ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS - Every One of Us (1968-2013) RM / SHM-CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Eric Burdon & the Animals were nearing the end of their string, at least in the lineup in which they'd come into the world in late 1966, when they recorded Every One of Us in May of 1968, just after the release of their second album, The Twain Shall Meet. The group had seen some success, especially in America, with the singles "When I Was Young," "San Franciscan Nights" and "Sky Pilot" over the previous 18 months, but had done considerably less well with their albums. Every One of Us lacked a hit single to help drive its sales, but it was still a good psychedelic blues album, filled with excellent musicianship by Burdon (lead vocals), Vic Briggs (guitar, bass), John Weider (guitar, celeste), Danny McCulloch (bass,12-string, vocals), and Barry Jenkins (drums, percussion), with new member Zoot Money (credited, for contractual reasons, as George Bruno) on keyboards and vocals. Opening with the surprisingly lyrical "White Houses" -- a piece of piercing social commentary about America in early 1968 -- the record slid past the brief bridge "Uppers and Downers" and into the extended, John Weider-authored psychedelic mood piece "Serenade to a Sweet Lady," highlighted by Briggs' superb lead acoustic guitar playing and Weider's subdued electric accompaniment. This is followed by the acoustic folk piece "The Immigrant Lad," a conceptual work that closes with a dialogue, set in a workingman's bar, in which two Cockney workers, voiced by John Weider and Terry McVay, talk about their world and their lives. "Year of the Guru" is another in a string of Jimi Hendrix-influenced pieces by this version of the Animals, showing the entire band at the peak of their musical prowess, and Burdon -- taking on virtually the role of a modern rapper -- generating some real power on some surprisingly cynical lyrics concerning the search for spiritual fulfillment and leaders. "St. James Infirmary" recalls "House of the Rising Sun," as both a song and an arrangement, and is worthwhile just for the experience of hearing this version of the group going full-tilt as a rock band. And then there is "New York 1963 -- America 1968," an 18-minute conceptual track with a center spoken word section featuring not a group member, but a black engineer named Cliff, who recalls his experience as a fighter pilot during World War II, and tells of poverty then and now -- although the opening section starts off well enough musically, amid Burdon's sung recollections of coming to America and his fixation on the blues and black music in general, and the closing repetition of the word "freedom" anticipates Richie Havens' famed piece (actually an extension of "Motherless Child") from Woodstock, the track is too long and unwieldy for any but the most fanatical listener to absorb as more than a curiosity of its time. In fairness, it must also be said that Burdon's mixing of politics and music, social criticism and art, however inappropriate as pop music for a mass audience, was out in front of most of the competition during this period, in terms of boldness and reach, if not grasp. The extended jamming on this and the other songs also highlighted a fundamental problem that afflicted this version of the Animals from the get-go, the fact that they were touring too much to write enough songs to properly fill their albums, which meant extending the instrumental portions of everything that was on them, in order to fill up the running time; this group had the musicianship and talent to pull it off totally successfully in all but one instance here. This album would be one of the last times that this lineup of the group would appear on record -- Briggs and McCulloch would leave later in the year, both to be replaced by Andy Somers (aka Andy Summers), and the group as a whole would pack it in with the waning of 1968. by Bruce Eder  
Tracklist:
1 White Houses 3:53
Eric Burdon
2 Uppers and Downers 0:26
Eric Burdon
3 Serenade to a Sweet Lady 6:14
Johnnie Weider
4 The Immigrant Lad 6:16
Eric Burdon
5 Year of the Guru 5:27
Eric Burdon
6 St. James Infirmary 5:03
Victor Briggs / Eric Burdon / Barry Jenkins / Daniel McCulloch / Johnnie Weider
7 New York 1963-America 1968 18:48
Victor Briggs / Eric Burdon / Barry Jenkins / Daniel McCulloch / Johnnie Weider
Credits:
Bass, Vocals, Twelve-String Guitar – Danny McCulloch
Drums, Tambourine, Other [Reso-reso] – Barry Jenkins
Guitar, Bass, Engineer [Remix] – Vic Briggs
Guitar, Celesta – John Weider
Lead Vocals – Eric Burdon
Organ [Hammond], Piano, Vocals – George Bruno

GRAND FUNK - We're an American Band (1973-2014) RM / SHM-CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Having made several changes in their business and musical efforts in 1972, Grand Funk Railroad made even more extensive ones in 1973, beginning with their name, which was officially truncated to "Grand Funk." And keyboardist Craig Frost, credited as a sideman on Phoenix, the previous album, was now a full-fledged bandmember, filling out the musical arrangements. The most notable change, however, came with the hiring of Todd Rundgren to produce the band's eighth album. Rundgren, a pop/rock artist in his own right, was also known for his producing abilities, and he gave Grand Funk exactly what they were looking for: We're an American Band sounded nothing like its muddy, plodding predecessors. Sonically, the record was sharp and detailed and the band's playing was far tighter and more accomplished. Most important, someone, whether the band or Rundgren, decided that gruff-voiced drummer Don Brewer should be employed as a lead singer as often as guitarist Mark Farner. Brewer also contributed more as a songwriter, and the results were immediate. The album's title song, an autobiographical account of life on the road written and sung by Brewer, was released in advance of the album and became a gold-selling number one hit, Grand Funk's first really successful single. Despite the band's previous popularity, for many, it must have been the first Grand Funk record they either heard or bought. Elsewhere on the album, Farner contributed his usual wailing vocals and guitar, singing of his heartfelt, if simpleminded, political concerns. But We're an American Band really belonged to Brewer and Rundgren, and its success constituted a redefinition of Grand Funk that came just in time. by William Ruhlmann  
Tracklist:
1 We're An American Band 3:25
Written-By – Don Brewer
2 Stop Lookin' Back 4:51
Written-By – Don Brewer, Mark Farner
3 Creepin' 7:01
Written-By – Mark Farner
4 Black Licorice 4:43
Written-By – Don Brewer, Mark Farner
5 The Railroad 6:07
Written-By – Mark Farner
6 Ain't Got Nobody 4:19
Written-By – Don Brewer, Mark Farner
7 Walk Like A Man 4:03
Written-By – Don Brewer, Mark Farner
8 Loneliest Rider 5:19
Written-By – Mark Farner
Credits:
Bass – Mel Schacher
Organ, Synthesizer [Moog], Electric Piano, Clavinet – Craig Frost
Vocals, Drums, Percussion – Don Brewer
Vocals, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Congas, Electric Piano – Mark Farner

CARAVAN - Caravan (1968-2002) SHM-CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

For their first album, Caravan was surprisingly strong. While steeped in the same British psychedelia that informed bands such as Love Children, Pink Floyd, and Tomorrow, Caravan relates a freedom of spirit and mischief along the lines of Giles, Giles & Fripp or Gong. The band's roots can be traced to a British blue-eyed soul combo called the Wilde Flowers. Among the luminaries to have passed through this Caravan precursor were Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, and Hugh Hopper and Brian Hopper (pre-Soft Machine, naturally). By the spring of 1968, Caravan had settled nicely into a quartet consisting of Pye Hastings (guitar/bass/vocals), Richard Coughlan (drums), David Sinclair (organ/vocals), and Richard Sinclair (bass/guitar/vocals). Inspired by the notoriety and acclaim that Soft Machine encountered during the burgeoning days of London's underground scene, Caravan began a residency at the Middle Earth club. Additionally, the band was shopping a homemade demo tape around to local record companies. Before long, entrepreneur Tony Cox worked out a deal for them to record on the newly founded U.K. division of the Verve label. Caravan's self-titled debut is equally as inventive and infinitely more subtle than the Soft Machine's Volume One or Pink Floyd's Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Two of the album's best tunes -- the ethereal "Place of My Own" was backed with the dreamlike "Magic Man" -- were issued as the band's first single. Those tracks accurately exemplify the subtle complexities that Caravan would hone to great effect on later recordings. The same can also be said for album cuts such as "Love Song With Flute" and the extended nine-minute "Where but for Caravan Would I?" The latter title aptly exemplifies Caravan's decidedly less than turgid attitude toward themselves -- a refreshing contrast from the temperamental and serious Art School approach adopted by Pink Floyd and the Moody Blues. The mono and stereo mixes of the long-player are striking in their disparities. The stereo mix is at times opaque and virtually swallows the vocals most specifically on the tracks "Policeman" and "Grandma's Lawn." Otherwise, there are numerous additional nuances that discern the two. The single version of "Hello Hello" is also included as a bonus. This track was the follow-up 45 to "Place of My Own" and would appear in a slightly different form on their next LP, If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You. Potential consumers should note that the sound quality on this package is indescribably better than the HTD Records 1996 CD pressing.  by Lindsay Planer   
Tracklist 
1 Place Of My Own 4:01
2 Ride 3:42
3 Policeman 2:44
4 Love Song With Flute 4:10
Flute – Jimmy Hastings
5 Cecil Rons 4:07
6 Magic Man 4:03
7 Grandma's Lawn 3:25
8 Where But For Caravan Would I? 9:01
Written-By – Brian Hopper
Stereo Album
9 Place of MyOwn 4:02
10 Ride 3:42
11 Policeman 2:44
12 Love Song with Flute 4:10
13 Cecil Rons 4:07
14 Magic Man 4:03
15 Grandma's Lawn 3:25
16 Where but for caravan would I? 9:01
- Bonus Track -
17 Hello Hello (single version) 3:12
Credits
 Drums – Richard Coughlan
Guitar, Bass, Vocals – Pye Hastings, Richard Sinclair
Organ, Piano, Vocals – David Sinclair
Written-By – David Sinclair, Julian Hastings, Richard Coughlan, Richard Sinclair

JEFF BECK - Original Album Classics (2008) 5xCD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The 2008 box set Original Album Classics rounds up Jeff Beck's first five albums after the departure of Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood: Rough & Ready, Blow by Blow, Jeff Beck Group, Wired, Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group Live. Each album is presented as a paper-sleeve mini-LP, making this a handsome, affordable way to get the bulk of Beck's '70s catalog.  by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Rough And Ready (1971)

1 Got The Feeling

Written-By – Jeff Beck

2 Situation

Written-By – Jeff Beck

3 Short Business

Written-By – Jeff Beck

4 Max's Tune

Written-By – M. Middleton

5 I've Been Used

Written-By – Jeff Beck

6 New Ways / Train Train

Written-By – Jeff Beck

7 Jody

Written-By – B. Short, J. Beck

Jeff Beck Group (1972)

1 Ice Cream Cakes

Written-By – J. Beck

2 Glad All Over

Written-By – A. Schroeder, J. Beck, R. Bennett, S. Tepper

3 Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You

Written-By – B. Dylan

4 Sugar Cane

Written-By – J. Beck, S. Cropper

5 I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You

Written-By – B. Holland, N. Ashford, V. Simpson

6 Going Down

Written-By – Don Nix

7 I Got To Have A Song

Written-By – D. Hunter, Lula Hardaway, Paul Riser, S. Wonder

8 Highways

Written-By – J. Beck

9 Definitely Maybe

Written-By – J. Beck

Blow By Blow (1975)

1 You Know What I Mean

2 She's A Woman

3 Constipated Duck

4 Air Blower

5 Scatterbrain

6 Cause We've Ended As Lovers

7 Thelonius

8 Freeway Jam

9 Diamond Dust

Wired (1976)

1 Led Boots

Bass – Wilbur Bascomb

Clavinet – Max Middleton

Drums – Narada Michael Walden

Guitar – Jeff Beck

Synthesizer – Jan Hammer

Written-By – Max Middleton

2 Come Dancing

Bass – Wilbur Bascomb

Clavinet – Max Middleton

Drums – Ed Green*, Narada Michael Walden

Guitar – Jeff Beck

Synthesizer – Jan Hammer

Written-By – Narada Michael Walden

3 Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

Bass – Wilbur Bascomb

Drums – Richard Bailey

Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Max Middleton

Guitar – Jeff Beck

Written-By – Charlie Mingus

4 Head For Backstage Pass

Bass – Wilbur Bascomb

Clavinet – Max Middleton

Drums – Richard Bailey

Guitar – Jeff Beck

Written-By – Andy Clark, Wilbur Bascomb

5 Blue Wind

Drums, Synthesizer – Jan Hammer

Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – Jeff Beck

Written-By – Jan Hammer

6 Sophie

Bass – Wilbur Bascomb

Clavinet, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Max Middleton

Drums – Narada Michael Walden

Guitar – Jeff Beck

Written-By – Narada Michael Walden

7 Play With Me

Bass – Wilbur Bascomb

Clavinet – Max Middleton

Guitar – Jeff Beck

Synthesizer – Jan Hammer

Written-By – Narada Michael Walden

8 Love Is Green

Acoustic Guitar – Jeff Beck

Bass – Wilbur Bascomb

Piano – Narada Michael Walden

Written-By – Narada Michael Walden

Jeff Beck With The Jan Hammer Group Live (1977)

1 Freeway Jam

2 Earth (Still Our Only Home)

Lead Vocals – Jan Hammer

3 She's A Woman

Rhythm Guitar, Harmony Vocals – Fernando Saunders

4 Full Moon Boogie

Lead Vocals – Tony Smith 

5 Darkness / Earth In Search Of A Sun

Synthesizer [String] – Steve Kindler

6 Scatterbrain

7 Blue Wind

Rhythm Guitar – Steve Kindler

Credits:

Bass – Clive Chaman (tracks: CD1, CD2), Fernando Saunders (tracks: CD5), Phil Chen (tracks: CD3)

Drums – Cozy Powell (tracks: CD1, CD2), Tony Smith (tracks: CD5)

Drums, Percussion – Richard Bailey (tracks: CD3)

Guitar [Guitars] – Jeff Beck (tracks: CD2, CD3)

Guitar, Effects [Special] – Jeff Beck (tracks: CD5)

Keyboards – Max Middleton (tracks: CD3)

Piano – Max Middleton (tracks: CD1, CD2)

Synthesizer [Moog, Oberheim, Freeman], Electric Piano, Timbales – Jan Hammer (tracks: CD5)

Violin – Steve Kindler (tracks: CD5)

Vocals – Bobby Tench (tracks: CD1, CD2)

JEFF BECK - Original Album Classics (2010) 5xCD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

There And Back (1980)
1 Star Cycle
Guitar – Jeff Beck
Keyboards, Drums – Jan Hammer
2 Too Much To Lose
Drums – Simon Phillips
Guitar – Jeff Beck
Keyboards – Jan Hammer
3 You Never Know
Drums – Simon Phillips
Guitar – Jeff Beck
Keyboards – Jan Hammer
4 The Pump
Bass – Mo Foster
Drums – Simon Phillips
Guitar – Jeff Beck
Keyboards – Tony Hymas
5 El Becko
Bass – Mo Foster
Drums – Simon Phillips
Guitar – Jeff Beck
Keyboards – Tony Hymas
6 The Golden Road
Bass – Mo Foster
Drums – Simon Phillips
Guitar – Jeff Beck
Keyboards – Tony Hymas
7 Space Boogie
Bass – Mo Foster
Drums – Simon Phillips
Guitar – Jeff Beck
Keyboards – Tony Hymas
8 The Final Peace
Guitar – Jeff Beck
Keyboards – Tony Hymas
Flash (1985)
1 Ambitious
Producer – Nile Rodgers
Vocals – Jimmy Hall
2 Gets Us All In The End
Producer – Arthur Baker
Vocals – Jimmy Hall
3 Escape
Producer – Jeff Beck, Nile Rodgers
Programmed By [Fairlight] – Jan Hammer
4 People Get Ready
Producer – Jeff Beck
Vocals – Rod Stewart
5 Stop, Look And Listen
Producer – Nile Rodgers
Vocals – Jimmy Hall
6 Get Workin'
Producer – Nile Rodgers
Vocals – Jeff Beck
7 Ecstasy
Producer – Arthur Baker
Vocals – Jimmy Hall
8 Night After Night
Producer – Nile Rodgers
Vocals – Jeff Beck
9 You Know, We Know
Producer – Jeff Beck, Tony Hymas
10 Nighthawks
11 Back On The Streets
Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop (1989)
1 Guitar Shop
2 Savoy
3 Behind The Veil
4 Big Block
5 Where Were You
6 Stand On It
7 A Day In The House
8 Two Rivers
9 Sling Shot
Who Else! (1999)
1 What Mama Said
2 Psycho Sam
3 Brush With The Blues
4 Blast From The East
5 Space For The Papa
6 Angel (Footsteps)
7 Thx138
8 Hip-Notica
9 Even Odds
10 Declan
11 Another Place
You Had It Coming (2001)
1 Earthquake
2 Roy's Toy
3 Dirty Mind
4 Rollin' And Tumblin'
5 Nadia
6 Loose Cannon
7 Rosebud
8 Left Hook
9 Blackbird
10 Suspension
Credits:
Backing Vocals – Curtis King (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), David Simms (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), David Spinner (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Frank Simms (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), George Simms (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Jimmy Hall (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Tina B (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11)
Drums, Percussion – Terry Bozzio (tracks: 3-1 to 3-9)
Guitar – Jeff Beck
Keyboards, Synthesizer – Tony Hymas (tracks: 3-1 to 3-9)
Musician – Arthur Baker (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Barry De Souza (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Carmine Appice (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Curly Smith (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Doug Wimbish (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Duane Hitchings (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Jan Hammer (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Jay Burnett (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Jimmy Bralower (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Nile Rodgers (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Richard Scher (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Rob Sabino (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Tony Hymas (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11)

TOMMY BOLIN - The Ultimate ... (1989) 2CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Thomas Richard "Tommy" Bolin (August 1, 1951 – December 4, 1976) was an American-born guitarist who played with Zephyr (from 1969 to 1971), The James Gang (from 1973 through 1974), and Deep Purple (from 1975 to 1976); in addition to maintaining a notable solo career.

Although guitarist Tommy Bolin died well before his time, he left a wide variety of scattered recordings behind (as both a session musician and permanent member of several rock bands). One of the more versatile guitarists of all-time, Bolin touched upon many different styles - blues rock, heavy metal, jazz fusion, and serene ballads, which are all on display on 1989's 2-CD boxset, The Ultimate. In addition to the music, the set comes with a large, gorgeous booklet chock full of pictures, plus a very detailed and informative biography. Disc 1 chronicles Bolin's early years, and while it contains several standouts (the amazing instrumental "Quadrant 4" with Billy Cobham, The James Gang's "Alexis" and "Standing In the Rain," etc.), the selections by his first band, Zephyr, and as a hired hand with a Zep-clone band called Moxy, have not aged well. Disc 2 proves to be more consistent, including tracks with jazz drummer Alphonse Mouzon ("Golden Rainbows," "Nitrogyclerin"), as part of Deep Purple's final '70s line-up ("Gettin' Tighter," "Owed to G"), and as a solo artist ("Dreamer," "Teaser," "Sweet Burgundy," "Shake the Devil," etc.). Although the set was out-of-print by the late-90's, 'The Ultimate' serves as a solid introduction to the talents of the great Tommy Bolin. wiki

Tracklist 1:

1. Zephyr : Sail On

2. Zephyr : Cross the River

3. Zephyr : See My People Come Together

4. Zephyr : Showbizzy

5. James Gang : Alexis

6. James Gang : Standing in the Rain

7. James Gang : Spanish Lover

8. James Gang : Do It

9. Billy  Cobham : Quadrant 4

10. Moxy : Train

11. Moxy : Time to Move On

Tracklist 2:

1. Alphonse Mouzon : Golden Rainbows

2. Alphonse Mouzon : Nitroglycerin

3. Deep Purple : Gettin' Tighter

4. Deep Purple : Owed to 'G'

5. Deep Purple : You Keep On Moving

6. Deep Purple : Wild Dogs

7. Tommy Bolin : Dreamer

8. Tommy Bolin : People, People

9. Tommy Bolin : Teaser

10. Tommy Bolin : Sweet Burgundy

11. Tommy Bolin : Shake the Devil

12. Tommy Bolin : Brother, Brother.

THE DOORS - Legacy : The Absolute Best (1983-2003) 2CD / RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Truth be told, most casual Doors fans only need a well-assembled single-disc collection, containing all the hits and radio staples. Since that doesn't exist -- Rhino's 2001 collection The Very Best of the Doors missed too many key songs to suit the bill -- they'll have to settle for the comprehensive 2003 Rhino compilation Legacy: The Absolute Best, a double-disc set that replaces the previous double-disc Doors comp, the 1985 set The Best of the Doors. That collection contained 19 tracks, the number of songs that are on the first disc of this exhaustive 34-track overview. Every one of the tunes from The Best of the Doors is on Legacy, but not in the same order, since the songs on this compilation are put in roughly chronological order. Legacy also tries to give equal weight to each of the Doors albums, pulling anywhere from four to eight tracks from all the studio albums, adding "Gloria" from Alive, She Cried and a previously unissued "Celebration of the Lizard" to the end of the record. This winds up giving a thorough overview of the band's peak, whether it's on the familiar hits or on strong album cuts like "My Eyes Have Seen You" or "The Changeling." There are a couple of omissions -- most notably "Love Street" and "Summer's Almost Gone" from Waiting for the Sun and also "Ship of Fools" and "Land Ho!" from Morrison Hotel -- but overall, this draws as complete a picture as possible. It still may be a little bit much for those who just want the hits (they're all here, plus a whole lot more), but there's little question that Legacy is the best Doors compilation yet assembled. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tracklist 1:
1 Break On Through (To The Other Side) 2:29
2 Back Door Man 3:34
3 Light My Fire 7:08
4 Twentieth Century Fox 2:33
5 The Crystal Ship 2:34
6 Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) 3:19
7 Soul Kitchen 3:35
8 The End 11:46
9 Love Me Two Times 3:16
10 People Are Strange 2:12
11 When The Music's Over 11:02
12 My Eyes Have Seen You 2:29
13 Moonlight Drive 3:04
14 Strange Days 3:09
15 Hello, I Love You 2:16
16 The Unknown Soldier 3:25
17 Spanish Caravan 3:01
18 Five To One 4:27
19 Not To Touch The Earth 3:54
Tracklist 2:
1 Touch Me 3:12
2 Wild Child 2:38
3 Tell All The People 3:21
4 Wishful Sinful 2:58
5 Roadhouse Blues 4:04
6 Waiting For The Sun 4:00
7 You Make Me Real 2:53
8 Peace Frog 2:58
9 Love Her Madly 3:18
10 L.A. Woman 7:51
11 Riders On The Storm 7:10
12 The Wasp (Texas Radio And The Big Beat) 4:15
13 The Changeling 4:21
14 Gloria 6:18
15 Celebration Of The Lizard 17:01
Notas
Original album sources:
Tracks 1.01 to 1.08: from The Doors
Tracks 1.09 to 1.14: from Strange Days
Tracks 1.15 to 1.19: from Waiting For The Sun
Tracks 2.01 to 2.04: from The Soft Parade
Tracks 2.05 to 2.08: from Morrison Hotel
Tracks 2.09 to 2.13: from L.A. Woman
Track 2.14: from Alive, She Cried
Track 2.15: previously unissued

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN / CARLOS SANTANA - Love Devotion Surrender (1973) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Love Devotion Surrender is an album released in 1973 by guitarists Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin, with the backing of their respective bands, Santana and The Mahavishnu Orchestra. The album was inspired by the teachings of Sri Chinmoy and intended as a tribute to John Coltrane. It contains two Coltrane compositions, two McLaughlin songs, and a traditional gospel song arranged by Santana and McLaughlin. It was certified Gold in 1973. In 2003, Love Devotion Surrender was released on CD with alternative versions as bonus tracks.

Both men were recent disciples of the guru Sri Chinmoy, and the title of the album echoes basic concepts of Chinmoy's philosophy, which focused on "love, devotion and surrender." Sri Chinmoy spoke about the album and the concept of surrender:

 Unfortunately, in the West surrender is misunderstood. We feel that if we surrender to someone, he will then lord it over us....But from the spiritual point of view...when the finite enters in the Infinite, it becomes the Infinite all at once. When a tiny drop enters into the ocean, we cannot trace the drop. It becomes the mighty ocean.

For both men the album came at a transitional moment spiritually and musically: Love Devotion Surrender was a "very public pursuit of their spiritual selves." Carlos Santana was moving from rock toward jazz and fusion, experiencing a "spiritual awakening," while McLaughlin was about to experience the break-up of the Mahavishnu Orchestra after being criticized by other band members. Santana had been a fan of McLaughlin, and McLaughlin had introduced Santana to Sri Chinmoy in 1971, at which time the guru bestowed the name "Devadip" on him, and the two had started playing and recording together in 1972. According to his biographer Marc Shapiro, Santana had much to learn from McLaughlin: "He would sit for hours, enthralled at the new ways to play that McLaughlin was teaching him," and his new spirituality had its effect on the music: "the feeling was that Carlos's newfound faith was present in every groove.

A hopelessly misunderstood record in its time by Santana fans -- they were still reeling from the radical direction shift toward jazz on Caravanserai and praying it was an aberration -- it was greeted by Santana devotees with hostility, contrasted with kindness from major-league critics like Robert Palmer. To hear this recording in the context of not only Carlos Santana's development as a guitarist, but as the logical extension of the music of John Coltrane and Miles Davis influencing rock musicians -- McLaughlin, of course, was a former Davis sideman -- this extension makes perfect sense in the post-Sonic Youth, post-rock era. With the exception of Coltrane's "Naima" and McLaughlin's "Meditation," this album consists of merely three extended guitar jams played on the spiritual ecstasy tip -- both men were devotees of guru Shri Chinmoy at the time. The assembled band included members of Santana's band and the Mahavishnu Orchestra in Michael Shrieve, Billy Cobham, Doug Rauch, Armando Peraza, Jan Hammer (playing drums!), and Don Alias. But it is the presence of the revolutionary jazz organist Larry Young -- a colleague of McLaughlin's in Tony Williams' Lifetime band -- that makes the entire project gel. He stands as the great communicator harmonically between the two very different guitarists whose ideas contrasted enough to complement one another in the context of Young's aggressive approach to keep the entire proceeding in the air. In the acknowledgement section of Coltrane's "A Love Supreme," which opens the album, Young creates a channel between Santana's riotous, transcendent, melodic runs and McLaughlin's rapid-fire machine-gun riffing. Young' double-handed striated chord voicings offered enough for both men to chew on, leaving free-ranging territory for percussive effects to drive the tracks from underneath. Check "Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord," which was musically inspired by Bobby Womack's "Breezing" and dynamically foreshadowed by Pharoah Sanders' read of it, or the insanely knotty yet intervallically transcendent "The Life Divine," for the manner in which Young's organ actually speaks both languages simultaneously. Young is the person who makes the room for the deep spirituality inherent in these sessions to be grasped for what it is: the interplay of two men who were not merely paying tribute to Coltrane, but trying to take his ideas about going beyond the realm of Western music to communicate with the language of the heart as it united with the cosmos. After three decades, Love Devotion Surrender still sounds completely radical and stunningly, movingly beautiful.

Quick! Name an album on which John McLaughlin plays piano and Jan Hammer plays drums. Give up? The answer: the much loved but often maligned 1973 collaboration between Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin, Love, Devotion and Surrender. (At this time John was still MAHAVISHNU and Carlos was not quite yet DEVADIP.) Now if anyone out there in musicland can determine on which cuts John McLaughlin played the piano and Hammer played the drums - you win a prize! 

In 1973, Carlos Santana had become mesmerized by the music of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. His interest became so strong that he literally followed the band on tour across America. He and McLaughlin became friendly. One night John McLaughlin had a dream that the two should record an album together. He took that dream to Clive Davis, the head of Columbia Records, and Love, Devotion and Surrender was born.

LDS delivers some of the hottest playing you are ever going to hear. John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana play their respective butts off, especially on the inspirational "Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord". The rapid-fire machine gun bursts and call and responses make for an electric guitar Nirvana. Other musicians assembled for the recording included Santana compatriots Armando Peraza, Don Alias, Doug Rauch and Mike Shrieve. John McLaughlin brought along Jan Hammer, Billy Cobham and the legendary organist Larry Young. Imagine a Latin Mahavishnu Orchestra! 

At the time of this recording’s release, the patience and reverence afforded gurus was waning. This could help explain the relatively poor sales of Love, Devotion and Surrender relative to expectations. After all a smiling Sri Chinmoy, in all of his splendid grandeur, was pictured on the album cover. It may also help explain the many negative reviews. In hindsight, you will probably find that most of these reviews came from Santana fans that just couldn’t figure out what was going on with their hero. 

Despite all outward appearances, the fact of the matter was that this album pointed much more in the direction of John Coltrane than it did any guru or religious movement. Santana is, like McLaughlin, a devoted Coltrane admirer. McLaughlin and Santana even make the effort of trying to pull off “A Love Supreme,” and it works very well. (Even the vocals are effective). An acoustic treatment of “Naima” does the master proud, too. The other players are strong on all tunes. Cobham, in particular, is a powerhouse. 

In recent years, Love, Devotion and Surrender has begun receiving the praise it so richly deserves. (Bill Laswell has even released a well-received remix.) LDS remains a milestone in the history of fusion music. We can only hope that McLaughlin and Santana will find an opportunity to record together again soon, something both men have hinted at.

Tracklist:

1. A Love Supreme (7:48)

2. Naima (3:09)

3. The Life Devine (9:30)

4. Let's Go Into The House of the Lord (15:45)

5. Meditation (2:45)

Total time - 38:57

Line-up / Musicians

- Carlos Santana / guitars, vocals

- John McLaughlin / Guitar, piano

- Larry Young / organ

- Doug Rauch / bass

- Billy Cobham / drums

- Don Alias / drums

- Jan Hammer / drums

- Mike Shrieve / drums

- Armando Peraza / Congas, Bongos

ANDERSON / STOLT - Invention of Knowledge (2016) Mp3

In 2014, former Yes vocalist Jon Anderson and Flower Kings/Transatlantic guitarist Roine Stolt began a musical dialogue initiated by Inside Out Music boss Thomas Waber. Invention of Knowledge is their result. Co-produced by the artists, it features a prog dream team: Stolt's brother Michael and Jonas Reingold on basses, keyboardists Lalle Larsson and Tom Brislin, drummer Felix Lehrmann, and a five-voice chorus that includes Daniel Gildenlöw. Waber wanted them to extend the range of "Yes music." That happens, but there's way more to it. Anderson can still create in the mold of his former band, but he also brings his solo experience that explored a vast range of musical traditions. Stolt was deeply influenced by Yes, but he's a rugged individualist. His composing, playing, and modern production ideas are informed by jazz, fusion, electronic, rock, and world musics. He refracts everything through a third-wave prog prism.
The set commences with the "Invention" suite (also comprising "We Are Truth" and "Knowledge"). It is realized through the combination of shimmering folk (English and Swedish), sophisticated pop, jazz fusion, Indian modalism, rockist dynamics, and symphonic strings. Challenging guitar, percussion, and keyboard interplay create a frame for Anderson's contrapuntal vocals. His mytho-poetic lyrics continue to juxtapose physical and metaphysical realms, deep psychology, scientific investigation, and spiritual affirmation. His wide-eyed optimism is undiminished by time (neither is his voice). Second suite "Knowing"/"Chase and Harmony" weaves gorgeous piano and guitar counterpoint into spiraling musical feats. Anderson's melodic invention anchors this engaging mix and encourages flight. Stolt's weave of modern electronic soundscapes, instrumental savvy, and stacked backing vocals adds new colors and textures such as fat R&B horns, stinging bluesy guitar fills, processional percussion, and rhythmic string syncopations. The "Everybody Heals" suite embodies the segments "Better by Far" and "Golden Light." While Stolt's mercurial guitar playing and Reingold's roiling bassline are the instrumental hallmarks throughout, the work's harmonic architecture was erected on a chamber string progression. The interlocking pieces are brightly orchestrated and lushly illustrated with keyboards and choral vocals. Anderson's expressive delivery moves through labyrinthine pop, trad-inspired folk-rock, and elegant jazz, and even touches on Brit soul.
The gorgeous 11-minute closer, "Know," is a stand-alone track. Despite its length and changes in musical direction, it's a beautifully written, nearly hummable song. Its structure employs electric piano, organ, and vibes in jazzy, samba-tinged frames during the first third. Single-line synths (think Rick Wakeman), knotty guitars, and majestic drums append the second and uncover its third-wave prog persona, before a final section carries it out on a breezy wave of Caribbean rhythms and tender singing. On an already emotionally and spiritually affirmative album, this resonant finale is nearly transcendent. Invention of Knowledge displays the individualism of both men. They pursue grandeur, but leave out excess. They add to the depth, dimension, and legacy Yes established, but also make plain that the result is forward-thinking 21st century prog, free of overwrought nostalgia or self-indulgence. by Thom Jurek 

JAMES GANG - Yer' Album (1969-2010) RM / SHM-CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The James Gang's debut LP, Yer' Album, was very much a first record and very much a record of its time. The heavy rock scene of the period was given to extensive jamming, and four tracks ran more than six minutes each. The group had written some material, but they were still something of a cover band, and the disc included their extended workouts on Buffalo Springfield's "Bluebird" and the Yardbirds' "Lost Woman," the latter a nine-minute version complete with lengthy guitar, bass, and drum solos. But in addition to the blues rock there were also touches of pop and progressive rock, mostly from Walsh who displayed a nascent sense of melody, not to mention some of the taste for being a cutup that he would display in his solo career. Walsh's "Take a Look Around" must have made an impression on Pete Townshend during the period before the album's release when the James Gang was opening for the Who since Townshend borrowed it for the music he was writing for the abortive Lifehouse follow-up to Tommy. If "Wrapcity (i.e., Rhapsody) in English," a minute-long piano and strings interlude, seems incongruous in retrospect, recall that this was an eclectic era. But the otherwise promising "Fred," which followed, broke down into a pedestrian jazz routine, suggesting that the band was trying to cram too many influences onto one record and sometimes into one song. Nevertheless, they were talented improvisers, as the open-ended album closer, Jerry Ragavoy and Mort Shuman's "Stop," made clear. After ten minutes, Szymczyk faded the track out, but Walsh was still going strong. Yer' Album contained much to suggest that the James Gang, in particular its guitarist, had a great future, even if it was more an album of performances than compositions. by William Ruhlmann  
Tracklist:
1 Tuning Part One (Introduction) 0:39
Written-By – B. DeCoteaux, B. Szymczyk, J. Fox
2 Take A Look Around 6:20
Written-By – Joe Walsh
3 Funk #48 2:47
Written-By – Jim Fox, Joe Walsh, Tom Kriss
4 Bluebird 6:01
Written-By – Stephen Stills
5 Lost Woman 9:06
Written-By – C. Dreja, J. Beck, J. McCarty, K. Relf, P. Samwell-Smith
6 Stone Rap 0:59
Written-By – B. Szymczyk, J. Fox, J. Walsh, T. Kriss
7 Collage 4:03
Written-By – J. Walsh, P. Cullie
8 I Don't Have The Time 2:50
Written-By – Jim Fox, J. Walsh
9 Wrapcity In English 0:57
Written-By – J. Walsh
10 Fred 4:11
Written-By – J. Walsh
11 Stop 12:00
Written-By – J. Ragovoy, Mort Shuman
Credits:
Arranged By – Bill Szymczyk, The James Gang
Arranged By [Strings] – Bert "Super Chart" De Coteaux
Bass – Tom Kriss
Choir – The Dunn Chorus
Drums – Jim Fox
Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals – Joe Walsh

JAMES GANG - Rides Again (1970-2009) RM / SHM-CD / APE (image+.cue), lossless

With their second album Rides Again, the James Gang came into their own. Under the direction of guitarist Joe Walsh, the group -- now featuring bassist Dale Peters -- began incorporating keyboards into their hard rock, which helped open up their musical horizons. For much of the first side of Rides Again, the group tear through a bunch of boogie numbers, most notably the heavy groove of "Funk #49." On the second side, the James Gang departs from their trademark sound, adding keyboard flourishes and elements of country-rock to their hard rock. Walsh's songwriting had improved, giving the band solid support for their stylistic experiments. What ties the two sides of the record together is the strength of the band's musicianship, which burns brightly and powerfully on the hardest rockers, as well as on the sensitive ballads. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist:
1 Funk #49 3:54
Written-By – Peters, Fox, Walsh
2 Asshtonpark 2:04
Written-By – Peters, Fox, Walsh
3 Woman 4:37
Written-By – Peters, Fox, Walsh
The Bomber (Medley) (5:39)
4.1 Closet Queen
Written-By – Peters, Fox, Walsh
4.2 Bolero
Written-By – Ravel
4.3 Cast Your Fate To The Wind
Written-By – Guaraldi
5 Tend My Garden 5:44
Written-By – Joe Walsh
6 Garden Gate 1:36
Written-By – Joe Walsh
7 There I Go Again 2:50
Written-By – Joe Walsh
8 Thanks 2:20
Written-By – Joe Walsh 
9 Ashes The Rain And I 4:56
Written-By – Dale Peters, Joe Walsh

Credits:

Arranged By – The James Gang
Arranged By [Strings] – Jack Nitzsche (tracks: 9)
Bass – Dale "Bugsley" Peters
Drums, Percussion – Jim Fox
Guitar [Six String] – Dale "Bugsley" Peters (tracks: 9)
Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals – Joe Walsh
Pedal Steel Guitar – Rusty Young (tracks: 6)

JAMES GANG - Thirds (1971-1990) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The James Gang Rides Again set the stage for the group's third album to propel them to Top Ten, headliner status, but that didn't happen. The band was on its last legs, rent by dissension as Walsh became the focus of attention, and the appropriately titled Thirds reflected the conflict. Among the nine original songs, four were contributed by Walsh, two each by bass player Dale Peters and drummer Jim Fox, and one was a group composition. But it was Walsh's songs that stood out. His "Walk Away," was the first single, and it climbed into the Top 40 in at least one national chart, the group's only 45 to do that well. "Midnight Man," the follow-up single, was another Walsh tune, and it also made the charts. The Fox and Peters compositions were a step down in quality, particularly Peters'. But the problem wasn't just material, it was also musical approach. James Gang Rides Again had emphasized the band's hard rock sound, which was its strong suit. But they had never given up the idea of themselves as an eclectic unit, and Thirds was their most diverse effort yet, with pedal steel guitar, horn and string charts, and backup vocals by the Sweet Inspirations turning up on one track or another. At a time when Walsh was being hailed as a guitar hero to rank with the best rock had to offer, he was not only submerging himself in a group with inferiors, but also not playing much of the kind of lead guitar his supporters were raving about. As a result, though Thirds quickly earned a respectable chart position and eventually went gold, it was not the commercial breakthrough that might have been expected. by William Ruhlmann 
Tracklist:
1 Walk Away 3:32
Written-By – Walsh
2 Yadig? 2:32
Written-By – Peters, Fox, Walsh
3 Things I Could Be 4:18
Written-By – Fox
4 Dreamin' In The Country 2:58
Written-By – Peters
5 It's All The Same 4:10
Written-By – Walsh
6 Midnight Man 3:27
Written-By – Walsh
7 Again 4:03
Written-By – Walsh
8 White Man / Black Man 5:38
Written-By – Peters
9 Live My Life Again 5:24
Written-By – Fox
Gang – Dale Peters, Jim Fox, Joe Walsh

STEELY DAN - Pretzel Logic (1974-2014) SHM-CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Countdown to Ecstasy wasn't half the hit that Can't Buy a Thrill was, and Steely Dan responded by trimming the lengthy instrumental jams that were scattered across Countdown and concentrating on concise songs for Pretzel Logic. While the shorter songs usually indicate a tendency toward pop conventions, that's not the case with Pretzel Logic. Instead of relying on easy hooks, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen assembled their most complex and cynical set of songs to date. Dense with harmonics, countermelodies, and bop phrasing, Pretzel Logic is vibrant with unpredictable musical juxtapositions and snide, but very funny, wordplay. Listen to how the album's hit single, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," opens with a syncopated piano line that evolves into a graceful pop melody, or how the title track winds from a blues to a jazzy chorus -- Becker and Fagen's craft has become seamless while remaining idiosyncratic and thrillingly accessible. Since the songs are now paramount, it makes sense that Pretzel Logic is less of a band-oriented album than Countdown to Ecstasy, yet it is the richest album in their catalog, one where the backhanded Dylan tribute "Barrytown" can sit comfortably next to the gorgeous "Any Major Dude Will Tell You." Steely Dan made more accomplished albums than Pretzel Logic, but they never made a better one. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tracklist:
1 Rikki Don't Lose That Number 4:30
2 Night By Night 3:36
3 Any Major Dude Will Tell You 3:05
4 Barrytown 3:17
5 East St. Louis Toodle-oo 2:45
Written-By – Bubber Miley, Duke Ellington
6 Parker's Band 2:36
7 Through With Buzz 1:30
8 Pretzel Logic 4:28
9 With A Gun 2:15
10 Charlie Freak 2:41
11 Monkey In Your Soul 2:31
Credits:
Bass – Chuck Rainey, Timothy B. Schmit, Wilton Felder
Bass, Guitar – Walter Becker
Drums – Jeff Porcaro, Jim Gordon, Jim Hodder
Guitar – Ben Benay, Denny Diaz, Jeff Baxter
Guitar, Banjo – Dean Parks
Keyboards – David Paich, Michael Omartian
Keyboards, Percussion – Victor Feldman
Orchestrated By – Jimmie Haskell
Saxophone – Ernie Watts, Jerome Richardson, Plas Johnson
Trumpet – Ollie Mitchell
Vocals, Keyboards – Donald Fagen
Written-By – Fagen, Becker

STEELY DAN - Gaucho (1980-2013) SHM-CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Aja was cool, relaxed, and controlled; it sounded deceptively easy. Its follow-up, Gaucho, while sonically similar, is its polar opposite: a precise and studied record, where all of the seams show. Gaucho essentially replicates the smooth jazz-pop of Aja, but with none of that record's dark, seductive romance or elegant aura. Instead, it's meticulous and exacting; each performance has been rehearsed so many times that it no longer has any emotional resonance. Furthermore, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's songs are generally labored, only occasionally reaching their past heights, like on the suave "Babylon Sisters," "Time Out of Mind," and "Hey Nineteen." Still, those three songs are barely enough to make the remainder of the album's glossy, meandering fusion worthwhile. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist:
1 Babylon Sisters 5:51
Arranged By [Horns] – Rob Mounsey
Backing Vocals [Backup] – Diva Grey, Gordon Grody, Lani Groves, Leslie Miller, Patti Austin, Toni Wine
Bass – Chuck Rainey
Bass Clarinet – George Marge, Walter Kane
Drums – Bernard Purdie
Electric Piano, Clavinet – Don Grolnick
Guitar – Steve Khan
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Tom Scott
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Randy Brecker
2 Hey Nineteen 5:04
Backing Vocals [Backup] – Frank Floyd, Zack Sanders
Bass – Walter Becker
Drums – Rick Marotta
Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Walter Becker
Percussion – Steve Gadd, Victor Feldman
3 Glamour Profession 7:28
Arranged By [Horns] – Tom Scott
Backing Vocals [Backup] – Frank Floyd, Leslie Miller, Valerie Simpson, Zack Sanders
Bass – Anthony Jackson
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
Guitar – Steve Khan
Percussion – Ralph McDonald
Piano – Rob Mounsey
Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker
Tenor Saxophone, Lyricon – Tom Scott
4 Gaucho 5:32
Arranged By [Horns] – Tom Scott
Backing Vocals [Backup] – Leslie Miller, Patti Austin, Valerie Simpson
Bass – Walter Becker
Drums – Jeff Porcaro
Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
Guitar – Steve Khan
Lead Guitar – Walter Becker
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Piano – Rob Mounsey
Tenor Saxophone – Tom Scott
Trumpet – Randy Brecker
5 Time Out Of Mind 4:10
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Arranged By [Horns] – Rob Mounsey
Backing Vocals [Backup] – Leslie Miller, Michael McDonald, Patti Austin, Valerie Simpson
Baritone Saxophone – Ronny Cuber*
Bass – Walter Becker
Drums – Rick Marotta
Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Walter Becker
Lead Guitar – Mark Knopfler
Piano – Rob Mounsey
Tenor Saxophone – Dave Tofani, Michael Brecker
Trumpet – Randy Brecker
6 My Rival 4:30
Arranged By [Horns] – Tom Scott
Backing Vocals [Backup] – Frank Floyd, Valerie Simpson, Zack Sanders
Bass – Anthony Jackson
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Piano – Patrick Rebillot
Flugelhorn – Randy Brecker
Guitar – Hiram Bullock, Rick Derringer
Lead Guitar – Steve Khan
Organ, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
Percussion – Ralph McDonald
Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker
Tenor Saxophone, Lyricon – Tom Scott
Timbales – Nicholas Marrero
Trombone – Wayne Andre
7 Third World Man 5:14
Bass – Chuck Rainey
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Steve Khan
Electric Piano – Joe Sample
Lead Guitar – Larry Carlton
Synthesizer – Rob Mounsey