NITZINGER - Nitzinger (1972-2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Not a Krautrock band, as the name and release date might suggest, Nitzinger's self-titled debut album from 1971 was in fact the work of a budding Texan guitar cult legend -- the one and only John Nitzinger -- and his namesake power trio, whose music consisted of eclectic but still blues-drenched Southern hard rock and post-psych. The results include ZZ Top-style boogie and blues-rock ("Boogie Queen"), pre-Ted Nugent Gonzo guitar heroisms ("Witness to the Truth"), both of these at once ("Tickelick"), or neither, when it comes to the anthemic Southern rock of "My Last Goodbye," and semi-hit single "Louisiana Cock Fight." In addition, several cuts ("No Sun," "The Nature of Your Taste," etc.) see the trio augmented by soulful backup singers for a Mad Dogs & Englishmen sort of vibe, while others still see the versatile trio flirting with country-rock ("L.A. Texas Boy ") and plaintive balladry (the piano-enhanced "Enigma"). Yet the album's most intriguing/unique quality may be how the deceptively simple, universal, off the cuff material described above features obvious, if nuanced, sophistication, and is offset by lyrically weighty, post-flower power fare as seen in the aforementioned "No Sun" and "Hero of the War." And the fact that even these would-be progressive tendencies are kept to concise song lengths is what probably spared this album from utterly fatal dating; by extension, further separating Nitzinger's raised-on-the-jukebox-singles wheat, from the era's dominant music-conservatory-on-mushrooms chaff. Originally presented in a deluxe gatefold sleeve, it's not surprising that the Nitzinger LP has long been coveted by '70s rock collectors for the band's one-of-a-kind mixture of earthy grit and fearless (possibly naïve) flights of fancy. by Eduardo Rivadavia  
Tracklist :
1     L.A. Texas Boy 2:26
John Nitzinger
2     Ticklelick 2:42
John Nitzinger
3     No Sun 3:39
John Nitzinger
4     Louisiana Cock Fight 3:34
John Nitzinger
5     Boogie Queen 4:48
John Nitzinger
6     Witness to the Truth 3:25
John Nitzinger
7     The Nature of Your Taste 2:25
John Nitzinger
8     My Last Goodbye 3:44
John Nitzinger
9     Enigma 4:12
John Nitzinger
10     Hero of the War 3:25
John Nitzinger
Credits :
Bass, Vocals – Curly Benton
Composed By, Lead Guitar, Vocals – John Nitzinger
Lead Guitar – Bugs Henderson
Musical Assistance – Janey Fricke, Whitey Thomas
Percussion [Percussion Section], Vocals – Linda Waring

NITZINGER - One Foot In History (1973-1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Aside from jettisoning some increasingly archaic psychedelic tendencies (and welcoming second guitarist Bugs Henderson to the fold), Nitzinger's rather arrogantly named sophomore outing, One Foot in History, pretty much picked up right where the Texan band's critically lauded first album had left off. Which is to say that it too boasted an eclectic batch of songs whose only common denominator was orbiting Planet Southern Rock in some capacity, at a time when the genre was approaching its summer solstice, thanks to the tenacity of its star-crossed founding fathers, the Allman Brothers Band, and their fast-rising heirs apparent, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Among Nitzinger's novel stylistic diversions on One Foot in History were the mellifluous saxophone and orchestrated string backdrops added to the title track and the imperial, Cream-like "Uncle John"; the full-blown jazz breakdown anchoring the Allmans-esque "Motherload"; and, on a negative note, the misplaced, easy listening schmaltz of "Driftwood." Yet heavy Southern rockers were also available in droves, with clear standouts including the barroom brawler "The Cripple Gnat Bounce" (whatever that means!); the driving "Let the Living Grow" (clearly inspired by Humble Pie's barnburning cover of "I Don't Need No Doctor"); and the all-time classic "Earth Eater," which contrasted a pummeling main riff against an amazing melodic hook, the likes of which seems to have cropped up in many an Aerosmith song over the ensuing years. In fact, were it not for the aforementioned "Driftwood" and a pair of rather average rockers in "Take a Picture" and "God Bless the Pervert" (hmmm...funny, but no "Louisiana Cockfight," that one), One Foot in History might have turned out as impressive and enduring as its predecessor. In the end, it was close enough to give no indication of the troubles that lay ahead, as bandleader John Nitzinger became embroiled with too many distractions and made fans wait almost four years for another Nitzinger LP. [New millennium reissues of One Foot in History were enhanced with a pair of bonus tracks: the funky album outtake "Power Glide" and a hair-raising, nine-minute live jam on "Texas Blues, Jelly Roll."] by Eduardo Rivadavia  
Tracklist :
1     Take a Picture 3:17
John Nitzinger
2     Motherlode 3:47
John Nitzinger
3     God Bless the Pervert 3:20
John Nitzinger
4     Earth Eater 2:55
John Nitzinger
5     Driftwood 3:53
John Nitzinger
6     Let the Living Grow 3:13
John Nitzinger
7     Cripple Gnat Bounce 2:51
John Nitzinger
8     One Foot in History 4:12
John Nitzinger
9     Uncle John 5:12
John Nitzinger
Credits :
Arranged By [Orchestral Arrangements] – Dale Oehler
Bass – Curly Benton
Lead Guitar – Bugs Henderson
Lead Guitar, Celesta, Piano, Vocals – John Nitzinger
Percussion – Linda Waring