風街ろまん Happy End

With the exception of Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, Happy Mondays had difficulty expanding their ideas into full albums, which makes the singles compilation Loads all the more useful.

Blancmange's first album, 1982's Happy Families, yielded the minor radio hit "Living on the Ceiling," which also received a good deal of attention from early MTV. Though Happy Families can accurately be described as techno-pop, it's techno-pop with a modicum of taste and sophistication, putting it more in the ballpark of genre pioneers like OMD and Yazoo than of annoying '80s anachronisms like Kajagoogoo or EBN-OZN. Neil Arthur's lyrics are interesting enough to reward close listening, and his Bowie-esque voice, while somewhat limited, serves the material well. The sound of Happy Families is built largely around synthesizers, played by Arthur and partner Stephen Luscombe. The duo have a knack for catchy basslines and drum programming, on top of which they strategically deploy guitars, Eastern instrumentation, and female backing vocals…

Osie Johnson - The Happy Jazz Of Osie Johnson (1955) {2014 Japanese Bethlehem Album Collection 1000}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 143 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 99 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 214 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1955, 2014 Solid Records / Bethlehem | CDSOL-6136 | LP BCP-66
Jazz / Bop / Bebop / Drums

Reissue. Features the latest remastering. Includes a Japanese description, lyrics. Features original cover artwork. Osie Johnson looks a bit blurry on the cover, but the music on the record is razor-sharp – a great demonstration not only of Johnson's skill on the drums, but also his rare talents as a leader! Osie graced countless top-shelf sessions in the 50s, but only got a rare few chances to work up front – and he does a great job here with a shifting lineup that includes Thad Jones on trumpet, Frank Wess on tenor and flute, Henry Coker on trombone, and Ernie Watkins on alto – all players used in differently-sized groups throughout the length of the set. Most tunes have a nice groove – a bounce that might refer to the "happy" in the title – and Johnson also sings at a few points, with this great raspy R&B style. Titles include "Osmosis", "Cat Walk", "Johnson's Whacks", "The Desert Song", "Osie's Oasis", and "Flute To Boot".

Without question, this follow-up to Quicksilver Messenger Service's self-titled debut release is the most accurate in portraying the band on vinyl in the same light as the group's critically and enthusiastically acclaimed live performances. The album is essentially centered around the extended reworkings of Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love?" and "Mona," as well as the lesser lauded - yet no less intense - contribution of Gary Duncan's (guitar/vocals) "Calvary." This album is the last to feature the original quartet incarnation of QMS. The collective efforts of John Cipollina (guitar/vocals), Greg Elmore (percussion), David Freiberg (bass/vocals), and the aforementioned Duncan retain the uncanny ability to perform with a psychedelic looseness of spirit, without becoming boring or in the least bit pretentious…

Paul Roland - Happy Families
EAC/Flac+Log-no Cue | Full Scans 300 dpi | 203 MB
Folk Rock/Prog Rock/Modern Classical | New Rose Records #ROSE 163 CD | 1988

Paul Roland (born 1959 in Kent, England), ‘England’s psych-pop guru’, must surely qualify as unique amongst cult independent recording artists. Not only is his quintessentially English music alive with 19th century literary references and characters that would not be out of place in the pages of writers as Edgar Allan Poe, Peake, Charles Dickens, H.G. Wells or H.P. Lovecraft, but he is also a serious literary figure in his own right. His preoccupation with the supernatural takes an often whimsical slant in his lyrics. The fanciful and macabre subject matter of Roland’s songs and the baroque styled instrumentation he favours are no doubt partly the reason why he has not achieved the popularity of his contemporaries such as Robyn Hitchcock (who called Roland ‘the male Kate Bush’), but his distinctive style has ensured a loyal cult following in Europe if not in England.

Kindo (The Reign Of Kindo) has has become prolific in recent days; writing and producing a brand new song every month since late 2016. Happy However After is Kindo's 4th full-length studio album, featuring 10 new tracks that embody the band's further exploration into their ever changing musical landscape.