the street of a small town, running into all the familiar town folk along the way. The record ends with the jazzy, show tunish "Baby Won't You Please Come Home."

This is a quick review because for one, I don't have much musical training or experience from this genre of music to review it with great depth. And two, this is a quick version of the record. But over all, for what it is, I found the music likable and entertaining.

Stand Out Track:Alley Cat 

Links:
Bent Fabric AllMusic
Bent Fabric Wikipedia
Bent Fabric Space Age Pop
Bent Fabric (in Danish) Home Page
Bent Fabric Facts Page
Alley Cat Song Page