The Pornographer Der Pornograph (2001) [re Up]

The late '90s saw the first widespread interest in North America regarding various Asian psych scenes from the 1960s and beyond, with broad-ranging compilations soon being supplanted by even more specialized efforts. 2001's Hava Narghile, the first in a proposed series, looks specifically at Turkey's homegrown rock efforts from 1966 to 1975…

There's something fun and catchy about Michael Messer's eclectic album, King Guitar. Although the guitar featured on the cover is a vintage acoustic model, the music runs the gauntlet between down-and-dirty electric blues and quiet Delta slide. In a way, this mixture is sort of like an early Fleetwood Mac, with Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer bringing different blues styles together in one group. Messer, however, accomplishes all of this by himself. His acoustic slide guitar is the epitome of taste on the lovely "Crow Blues" and the happy, upbeat "Steel Guitar Blues." His playing style seems centered on laying down what works best for a particular song as opposed to showing off…….

"Give and Take" was recorded without Daevid Allen, who had fallen ill after the release of Planet Gong's LP Live Floating Anarchy in 1978. The remaining members released it under their former name, Here & Now. Honestly, it makes no difference. If you don't look at the name on the CD and put it on, you could be tricked to believe it is a genuine early Gong album. Every element that constitutes the seminal space rock outfit's sound is reproduced to perfection: soaring guitar (courtesy of Steffy Sharpstrings, who would be drafted for the 1990s Gong reunion), sweeping synthesizers, psychedelic melodies, accelerating beats, and hypnotic pulses - they're all there…

This guy is 53 ? Unbelievable. With a smile a yard wide and moves that could make Shakira blush, Little Rock product Billy Jones seems 20 years younger onstage. It's been said of many artists, but it fits Jones' music to a tee: This ain't your grandpa's blues….

Alex Terry, an Australian who plays the blues as if he grew up in Chicago, presents his first studio CD: Goin' Down Slow. Together with his band, Alex sings and plays that Mississippi saxophone (blues harmonica, that is) on a number of blues classics, all performed with taste, raw power, and that magic touch of Chicago smoke! Check out "Up the Line" and "Caledonia" for a feel for what Alex and his rockin' band are up to with the blues.

Stone Cold Queen: A Tribute features a number of hard rock performers covering some of Queen's best-known songs. Many of the featured performers are industry veterans: Billy Sheehan, Matt Sorum, Marty Friedman, Geoff Tate, Gunnar Nelson, Jake E. Lee, Richie Kotzen, Vinny Appice, Kip Winger, Carmine Appice, Tommy Shaw, Dweezil Zappa, and Bruce Kulick are just a few of the featured performers…