WORLD IN SOUND – PART 2

     OK, here we go for a second nosey parkering into the World in Sound (WIS) catalogue. This time, I'm just going to stick to opinions on the sounds, further details on all titles and artists featured here and in the previous installment can be found on World In Sound's website (www.worldinsound.com).

     Let's start by revisiting Fred. Their first WIS waxing is this self titled set from '71-'74. Unlike their later offerings, these slightly earlier tracks feature a much greater degree of vocals, so often they're songs rather than progressive instro workouts, and very good they are too. Still featuring the interplay between violin and electric guitar and affecting a progressive feel throughout, there is a more definite sense of songs rather than musical passages. It's also a great disc as all Fred titles are. THE ID's Inner Sound of The Id has of course been reissued on vinyl in the past and the chances are many readers will be familiar with this album. For those who are not, it was recorded in '66 by a group of music friends who were already playing in other bands. Cuts from it such as 'Short Circuit' and 'Boil The Kettle Mother' are familiar from their compilation status in the '80s and '90s. Well ahead of its time in places, it sports tracks with irregular time signatures and syncopated rhythms (as in kick off track 'The Rake'). Elsewhere it is reassuringly the sound of '66 ('Baby Eyes', 'Don't Think Twice' for instance), quality pop. The WIS CD issue comes with a bevy of bonus tracks (mainly rhythm tracks and run throughs), many with a soulful feel (You Don't Love Me', 'I Can't Stand It'). The instrumental version of 'Boil The Kettle Mother' and the first instrumental which is a good psych piece are winners.

     There is quite a lot of standard blues fair on Uruguay's Opus Alpha '72 album, although the addition of violin makes it more interesting. However, track three 'Vamos Mal, Ah No' is a great pounding rock number and 'Padre' is a good flute led progressive ballad type track whilst 'Calma De Un Dia' is introduced by a great Hendrix wah-wah like guitar. Phantasia's self-titled album is a delicious soundscape full of beautiful tracks like 'I Talk To The Moon' (which appears twice as it is also added as an instrumental bonus track as well). Gentle, tuneful and soothing, it's something you want to just let wash over you after a busy day, or late at night with a glass of wine! Gold on the other hand are a funky, feisty rock band and have two CDs worth of material on WIS. The first, Mission Rock is a live set from '71 and blends the blues with funky rock. Opener 'All Right' and later 'Home Cooking Woman' get into some nicely soulful riffing as well. This is topped off by a Janis Joplin a-like female lead vocalist on some numbers. Their second album San Francisco Oregins is a studio recorded set and is somewhat harder edged and even heavier affair in places (tracks one and 15 for instance). There are some rather pedestrian blues numbers but also some pretty cool white funk rock as well.

     One of WIS's most recent releases is Dragonwyk's '70 self-titled album. This for a large part is rather instrospective, lightly instrumented and mid-paced progressive set. It does however dip into heavier waters with, for instance 'Orphaned Child' and 'The Vision', the latter of which is almost in Van Der Graff Generator territotry . There are some additional tracks recorded in '68 and overall there's a good prog-psych feel to the disc. Another recent release is Brazil's Modulo 1000's Nao Fale Com Paredes. From '70. Some of this comes across like scaled down Hawkwind in the sound of the guitar tone at least. It's progressive, a lot of long instrumental passages, often with interesting rhythms and riffs. After the nine tracks of the album there are an additional eight tracks which are of a more conventional progressive pop and jazzy prog bossa nova nature if such a thing can be said to have existed! These actually offer some relief /release from the rather claustrophobic aesthetic evocations of the album proper in places. An interesting disc of music if you're feeling adventurous. The Estes Brothers Transitions album is a solid collection of blues and acid rock as defined by opener 'Never Coming Down' or 'Do What Is Real', good, well constructed songs. There are lighter moments as in 'On The Wings of a Butterfly' that retain a dramatic edge whilst being essentially ballads. Another band from Uruguay, Psiglo's Ideacion from '73 is well worth investing in. Opener 'Sienteme' is a blinding blues-rock pounder, but thereafter things get more tuneful. The other seven tracks vary between prog-psych pleasers such as 'En Un Lugar Un Nino', ballads like 'Catalina' and late '60s era Graham Bond or Brian Auger's Trinity a-like progressive blues-soul like 'Es Inutil'. A fine album overall.

     Trevor McNamara's Yeah Captain from '69 is a one-man band, but you don't get that obviously over layered feeling from it as you do with some similar approaches. Opener 'Silver' is an excellent psychedelic number giving acoustic guitar as much rhythmic space as the electric and sounds like it would sit comfortably along side Mark Fry's Dreaming With Alice. Elsewhere decent singer-songwriter numbers like 'The Gun' characterise the set. Overall there's a vibe that swings between acid rock and acid folk across the disc. The brightness of the acoustic guitar playing pushes it to the fore and the intermittent wah-wahing of the electric serve to remind you this isn't just a folky affair. Good songs with interesting nooks and crannies to explore is how this is best summarised. Stoned Circus's Revisted album features on some numbers, a dual female lead vocal and some good funkified acid rock. There's Jefferson Airplane in there, there's Big Brother & The Holding Company and there's a great drawn-out version of 'Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You' which works pretty well. Certainly a disc for fans of the SF sound.

     Goldenrod offer an intriguing set of instrumental psych pieces. The main set is divided into four long tracks (with extras that include reworkings of some of these and other demos). 'Decendent of the Cyclopean's' is a wah-wahed guitar work out whilst 'Karamic Dream Seaquence' takes a more sedate and meandering road, albeit just as intense. 'The Gator Society' has a slightly progressive jazzy feel whilst 'Standing Ovulation' does a rather heavier fusion of this with some Hendrixian riff signatures and drum soloing. An interesting set to enter through the headphones or to play whilst doing something else at the same time. Mystic Siva are another band that have found themselves on more than one WIS release. Their first self-titled collection dates from '69 / '70 has a blues edged feel in part, but explores a wider musical territory with keyboard led workouts and riff experimentation. There's a nice moody ballad in 'Find Out Why' for instance as well. Their second, Under The Influence, carries on in the same sort of style. Still organ led, 'Keeper of The Keys' has a funky vibe whilst 'And When You Go' is more of a progressive keys led number with a light airy tone. The vocals on both albums are not always the best, but they suffice. Unless you're into this kind of sound, you could find two volumes a little wearing, but either is worthwhile on its own. Head Shop's album is a great piece of acid pop-rock. The title track says it all "get yours at the head shop", hmm, well this guy certainly has! Good compressed sounding guitar on top of a solid bouncy riff makes this a feisty statement of intent. As was the trend of the times (thanks Vanilla Fudge) there is an extemporised work out of a pop staple. In this instance it's the Bobby Hebb hit 'Sunny'. Head Shop do a great job on this and manage to give it a sinister sounding edge that suggests clouds on the horizon. 'I Feel Love Coming On' has a great smouldering builder of an intro that pushes the keys up front to take on the acid guitar for ascendancy. It's then a matter of light and shade as the song ebbs and flows throughout. 'Infinity' picks up the pace and pounds out a fuzz filled acid pop-rock pleaser. An interesting and fulfilling album on repeated play, it also boasts a number of extra tracks as many WIS titles do in the form of demos, run throughs, and tracks left off the album. A good album all round.

     Well, there's a few more titles to ruminate on. The WIS label is never less than interesting and their website is well worth a visit for further exploration of some of the title above (and from last month). Have fun!

Paul Martin