Rock - what are you listening to?

[Ivor]

Wonder was he inspired by Krapps Last Tape :-)

he still has his banana.

[fergus]

he still has his banana.

He is a small, lean old guy who needs building up!!

[fergus]

[fergus]

[Gussy Finknottle]

You must be a mind reader.Just bought this one today.Had it on vinyl years ago and played it to bits.Also bought Al Stewart Zero she Flies and Orange just in case you really are a mind reader i'll get there first.

[fergus]

You must be a mind reader.Just bought this one today.Had it on vinyl years ago and played it to bits.Also bought Al Stewart Zero she Flies and Orange just in case you really are a mind reader i'll get there first.

I'm no mind reader Mr. Finknottle.....just need to hear Cat Stevens' voice every now and then!!! I hope that you enjoy it and your other purchases as well!!

[Derek]

Kate & Anna McGarrigle




I’ve fond memories of this, so after coming across it in HMV I thought I'd refill the gap in the CD drawer.
The truly time stopping “Heart like a Wheel” gets me every time.

But the sound quality from this CD on the Rhino label is absolutely atrocious.
Anyone know of a quality top-notch version I can get.

[Modest]

1. Eternity's Breath Part 1 (3:10)
2. Eternity's Breath Part 2 (4:48)
3. Lila's Dance (5:34)
4. Can't Stand Your Funk (2:09)
5. Pastoral (3:41)
6. Faith (2:00)
7. Cosmic Strut (3:28)
8. If I Could See (1:18)
9. Be Happy (3:31)
10. Earth Ship (3:42)
11. Pegasus (1:48)
12. Opus 1 (0:15)
13. On The Way Home To Earth (4:34)
Line-up / Musicians
- Mahavishnu John McLaughlin / 6 & 12 String guitars, vocals
- Jean-Luc Ponty / electric violin, electric Baritone violin
- Michael Walden / drums, percussion, vocals, clavinet
- Ralph Armstrong / bass guitar, Contra bass, vocals
- Gayle Moran / keyboards, vocals

Released in 1975, Visions of the Emerald Beyond found band leader John McLaughlin backing off from the large scale approach of Apocalypse (1974) yet without losing any of the fire and sheer passion that made this band so amazing. Visions of the Emerald Beyond would be the last album by Mahavishnu Orchestra until John McLaughlin reformed the group in the mid 1980s. Fortunately McLaughlin was always working and formed Shakti after this album, which is 180 degrees away from the highly electric sound of Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Joining the core group of John McLaughlin (electric and acoustic guitars; vocals); mind blowing virtuoso Narada Michael Walden (drums and percussion; vocals; clavinet); Jean Luc Ponty (electric violin and electric baritone violin); Ralph Armstrong (bass guitar; acoustic bass; and vocals); and Gayle Moran (keyboards and vocals) are a string trio; a trumpet/flugelhorn/flute player; and a sax player. Like all of the Mahavishnu musicians, this is a top notch ensemble with the drummer being simply unbelievable. Jean Luc Ponty turns in some great playing and McLaughlin of course is a master on the guitar and even turns in some blazing Hendrixian solos here and there (Lila's Dance). With respect to the vocal parts and Gayle's soprano they do not bother me one bit and are provided more as texture than as a traditional vocal part. I also enjoy the splashes of tone color here and there provided by the strings, keyboards, flute, and the brass instruments.

The thirteen tracks on the album are short, yet blend together in a song-cycle suite of sorts. Overall, this music is lusher sounding than the first two albums and at times even sounds somewhat like symphonic progressive rock. In addition to progressive rock, there is jazz rock, Jimi Hendrix style jams; a little classical on Opus I, and even a tiny bit of funk - trust me though, this funk sounds nothing at all like Sly and the Family Stone. Odd meters are everywhere along with weird root movements and nice dynamic contrast - in one moment you are getting blasted by an ear splitting assault played on the drums and heavily distorted electric guitar and then in the next instant soothed by either a delicate string arrangement (Pastoral) or spacey and psychedelic sections (Earth Ship and Pegasus).

[fergus]

[fergus]