Sep 7, 2018

MORE INSANE IMPORTS

Got another batch of international freakiness and oddities for you guys, I’ve uncovered a great treasure trove of weirdness, see the details below! Very limited quantities so dig in kids.


Thanks and have a fabulous weekend!
Suzy Shaw

NEW ARRIVALS

ALMAS HUMILDES- Ideas(1969 Spanish oddity)3 ONLY! Label:FONOMUSIC (Spain Underrated folk/rock album made in Spain in 1968 by this Madrid-based trio, and released originally on Sonoplay. It is sung in Spanish, English and French; this reissue has remastered sound and four bonus tracks; very nicely presented album. CD $15 SKU:20297

ARTURO STALTERI-Early Rings: Compositions 1974-1975-Label:MPR after the release of their second (and last) album, "Gudrun," talented Pierrot Lunaire keyboardist tried a solo career the early results of which are gathered on this disc (seventeen tracks from the early 1970's). This is fascinating reminiscent of Durutti Column (believe it or not) more than anything, with dark and weird melodies in any number of stark arrangements; whether playing acoustic piano or Farfisa organ, guitar, balalaika, darbuka, sitar, violin, or glockenspiel (or any of the other instruments he plays on these recordings), Stalteri expressed various influences utilizing his brilliant technique and sensitivity. The song titles all refer to elements of Tolkein’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, so it is not much of a stretch to suggest that the “early rings” in the title of this disc are not accidental, and that perhaps Stalteri was writing a musical score for the stories in his own strange way. Something akin to Sergius Golowin’s moody “Lord Krishna” album, sans lyrics in this case. CD $15 SKU:20298

CALLIER,TERRY -Life Lessons: The Best of (Cult 60s soul and jazz singer songwriter DBL -Label:MUSIC CLUB Comprehensive two-CD compilation for this cult Jazz/Soul singer/songwriter. Currently the voice of Massive Attack, Callier’s voyage into the UK charts has been a long one. However the hook-up with Bristol’s finest is just one of a number the Chicago born singer/songwriter has made during a 40-year career working in the fields of Jazz, Folk, Funk and Soul. Callier, a childhood friend of Curtis Mayfield, began recording in 1963 but never reached stardom despite a series of regional hits in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1983, he gained custody of his 12-year-old daughter Sundiata and decided to retire from music to look for a steadier income. He took classes in computer programming and landed a job at the University of Chicago in 1984. He reemerged from obscurity when British DJs discovered his old recordings and began to play his songs in clubs in the late 1980s. “Life Lessons” features tracks drawn from right across his career and represents the most comprehensive overview of his work ever released—twenty four classic single and album tracks, stunning original demo’s and live performances. CD $8 SKU:20303

DANIELS, ELLIE - Both Sides of the Coin (U.S. teenage folk private press album from 1971) 3 ONLY! Label:TIME LAG Deluxe cd version of this reissue of totally unknown New England teenage folk private press album from 1971. Originally released by the artist herself as a demo-only, blank cover edition of 100 copies—she was just out of high school and hoping somebody might pay attention, but the LP slipped though the cracks, the chapter closed, and life moved forward on a different course. But the album stands as a true female loner folk gem, of which there aren't many at all: just Ellie's humbly intimate vocals and her harp-like self taught finger-picked guitar playing, plus some lovely pastoral flute by a friend on a handful of tracks. The sounds are straight from the tuned-in melancholy teenage mind, reeling from the mind expansion of the 60s, but also the excesses—the aching innocence of youth tempered by a biting contempt for all things false. Deeply reflective, poetic and searching lyrics of love / nature / peace playing out in real time against stark reality / longing / loss, and balanced at the very edge of the void. In the liner notes Ellie mentions only practicing under a blanket, and there's a up-close, lo-fi, almost voyeuristic realism / fragility here that's quite special. A complex and personal trip that takes some time and attention to fully unfold. Once it does, it will be no surprise that Ellie went on to build geodesic domes and become a professional midwife, as that same unique spirit is already deeply embedded here. A really wonderful album we're happy to help finally reach some receptive ears. The original had no cover art, so we've kept the packaging suitably stark: packaged in a metallic silver offset printed deep blue art paper cover, with paste-on photo art and booklet insert containing more photos, Ellie's original notes from last years vinyl reissue, as well as updated and expanded notes. Edition of 500 copies CD $12 SKU:20301

IGRA STAKLENIH PERLIST (stunning Yugoslavian 70s psych)Label:ATLANTIDE Reissue of impossible to find psychedelic masterpiece. Made in the mid 70's in old Yugoslavia. This is one of the best Pink Floyd-esque psychedelic albums. Stunning guitars and killer keyboards. Anyone into heavy psychedelia needs this one!” First album from the ultimate ex-Yugoslavian space/psychedelic rock band, formed in 1976 in Belgrade, Serbia, having been named after the famous novel by Hermann Hesse, "Das Glasperlenspiel" (The Glass Beads Game). The original line-up consisted of: Zoran Lakic (keyboards), Vojkan Rakic (guitar), Predrag Vukovic (percussions) and Drasko Nikodijevic (bass & vocals). In late 1977 Dragan Soc joined the band as drummer while they played live concerts at Belgrade clubs, preparing to start recording their first album, which they did in mid 1978. Upon its release the next year, the band gained reputation for elaborated visual stage effects and light show directed by their friend Goran Cvetic. IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI labeled their music style as "stream of consciousness music". Both studio albums, the eponymous "Igra Staklenih Perli" from 1979 and "Vrt Svetlosti" from 1980, are pretty similar in sound and resemble the style from early Pink Floyd and Hawkwind psychedelia, to German kraut-rock (notably Can and Tangerine Dream) CD $16 SKU:20305

JEAN-BERNARD DE LIBREVILLE - Allons-Y Gaiement (1969 Belgian psych garage)-Label:VEALS & GEEKS (Belgium) Produced from the original Acetate record made in 1969 and available for the first time. Jean-Bernard de Libreville’s previously unreleased and only album finally available. A TOTALLY mod-freakbeat-free-jazz-psychedelic-garage-rock MASTERPIECE from a demented FRENCH DANDY." That's what the label said, and since there is nothing else on-line about the record, it will have to do; we only have a few copies. CD $18 SKU:20306

LULA CORTES -Rosa de Sangue (Brazilian 1973 private press monster rarity)-Label:TIME LAG deluxe reissue of this Brazilian private press monster rarity, the closing chapter of the amazing Recife psychedelic movement that flourished briefly in the Brazilian sun, centered around the singular talents of Lula Cortes. The Recife story began in 1973 with the creation of “Abracadabra,” Lula’s loose art/music/design collective. By the time of “Rosa,” Lula had produced and privately released Satwa, as well as Marconi Notaro’s “No sub reino dos metazoarios” LP (both in 1973). Cortes then started the legendary but incredibly short lived Solar label, releasing only two albums: 1975’s “Paebiru” double album under his own name, and a year later the lone album by Flaviola eo bando sol. As if that wasn’t enough, he was also heavily involved in other productions, and performed on seminal albums coming out of the region, including collaborations with Alceu Valença. By the end of the 1970’s, the Rozemblit recording studio/pressing plant had been destroyed by repeated floods, Abracadabra had run its course, and along with Lula’s marriage, the Solar label was no more. So, “Rosa de sangue” was conceived as a final tribute to the dying era. As Lula himself said, “I want to close all of this with a golden key”. Lula created an album overflowing with ideas. Along with the backing of his power trio, he was assisted by old friends, including Alceu Valença, Flaviola, Ze Ramalho de Flauta and Paulo Rafael. With hints of the past era and also of things to come, it is a truly wild audio experience, covering many styles and moods, from crazed ethno folk-rock, to magical, gentle, jungle folk/psych zones, to hard hitting, coke dusted fuzz rock, to insane mutant disco dance floor groove, to acid vocal raga trance, and way beyond. Compact disc version in a heavy mini LP style cover with exact reproduction original artwork, and a full color foldout mini poster insert with new liner notes by Lula Cortes. CD $14 SKU:20302

MARLEY, BOB & THE WAILERS- Roots of a Legend plus DVD-Label:TROJAN these tracks, drawn from two classic Trojan Records albums (“African Herbsman” and “Soul Rebel”)—recorded before the band signed to Island and modified their sound for rock audiences—are the high water mark for Bob Marley & the Wailers for many fans of Jamaican music, myself included. This excellence is in no small part thanks to producer Lee "Scratch" Perry. The Perry/Marley collaboration resulted in some all-time classics, tracks which many fans consider to be the very best work either of them ever did! A genius band, and a genius producer, finding their way, with simple arrangements, a churning, driving sound largely missing from Marley's more famous efforts, and beautiful high harmonies from Peter Tosh. Not a mere historical footnote, for the music here is highly creative and original—soulful perfection. This collection combines several of the Perry tracks (‘Sun Is Shining,’ ‘Duppy Conqueror,’ ‘African Herbsman,’ ‘Mr. Brown’) with those produced by Leslie Kong (‘Soul Shakedown Party’) and by the Wailers themselves (‘Trench Town Rock,’ ‘Lively Up Yourself,’ both of which were originally released on the group's own Tuff Gong label). There are literally hundreds of editions of this material on the market—some legally licensed, some not—but “Roots of a Legend” is among the best, with excellent slip-case packaging and sound. A bonus DVD featuring footage from Marley's 1980 tour (undertaken just 17 months before his death) in support of the “Survival” album is also included. To recap. twenty-one beautiful tracks, plus a region-free DVD of Bob Marley live in concert from 1980. Amazing! CD $8 SKU:20299

SATWA- Lailson, Lula Côrtes (1973 Brazilian Folk trance gems) Label:TIME LAG Written, recorded and released just as Brazil's military dictatorship reached the climax of its long black arc, the one and only album by Satwa is a divinely subtle protest. Now reissued for the first time, Satwa, often cited as Brazil's first independent record, is a mellow starburst of acoustic jangle. Formed after the return of Lula Côrtes and Lailson from their respective foreign excursions (the former home after the requisite Moroccan sojourn, the latter a young long-hair back from the States), Satwa lasted only a year, perhaps due to their differing stripes. But for 11 days in January 1973 the pair jammed cross-legged and produced the folk trance gems that adorn this self-titled debut. At a time when censors caused newspapers to run cake recipes on their front pages in place of rejected news stories, Lailson only lets the occasional throat drone slip through his lips. Largely void of voice and word, the songs (Côrtes plucking steely leads from his sitar while Lailson's 12-string thrums crystalline chords) are loose and lovely. The sole interference in these glistening arabesques is the hoary electric fretwork Robertinho on ‘Blues do Cachorro Muito Louco,’ the most explicitly fried track. Otherwise, Côrtes and Lailson are left to experiment in musty silence. Seemingly taped live, each track is a dry documentation of the duo's gently rambling improvisations. Far from the recombinant psychedelia of tropicalismo that reigned over the pre-hippie underground in Brazil's bustling metropolises five years earlier, Satwa play bed peace bards. In double-mono, or fake stereo, Satwa is raw, untreated mentalism translated into pure songflow. At times exhausted and dusty ‘Atom,’ or archaically splendorous (‘Valse Dos Cogumelos’), the duo's spiraling scrolls etched in rustic timbres unfurl gracefully. Satwa is a quiet triumph.” —Bernardo Rondeau, Dusted. The CD version is identical to the out of print LP version, only smaller—it comes in a mini LP style sleeve, with folded insert. CD $12 SKU:20304

Complete Havoc Singles 1971-1973- VA DOUBLE Label:AZTEC (Australia) The entire 1971-1973 singles are collected in this 2CD deluxe package with 2 bonus tracks from Carson and David Pickard. 8-panel digipak with a 24 page booklet with rare photos and liner notes by Ian McFarlanE Melbourne's short-lived Havoc Records label ran from 1971 to 1973 and released landmark releases from some of Australia's greatest ever bands. The monster-selling Aztecs Live! At Sunbury, and the all-time Aztecs' classic Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy were the biggest sellers, but the label also released notable platters from Lobby Loyde (with the Coloured Balls and The Wild Cherries), Carson, Thump'n Pig & Puff'n Billy, Michael Turner In Session, Ash, Chook (best Aussie band name ever?) and Star Spangled Banger. Aztecs' drummer Gil Matthews was the house engineer/producer for Havoc and produced all nineteen singles and five albums (including his own release 'Little Dove'/'Gil's Thing'). The label was a testament to Havoc boss Frank Smith's eclectic taste -- apart from the 'Oz Rock' stable listed above, there were Jasmine's Dory Previn covers, Robbie Snowden's ridiculous 'Hot Pants Sue' and the ultra-rare soundtrack A City's Child. The entire 1971-1973 singles are collected in this 2CD deluxe package with 2 bonus tracks from Carson and David Pickard. 8-panel digipak with a 24 page booklet with rare photos and liner notes by Ian McFarlane. COMP CD $18 SKU:20300

TWENTY FIRST CENTURY TWENTY FIRST YEAR- VA (Eclectic label comp)Label:LUAKA BOP (USA) The first and only label comp from the eclectic Luaka Bop. As label creator David Byrne says: “Luaka Bop tries to look at music without prejudice, without saying, ‘This belongs in this category and this belongs there. It’s like spinning the ideal radio dial and hearing interesting stuff coming out of lots of stations." Byrne's own tropical ditty ‘Fuzzy Freaky’ is among the 15 tracks on this disc, which also includes Caetano Veloso's ‘Baby’ covered by Os Mutantes, ‘Keleya’ by Moussa Doumbia ("the Malian James Brown"), key tracks by Shuggie Otis and Tom Zé. "Listening to this gorgeous compilation… will take you on an immediate holiday of the mind…. It is music that has been blended in the melting pop of modern city life rather than adhering to any rustic authenticity…. New sounds are also well represented by the slinky Brazilian hipsters Moreno + 2 and Californian surrealists Geggy Tah. Despite the breadth of styles and origins, it all hangs together as seamlessly as a languid daydream on a blazing summer’s day. Four stars."—The Telegraph "Quirky, delightful, and off the beaten path…. A highly recommended collection of very smart and even ingenious music from around the globe for listening and dancing pleasure."—All Music Guide COMP CD $8 SKU:20307


RESTOCKS

KANSAS CITY JAMMERS -Got Good If You Get It -DBL CD (69-71 electric acid folk !) -Label:LION Recorded between 1969 and 1971 the Kansas City Jammers were a college trio struggling between grades and drugs, the results, psychedelia. A mixture of electric acid folk to out and out rock, songs like "Waiting For The Messiah", "Midnight Watch" and more. CD $12 SKU:16370

LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS -Shootin' Fire (1969 recordings) -Label:CICADELIC RECORDS (USA) Lightnin' Hopkins recorded over a dozen songs for the Clarity Music Company at the "ACA" Recording Studio in Houston in April of 1969. These songs ranged from new originals, such as 'Born In The Bottom,' 'December 7, 1941,' 'A Rainy Day In Houston,' and 'Stinking Foot,' to oldies such as 'Feel Like Ballin' The Jack,' 'Shake That Thing' and 'Shinin' Moon.' Since the 1970's some of these songs have been released on haphazard compilations with the bass and drums mixed too high, the guitar leads mixed too low, and excessive "reverb" in an attempt to make Lightnin' sound more contemporary. Now for the first time ever the original four track masters have been re-mixed without any of the extraneous studio misjudgments that marred previous releases. As an added bonus, previously unreleased recordings such as 'Movin' On Out When The Saints March In,' 'Old House Torn Down,' 'Mistrust My Baby And She Mistrust Me,' and 'Baby Please Don't Do Me Wrong' are included on this compendium of Lightnin' Hopkins gems. A large selection of never before seen photos, contracts, and documents rounds out this collection of rarities. The net result is 77 minutes of Lightnin' Hopkins in his prime "shootin' fire". •Taken from the original four track masters. •Includes previously unreleased tracks. CD $10 SKU:19764

MORGEN- ST Essential 1969 psych w 8 bonus tracks -a packed booklet and rare photos, essential for fans of psych! Label:WORLD PSYCHEDELIA (Korea) One of the greatest heavy psych albums ever made, this mindblower has it all -- trippy songs, spacey production, ace musicianship and jaw-dropping guitar. It's presented here in its fullest-ever version, with the full involvement of the band's enigmatic leader, Steve Morgen. Featuring eight rare bonus tracks (including home recordings made by Morgen and guitarist Murray Shiffrin shortly after the album's December 1969 release), a packed booklet and rare photos, it's truly essential for fans of psychedelia. CD $10 SKU:13801

PAUPERS - Magic People (60s Byrds style) Label:PACEMAKER The Paupers, along with the Guess Who, were one of the first Canadian bands to capitalize on the British Invasion. Their early sound was a classy mixture of roots music, blues and folk-rock (think early Byrds or Lovin Spoonful. Great great work by The Paupers essentially a 60s folk rock combo, but one with a really groovy sound! The group come up with loads of great guitar interplay on the session -- janging acoustic and electric together in a style that comes up with some nice hippie and eastern edges -- and which means that even on the vocal tracks, the album's got an instrumental charm that kind of links it to some of the hipper rock/jazz crossover projects on labels like Verve and Impulse at the time. Most tracks do have vocals, in a style that ranges from Sunshine Pop to folksy -- and the whole album's pretty darn great, filled with tracks that include "Let Me Be", "Magic People", "It's Your Mind", "Black Thank You Package", "Simple Deed", and "Tudor Impressions". This edition includes 2 bonus tracks: "Like You, Like Me" and "Sooner Than Soon CD $12 SKU:11174

SANDROSE - ST (70s French prog classic- Label:LION Reissue of what arguably is the best progressive record ever to emerge from France. Originally released in 1972 by Polydor, Sandrose's sole LP features great compositions with wonderful mellotron sounds, excellent guitarwork and the enchanting voice of Rose Podwojny, who, by the way, sung in English. Essential for all fans of f.i. Julian's Treatment, Earth & Fire and Analogy. This reissue on CD comes with a 16-page booklet, including reproduced artwork, info, translated articles from back then, discography and rare pix. CD $10 SKU:13387

SUN ALSO RISES - ST (Superb 70s Brit acid psych folk) Label:LION Superb sought-after 1970 British acid folk rarity from the Village Thing label. The Sun Also Rises is another case of a folk/psych duo (we’re thinking of Emtidi, whose “Saat” album we have also reissued) who virtually disappeared in the flesh, once they had left behind a small but fascinating recorded legacy. The sole Sun Also Rises album has been reissued (legally and illegally) on several occasions, a testament to continuing interest in the music contained therein. Who were they? They were Graham and Anne Hemingway from Cardiff, described everywhere as a mystical, magical hippie female and male folk duo, who played guitars, dulcimer, glockenspiel, vibes, bells, kazoo, percussion—joined throughout by label-mate John Turner (bowed and finger-picked string bass), and Andy Leggett. Their one and only album is very much in the creative style and delivery of the Incredible String Band, with similarities to the work of their contemporaries Dr. Strangely Strange, COB, Comus, Forest and Tir Na Nog, as well as others of the original freak-folk brigade. The results of their efforts were tripped-out, spellbinding, esoteric folk collages—songs of wizards and dragons, dreams and intentions, love, flickering candlelight, the sweet scent of half-remembered summers, death, jasmine, and suicide. We hope that this album will come as a wonderful surprise for lovers of the Incredible String Band and their ilk, as there were few bands that were able to stray into this much loved and much loathed world of fantasy and folk music, and live to tell the tale. Our Lion Productions edition comes with a 16-page booklet printed on FSC recycled, chlorine-free, 100% post-consumer fiber paper manufactured using biogas energy, which contains a small dose of band info, album lyrics, histories of the Village Thing and Saydisc labels by co-founder Gef Lucena, as well as a Village Thing label discography. CD $10 SKU:10594

ELECTRIC PSYCHEDELIC SITAR HEADSWIRLERS - VA Vol 6 (60s Psych ) LAST COPIES -Label:PURPLE LANTERN Volume 6 of the series features psych & folk tracks with sitar by 60s/70s artists including: Tomorrow, Family, Magna Carta, 3 Hur-El, Mystic Astrologic Crystal Band, Joseph, The David, The Shiny Gnomes and more. COMP CD $8 SKU:12879

JOY/SELECT STORY -VA (60s treasures from teen pop top novelty!) Label:PRESIDENT A superb collection of artists on the Joy/Select Records label. Joy tried his hands at all sorts of musical styles - from teen pop to novelty, from soul to more. The CD features a fold-out booklet with in-depth sleeve notes and memorabilia. "Hal and Miriam Weiss launched the independent Joy Records in New York City in 1958, and before it ran its course in 1965, they had released 80 singles with the Joy logo and 35 with the Select subsidiary logo (which may have started out as “Selbon” Records) covering every genre from Polka to Folk and comedy/novelty, including those identified now as Soul, R&B, Pop, Doo-Wop and the Girl-Group Sound. Along the way, while always doing decently on a regional/local basis, they also chalked up some nationally-charting sides. Here from President Records you get these 26 sides with quite decent sound reproduction and a fold-out liner notes insert COMP CD $6 SKU:19203

PSYCHEDELIC UNDERGROUND- VOL 15 (70s psych prog)Label:Garden of Delights COMP CD $6 SKU:16709

STEPSON- Lost Tapes (Bluesy hard rock 1974 Ltd ed with insert , liners and photos )-Label:LION/ VINTAGE Including full size insert with detailed liner notes by Doug Sheppard, plus photos, and lyrics Bluesy hard rock band that rose from the ashes of Touch. Their sole album was released on ABC/Dunhill Records in 1974. Despite the fact that the band never toured in support of their amazing album, over the years the word has gotten out about this incredible album and the band enjoys cult success among collectors. Easily one of the best examples of "cock rock" ever put onto wax.• Long sought after unreleased recordings from this hard-nosed raunchy Detroit-style 70s hard rock band whose 1974 debut album on ABC is highly regarded. Memorable tracks featuring vicious growling guitar from Joey Newman, soulful vocals of Jeffs Hawks, along with the non-stop rocking backbone of Bruce Hauser (bass) and Len Fagan (drums). These guys really knew how to ride the pocket and lay down some badass rock ‘n’ roll. LP $14 SKU:15357