09/14/09 -- THE ANIMALS, APRIL WINE, KITTY WELLS, ARGENT, ASIA

Hey hey hey!


Back to the grindstone we go (well, you go anyway). Waste some company time...read about records...why not? Here's how we're rockin' today!


THE ANIMALS -- ANIMALIZATION (1966).
Purchased at -- WFMU Record Fair. New York City, NY.



Experiencing this one in beautiful MONO! This was the final album released by THE ANIMALS before entering their psychedelic "San Franciscan Nights," "Monterey" and "Sky Pilot" phase. It's basically a blues/rock album. No hits -- just ERIC BURDON and the boys ripping through a bunch of standards ("Smokestack Lightning," "Hit The Road Jack," "Lucille") and some newer equally soulful material (FRANK ZAPPA's "All Night Long"). For the most part, the album cooks. It's a tight session from a band that was about to abandon R&B for flower power. Okay, they never abandoned their roots completely. But the lads never sounded this raw again.


APRIL WINE -- THE WHOLE WORLD'S GOIN' CRAZY (1976).
Purchased at -- Woodlands Record Fair. Wilkes-Barre, PA.


We're still a few years away from a contract with CAPITOL Records, and about a half-decade away from the power ballad "Just Between You And Me." CRAZY sees the Canadian band progressing nicely, but this really isn't anything more than a decent mid 70's mainstream hard rock record. Nothing distinguishes it from the rest of the pack. For collectors, it's kind of cool because CRAZY is one of the few WINE releases on LONDON -- it's neat watchin' that blue label spin. Other than that, only grab it if it's cheap. Don't pay too much because you've already heard CRAZY a million times before.


ARGENT -- RING OF HANDS (1971).
Purchased at -- Woodlands Record Fair. Wilkes-Barre, PA.


No sophomore slump here. ARGENT (ROD ARGENT formerly of the ZOMBIES, RUSS BALLARD on guitar) were back and getting even better. Co-produced by Rod's ZOMBIE partner CHRIS WHITE, HANDS is an accomplished progressive rock album that never becomes bogged down by a lot of the standard "prog-rock" trappings. The band never forgets that all the flash and "musicianship" means nothing if you don't have good songs. And HANDS has a lot of them.
The best moments are the classical-influenced majestic tunes -- songs like "Rejoice" and "Sleep Won't Help Me" -- tracks blessed with grand organ flourishes and lilting melodies. But even the extended jazzy piece "Lothorien" remains tight and satisfying all throughout its 8-minute running time. One year later, ARGENT would unleash ALL TOGETHER NOW and they're only look at the American Top 40 -- "Hold Your Head Up." But HANDS is fine all on its own. Worth grabbing (if you can find a good one).


KITTY WELLS -- I'VE GOT YESTERDAY (1972).
Purchased at -- Main Street Jukebox. Stroudsburg, PA.



Her last album for DECCA, YESTERDAY finds WELLS sticking to the tried-and-true formula of a handful of "new" tunes and a bunch of covers. At this point it's wearing thin, and WELLS' old style is becoming more and more irrelevant as the 70's play on. She just can't wrap her voice around tracks like "Delta Dawn" and "Happiest Girl In The Whole USA." She simply sounds...old. Thankfully, there's only one more LP in my WELLS stack. So the country entries will be a tad more "varied" in the near future.


ASIA -- ASTRA (1985).
Purchased at -- Woodlands Record Fair. Wilkes-Barre, PA.


Guitarist STEVE HOWE is nowhere to be found on this album. Lead vocalist JOHN WETTON would bail shortly after its release. ASTRA's tour was cancelled! How good could ASIA's third record be? Well, at least it has another cool ROGER DEAN cover.
It's obvious that this "supergroup" was running out of steam by 1985. ASTRA is simply somewhat melodic mid 80's mainstream AOR junk -- lukewarm tunes that aren't spectacular in any way whatsoever. The album has its pleasant moments. I still like "Voice Of America" and "After The War," although pompous, isn't bad. Other moments are embarrassing though. The record's worst track has to be the cliched mid 80's anti nuclear war anthem (everybody back then did one of these) "Countdown To Zero." Although I swear the opening keyboard sounder is the same audio effect used by the GEORGE LUCAS people on their loud THX logo.
ASTRA -- buy it for the cover art...and nothing else.


That's all I have until Wednesday people. Until then...


EVANS


Oooo...don't forget...see you on the radio tomorrow with another edition of VINTAGE VINYL. 10am on VM-FM 91-7. Check the stream at www.VMFM917.org.