John Denver (1973) Farewell Andromeda (Welcome to My Morning) - LOST 70s GEMS

John Denver's Farewell Andromeda (Welcome to My Morning) is one of the upbeat songs on the album named after it, with a joyful, multi-layers of choral voices and a circular melody akin to Rocky Mountain High. Very Flower-Power era/ Sunshine Pop a few years late.

Berkeley Woman is a standard folk song with a hypnotic progression, it's direct lyrics remind me of good blues song particular the line ''she screamed and she cried 'you dont give me near all the lovin that you should! But you're ready to go and lay with her; you're just no damn good!'" I'd Rather Be a Cowboy (Lady's Chains) has serene harmonies and heavy folk rock arrangement.

 Please Daddy and River of Love are two fine examples of the pronounced country beat to his music that would prove successful the following years' Back Home Again. Whiskey Basin Blues features some startling mountain music in the form of a haunted, echoed yodelling break by Denver demonstrating his strong vocal chords. Sweet Misery is smooth soul music complete with Denver in full country accent, Zachary And Jennifer is a tender, finger picked ode to happiness and eternity. while We Don't Live Here No More is well written tune full of Denver's languishing voice.

Elton John (1970) Burn Down the Mission - LOST 70s GEMS

 The highlight of the country tinged Tumbleweed Connection, Elton' melodic slow build that he would perfect on hits like Tiny Dancer and Rocket Man is present here with a saloon bar piano and wonderfully simple drum beat as Elton wails away in his full falsetto whine. Then a samba inflected string coursed section kicks in before returning to his placid playing as the sturdy drums and acoustic guitar back his plea to 'bring your family to the riverside'. Though occasionally he over does his country twang, his smooth multi-tracked tenor anchored many of hits that wouldn't have the same effect with a too showy voice. You also can't beat the chorus with it's euphoric call to 'Burn down the mission, If we're gonna stay alive, Watch the black smoke fly to heaven, See the red flame light the sky, Burn down the mission, Burn it down to stay alive'


The Brazilian Conga beat and roving bass guitar work well together as the song speeds up to a sweeping, Sgt Pepper esque finale of the song and the album proper; it's the most memorable moment on the album.

John Denver (1972) Season Suite: Summer- LOST 70s GEMS

John Denver's Rocky Mountain High album in 72 was a big hit though not exactly his finest album with it's heavy reliance on cover tunes. Season Suite: Summer is the highlight of the albums's repetitive second half; full of nature segments, or basically a bunch of songs called suites and named after the seasons. By far the freshest is the summer suite with it's bouncy energy. The only other lively track on the ballad and orchestration heavy album is Prisoners; with it's frenetic folk work reminding me of Stephen Stills, and it's inspirational lyrics about a working life's hardships and yearning for home. A lot of this album, including it's big hit and opening title track; Rocky Mountain High, is about returning home or at least longing for it.

While Prisoners is a good track, I prefer Season Suite: Summer for my blog post as its is a rousing number with a slight disco shuffle to it's main hook complete with big piano chords dominating the beat. Denver's rootsy voice sings with a lullaby lilt before the spirited, multi-tracked harmonies kick off the honky tonk chorus and heavy acoustic chords end each chorus with a funky turnaround in tandem with the main piano parts. 

Bronco (1972) Sudden Street - LOST 70s GEMS

 From British Country Rock band Bronco's second and more arranged album, Sudden Street is their finest offering marrying frontman Jess Roden's requisite vocal style with an impeccable 60s folk rock structure. It reminds me of the 60s band, Love, with it's Latin folk feel as the acoustic guitar led rhythm goes from soft and gentle to upbeat and fervent The lead vocal by Jess Roden is extraordinary, a bluesy tenor that aches and cracks so soulfully in a style I used to describe as 'Torn and Frayed' after the Rolling Stones song.

 Jess Roden follows the tune's undulating rhythms, wave after wave of chord strums, as the sensitive verses lead to a tormented, dance-able chorus with a distinct salsa tempo. However despite the shifts in tone, it's all mixed in a low key manner without any stark contrasts, this works so well and yet it would mean it  would never be a hit single due to it's lack of a central hook. The laidback nature of the whole arrangement with it's feverish beat that picks up in the chorus and flamenco electric guitar licks deliver a strong Latin vibe to backdrop the affecting lyrical content which is the heart of the song. Roden croons soothingly about 'cold winter evenings' as he meanders along Sudden Street, where he can't resist temptation and over and over again states with multi-tracked harmonies 'You Know How I Feel' as to the organ and salsa percussion. Roden tries to justify his act of infidelity in the absence of a lover, clearly in denial as his vocal speeds up he is harmonised with his bandmates in hallowed 'oohs' as he comes clean and confesses his deep buried feelings.

 Roden's vocal here still one of my favourites with it's deep barrelled, cracked quality that sounds so ghostly and haunted with loneliness, despair, acceptance against a flamenco jam of strutting acoustic guitars, bubbly bass lines and carnivalesque drumming.

John Denver (1971) She Won't Let Me Fly Away - LOST 70s GEMS

John Denver's Aerie album opens with a nature based bluegrass tune called Starwood in Aspen and a softened soft rock dragged out version of Buddy Holly's demented Everyday; its hard to like it now as a straightforward love song minus the inherent menace of Holly's original thigh slapping arrangement. Other highlights of Aerie is, the chirpy closing instrumental,Tools, the sweeping Prog ballad The Eagle and the Hawk complete with galloping acoustic guitar and a couple of Bill Danoff tunes.

The first Danoff composition is She Won't Let Me Fly Away is a a badass folk tune with a slow verses and funky turnarounds. The second is Readjustment Blues is about tough sociopolitical times and is a storytelling/analogy soul tune, it's enlivened by the twinkling chimes that enter three quarters of the way in that merge with Denver's good ol boy pipes and incandescent 12 string guitar.
It's an album full of Denver's post hippy spiritual new age folk . and I still the best overall tune is She Won't Let Me Fly Away, not too overwrought or soberas some of the tracks, the just the right level of restraint.

John Denver (1971) Wooden Indian - LOST 70s GEMS

A furious belter with a powerful message of solidarity set against a rugged full bodied strum and starting with whirling funk licks; all draped in Denver's mulittracked throaty wail it's superb and the rockiest of the many sunny flower folk pop tracks from his most appreciated album.

Jackson Browne (1972) Under the Falling Sky - LOST 70s GEMS

How can it have been this long for me to do a Jackson Browne post its only been 3 years and 565 posts later?

His debut belongs in the easy listening vibe of Bread, America and Eagles ballads with it's lush mix of gospel piano and folk guitar dressed in supple vocals and laidback delivery. Browne, author of Take It Easy, wrote songs with the same laidback nonplussed swagger of Glenn Frey,such as the opening of Under the Falling Sky. Starting with a jaunty organ, gradually augmented by tablas and acoustic guitars and speedy percussion, you're still totally enamoured and entranced by Browne reigned in vocal performance. There is a countrified pull off based guitar solo and some smattering of his piano but the frenetic acoustic/tablas start to pick up like an unplugged version of Deep Purple's rhythm section backing Browne. The organ and Browne' spiritual bent meant he carried a more James Taylor gospel folk vibe but managed to stay more consistent than Taylor as the 70s progressed.

It's musically speaking, the most memorable track from the album along with the buoyant opening notes of Doctor My Eyes; which is basically a deep, pop song. The album was famously given the name 'Saturate Before Using' instead of being self titled due to the burlap sack designed cover which features those instructions prominently , an interesting explanation could be given for that title being the real, deserved name considering Jackson's fascination with water analogies.