David Bowie (1975) Win - LOST 70s GEMS

An album full of Philly soul' s diverse arrangements, whilst also signposting the future in disco with the sweeping phased, funk guitar of the track Fascination with it's chanting chorus and waka waka swagger. Haunted flutterings of saxophones echo into oblivion, these ghostly lines fit with the hollow desperation of the track, a deep sensual album full of existential thoughts rather than romance/breakup material of most Philly soul. Though it must be said Bowie's limited rasp could sound a little too ill fitting with the funkier looser grooves and far more soulful backing singers, sometimes English rockers can't do everything and sounds strained on a lot of the work here. Still its all well written and arranged but if lacking some rock n roll punch and more differentiation of the gloomy Prog vision of most of the tracks, not enough bright, upbeat soul to balance it out and no real concept behind the album's songs but it is a unique collection of murky, mystifying urban soul that reminds me of the Todd Rundgren produced Hall and Oates album War Babies of 1974 with its Dystopian funk, and wacked out Progressive Pop.

The Spinners (1973) Ain't No Price On Happiness - LOST 70s GEMS

Mighty Love was a hallmark song that perfectly sums up The Spinner's brand of Philly soul which transplanted a gospel fervour and positive spirituality from their Motown days with gleaming strings and strident isolated piano chords to create probably the best Philly soul numbers before Disco would take over in the mid 70s, though sadly could not cross over like the similar sounding The Tramps into the new genre. On this album the best track crystal clear mix of vocals and vibes upfront whilst the MFSB strings remain the emotive undercurrent as they sway majestically in a way they only did on Spinner's songs. The sprightly horn section is brilliant as well as braying horns alongside the wistful delivery of the Spinners' dual lead vocalists of the smooth ladiback tones of Bobby Smith and the exuberant preach of Phillipe Wynn.

Slik (1976) Don't Take Your Love Away - LOST 70s GEMS

A collection of bubblegum melodies, the type of silly falsetto chorus driven rock of the Sweet with Bay City Roller's lightness in the lyrics and mix of pop and rock. Full of very simple hooks and that calypso rhythm that bubblegum music from the 60s and 70s tended to have a long with a Brian Connolly style drawled croon, pounding piano, upfront acoustic rhythm guitar and deadened tin box drums. There are punchy Moogs and funky scratch guitars for some cutting edge sounds from the mid seventies but is still dominated with playful instrumentals and Osmond Brothers arranged ballads.

Dont Take Your Love Away has that Osmonds/Bay City Rollers mix of terse but rote Glam Rock guitars and bubblegum pop vocals, but the acoustic verses of this track have a heavenly vocal laid on top. Also check out the modal harmonies of Forever and Ever and the ominous Spanish guitar and Moog driven ballad Requiem. While Again My Love has that nice mid 70s Disco sound not heard very often with echo drenched crooning and the kind of dated 70s pastel synthesizer and sweeping string laden disco balladry of tracks like Jigsaw's Sky High.

Smokey Robinson (1975) Quiet Storm - LOST 70s GEMS

The title track of Smokeys' third solo album, A Quiet Storm, the ground zero for the 'Quiet Storm' genre that featured artists like Luther Vandross, Al Green etc. Smokey remarkable tenor that launched hundreds of singers is still so unique as caresses you with it's indefinable quality. But on this occasion the whole package arouses you with it's pioneering blend of laidback soul and restrained funk balladry plus a temperate theme..they called quiet storm apparently
Then there is the unmistakable sweet, high pitched squeak of the Oberheimer synthesizer which would shine Prog and Disco in the late 70s adds a unique texture. It's angular long held notes sound like a digitally compressed wash similar to the smooth sustain of an organ.

It along with the 'wet' electric piano a strong swell of desire key to the Quiet storm format hinting at tropical weather conditions. The fluttering fills of Latin funk guitar and smooth flute only add to the strong romantic aura of the track. While the Oberheimer' long whining tone remains undiminished right to the end, where the basic rhythms fade away to the wind sound effects that have been the connecting thread of all the tracks on the album like a wintery motif. This Sci-fi coldness creates a contrasting desolate note of isolation, after all a 'quiet' storm will always be a lonely storm.

 

Geordie (1974) Got to Know - LOST 70s GEMS

From their 1974 album Don't Be Fooled By The Name, Georgie were the type of tough Glam Rockers with clean studio production that would influence the future Hair rockers of the 80s, the album is supercharged and full of loud vocals, heavy stomps and in this track sweet, high pitched and gooey sounding synthesizer parts poke through in extremely sonic fills. The electric guitars on display have a thunderous quality, they are cleanly recorded and sound huge. Then Brian Jonhston's exemplary vocals are brash enough to match the music, he handles ballad vocals on Little boy just as well with his deep northern accent giving a tougher vibe to the music as the electric power chords crash, the funky soul drumming rattles away etc.

King Crimson (1973) Easy Money - LOST 70s GEMS

Larks' Tongues in Aspic introduced David Cross's violin to the heaviest Prog band around, sorry Pink Floyd, They shed the jazz aspects for creating a further classical tone yet also keeping the rock and prog foundation strong. After their classic 1969 lineup based around Greg Lake and Ian McDonald as well as Michael Giles and Peter Sinfield had long since departed the group was starting to reclaim it's own identity with their mid 70s Prog run. It started with this album and led into Starless and Bible Black in 1974 and Red.

Some of the instrumental passages remind me of Tubular Bells with a clear cut production and virtuoso playing that didn't bear the murky, noisy chaotic textures of Psychedelia or Jazz. Instead a more atmospheric, sci-fi trip, the elephant sounding horns that ominously arise in Talking Drums and Exiles are very Prog and cinematic, while the title track combines this hard hitting prog rock with a Jazzy signature to create again a cinematic score or movement perfect as background for a scene from Soylent Green, Logan's Run etc.

That clear cut but odd sounding prog rock melody would be most commercially realised in Easy Money, a very pop track yet very brilliant song overall from this album. Powered by an incredible stomp of a rock riff complete with stamping feet like marching soldiers whilst the bell tolls and harmonies waver off. The quiet verses feature kooky sound effects like a snake rattle, splitting elastic and crunching sound for a heart break, it reminds me of 10cc like flourishes whilst a sparse reggae beat of guitar strikes and steel drum provides backing. There are ominous ringing sounds and unexpected dissonant crashes to go along with it, before Robert Fripp breaks out a jazzy and very robotic solo that goes along with the monolithic crunch of the song's central riff returning again from the beginning. There is some misty organ work too along with some arpeggios to colour the arrangement before a final rave up of bluesy wailing of both guitarist and vocalist and organs.

The Spinners (1972) It's A Shame - LOST 70s GEMS

Starting with a cheerful, jazzy doodle of a Electric Sitar part whilst an electric guitar strums breezily, this Stevie Wonder penned soul tune is enlivened by Philly Soul's maestro Thom Bell who keeps the vibe bright and sunny with that spectacular opening progression. The Spinners give an pumpingly energetic vocal performance, a hint of their future rousing soul music which would be truly unique, though this track barely features the inspiring Thom Bell horn lines and sweeping strings combo that underlined their later hits. Instead their is more of the rave up fervour of Motown, Stevie Wonder's label, in the performance over the smoother, velvet delivery of Philly's soul stars. Though there is no denying the classic Philly knack for arrangement is there right in that glorious first few bars.

Bee Gees (1974) Down the Road - LOSt 70s GEMS

 Seguing in from the prior track, Throw a Penny, we get an awesome heavy mix of funky blues guitar similar to the scratchy, buzz guitar styling of David Bowie's Fame a year later. The combination of several guitars and piano gives the song a Kool and the Gang big group sound similar to the chugging funk of later track Heavy Breathing with it's strain of horns. The Bee Gees embraced funk and Blue Eyed Soul with enough pop, rock and country influences to produce a number of sounds not just Disco, while Heavy Breathing with it's rampant beat would be a clear sing of Proto-Disco, Down the Road mixes this unrelenting funky blues verses with an astral chorus of 'Down the Road' where the harmonies soar incandescently like a choir similar to Throw a Penny but more impressive. All the while the verse rhythm returns with a clavinet buried deep underneath the disco styled blues guitar phrases.

Barry Gibb's husky, country vocal works well with the soul material while the high falsetto choruses and heavy horns of the second verses give a strong Soul music influence. Then their is a Glam Rock style solo where minor keyed, downbeat guitar lines are played in harmony, not to mention the descending, nasally Moog lines used as a counterpoint in the chorus after the stunning harmonies. These descending analog synth lines with their sweet, fuzz sound create a new urban sound that worked in giving a Disco sound.

Mr Natural was where the Bee Gees talents in early 70s pop balladry combined with their new band's talent at extremely frenetic funk rock. The classic Bee Gees formula of mixing sweet melody lines in vocal harmonies and synthesizer parts mixed with downbeat funk rhythms.

Medicine Head (1971) There's Always A Light - LOST 70s GEMS

From the hard rocking sophomore album Heavy on the Drum, this is is exactly that, a departure from the sleepy folk balladry of Medicine Head' debut New Bottles Old Medicine which is very heavy. The pounding sparse kick drum and chunky but rudimentary blues rock guitar of John Fiddler to the wailing Harmonica of his partner Hope Evans, this Staffordshire duo know how to create sizeable rock from sparse elements. The highlight for me from this really tough sounding album is this track primarily due to Fiddler's electric vocals, definitely treated in some way to accentuate his natural low register tremelo that sounds like a blend of Dylan and Bolan or even Gerry Rafferty it was a trademark of early 70s rockers. It's a laidback warble taken from the blues and folk rock but acts with such majesty in its sprawling reverb that it acts as a harmony with his own guitar.

Medicine Head remain whimsical and laconic whilst bopping like only the heavy 50s blues rockers could; they were a nice counterpart to the excesses of Marc Bolan and T Rex, but had a country feel which put them closer to Stealers Wheel, it would be more evident on their other albums.

Stills-Young Band (1976) Ocean Girl - LOST 70s GEMS

A romantic ditty that starts with standard 70s soft piano with a nice addition of a Stephen Still' raw wah wah guitar underlining the raging feelings with it's vapid strikes reminding us of that incredible interplay the two had on the first Buffalo Springfield album released ten years prior. The wah wahs' stretchy, acid drenched tone, though originally steeped in the funk and psychedelia genres it was a flexible device in 70s music popping up in country, pop, disco standards and all kinds of TV theme tunes. I think because it expressed a strong emotive quality from the menacing to the romantic it always sounded hormonal and rich in deep feelings..always.
Young sings in a delicate phrasing that is thankfully restrained and sounds like he is harmonising with The Eagles. Check out Midnight on the Bay for it's mix of Jay Ferguson style Island Soft Rock and the Bee Gees' style of lilting Disco pop.

Armageddon (1975) Silver Tightrope - LOST 70s GEMS

 The Yardbirds frontman Keith Relf's last project was a n incredible supergroup featuring among others Bobby Caldwell a talented blues drummer, this track from this Stoner rock album carries a mellow spacey instrumental talent form his previous super group Captain Beyond which featured original Deep Purple lead singer Rod Evans.

The incandescent electric guitar ringing out in a hypnotic arpeggio pattern with Relf singin softly underneath the guitars which take prominence in the mix to interesting effect. Relf is far from his blues belting self here more channelling Yes' Jon Anderson in his delicate falsetto, while the band join in the harmonious vocals and a expertly psychedelic guitar solo plays distantly in a 'wet' very chilled out bridge section; pretty pioneering for its time. It was all cut too short for Relf in a tragic electrocution shortly after this album; however he had a respectable post Yardbirds career in folk rock Renaissance and Blues band Medicine Head while his former lead guitarists rose to group and solo fame and superstardom in the 70s. I still think this is his pinnacle outside of the Yardbirds which makes his passing even more unfortunate.

Hall and Oates (1975) Ennui on the Mountain - LOST 70s GEMS

A rip roaring, jet fuelled stomper of a rock song, while this bears a circular riff backed by saxophone, honky tonk piano and a fat electric guitar tone and some hard rock guitar strikes that Progressive Pop bands like 10cc, ELO and Queen used to really ram home the strong melodic sense of this song. Capturing the non stop party of touring and being at the top or the zenith of their careers as Hall wails soulfully and Oates pounds away at the furious guitar attack that recalls the stomp pf the Beatles' Oh Darling and other stunted bops from the 50s and of course the 50s retro of Glam Rocker T Rex and Sweet. Its fitting with the glam cover of this their self titled 'silver' album

Theres some meta references to their own career such as 'AM airplay', 'a cadillac' and 'a mountain in Montana' . These accoutrements would all be gained after this album; with Hall and his manager Tommy Mottola buying identical black and silver Seville Cadillacs with their first six figure paycheck after Sara Smile, not to mention their chart and radio dominance in the years to come and Halls' retreat in the woods that he used as the setting of the groundbreaking online series Darylls' House. All these things truly makin their dreams come true, ooh ooh hoo ooh..sorry

Hall and Oates (1974) Can't Stop the Music (He Played It Much Too Long) - LOST 70s GEMS

This song is to me the third of a trio of potential hit singles that Hall and Oates recorded during their early 70s three album run on Atlantic Records; the other two being Goodnight and Goodmorning from their rootsy folk debut, Whole Oates(1972) and When the Morning Comes from their less folky classic soul follow up Abandoned Luncheonette(1973). While those two singles are very commercial sounding post-Hippy folk rock tunes, this track is more novel in it's sound; though When the Morning Comes was book-ended with that Wah-Wah treated Oboe that created an exotic, otherworldly texture.

Can't Stop the Music is the lead track off third album, War Babies(1974) their very psychedelic attempt at progressive rock. This is probably the most commercial sounding song of a very dark and eerie concept album about.. I'm not sure what. What I do know is this track has a airy pre-80s synth pop sound, the mellow wash of several analog synthesizers overlapping each other. Oates comes in with a story of an old performer who was 'star of the stage' but can't cut it anymore over a bright electric piano chord progression. I should point out everything in this album is heavily phased or treated. After the chorus refrain where he states that he can't even remember the ending to the song; possible musings on their own career, for now they were safely at the other end of it; practically at the starting line.

It's a John Oates track that showed he was an equal to Hall in their massively underappreciated period in the 70s where they reigned as soul superstars. The album has the psychedelia and soul combo of Sly and the Family Stone but ups the cold dystopian eeriness with a lot of analog synths and minor keyed piano mood pieces like 70's Scenario and Screaming through December. Meanwhile there's enough tight commercial material in the funkier rock tracks like Better Watch Your Back and Much Too Soon. But best is still this number..(you can't play it too long)

Ambrosia (1975) Holdin on to Yesterday - LOSt 70s GEMS

Such a seductive little number form this soulful Prog rock band who would take their mellow vocals and keyboard rock to the Soft Rock genre where they were more at home and their delicate close harmonies and silky arrangements were better suited.

The band kicks in with a relaxed interplay between some jazz piano chords and a humming bass line throbbing underneath; it creates a slick old school, Brill Building groove. The restraint of the track becomes so sensuous without becoming comatose, laidback but firm all building a smooth foundation allowing us to bask in the glorious and well above average harmonies; particularly for a prog band. The extraordinary, two part harmony vocals enter in and rise above the mellow instrumental track, distinctive for the way they go up an octave on the first half of 'Hoooldin Ooon'. The soaring supple falsettos of Guitarist David Pack and Bassist Joe Puerta on the Os is so complex and sounds so original every-time you hear it.

Pack then sings the organ and choir drenched solo verses that reminds you they had the grandeur of a prog band though the smooth harmonies were still more influenced by RnB then bands like Yes. The addition of a Violin break is a neat prog touch while the organ gives a incredibly sexy blues feel by the shimmering end of the song. A smooth yet transformative ballad full of the best blues, gospel and prog playing you've ever heard.

Boston (1976) Let Me Take You Home Tonight - LOST 70s GEMS

A funky acoustic opening with Tom Scholtz's wacky music experiments creating an unusual mix of guitars. An ascending arpeggio with a watery electric guitar, some distant blues slide and a acoustic guitar playing a quick turnaround.

The verses are very Beatles esque breezy acoustic strums and exuberant harmonies which carry into the electric power chord driven anthemic chorus.

An array of guitar sounds come through in bridge as the solos alternate from one instrument to another. First a very clean blues slide guitar, then a water filtered guitar before a couple, thicker harmonised hard rock guitars. Up their with Foreplay/Long Time and More Than a Feeling from this immaculate and overdubbed paradise of an album; not bad for a debut particularly when you consider it started as a one person band.

PS Brad Delp is ridiculously good particularly in his ending wails, at a time when there were many multi octave singers, he had a cool vocal style, another instrument Scholtz had at his disposal.