juni 19, 2017

The Captain & Tennille - Love Will Keep Us Together (1974) - Lp

Captain & Tennille were American recording artists whose primary success occurred in the 1970s. The husband-and-wife duo were "Captain" Daryl Dragon (born August 27, 1942) and Cathryn Antoinette "Toni" Tennille (born May 8, 1940).

Love Will Keep Us Together is the first release by the duo Captain & Tennille. It was released in 1975 by A&M Records. The album would peak at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart, while the title song, "Love Will Keep Us Together", won the Grammy Award for Record Of The Year and was nominated for Song Of The Year.


Their first hit single, a cover of Neil Sedaka's and Howard Greenfield's "Love Will Keep Us Together", reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart nine weeks after its 1975 debut,

As debut albums go, Captain & Tennille's coming-out party struck the right chord with their audience -- and not just on the charts, although its showing there certainly outdid all expectations.
But there are greater items of interest once you get past the hits, led by the bouncy title track and "The Way I Want to Touch You." Keyboardist Daryl Dragon honed his chops touring with the Beach Boys, whose own emotive choral approach underpins much of this album; no less than four songs here have some connection to the band. Smoldering versions of former Beach Boy Bruce Johnston's "Disney Girls" and "I Write the Songs" stand tallest, with Tennille leading the vocal charge to exceptional effect. There's a haunting, piano-led "Cuddle Up," which Dragon co-wrote with Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson, and a daring revamp of "God Only Knows" which deploys ever-shifting tempos to trip up the listener's expectations (Brian Wilson would surely have approved).

(The other intriguing link is drummer Hal Blaine, who graced numerous classic Beach Boys tracks and appears here as a sideman.) Given so many glittering non-originals, it's understandable how the pair's songwriting gets short-shrifted; "Broddy Bounce" is pure instrumental filler, all right. However, wistful anthems like "Gentle Stranger" and "Honey Come Love Me" are quintessential snapshots of what they did best -- providing a kinder, gentler response to the more cynical fare topping the charts at the time. Where Captain & Tennille wanted to go from here remained uncertain, but they were certainly off to a flying start here.

The cover of the album features a photo of Toni Tennille and Daryl Dragon sitting with two of their bulldogs.

Side A
A1. Love Will Keep Us Together  (3:24)
A2. Disney Girls  (4:45)
A3. The Way I Want To Touch You  (2:46)
A4. Cuddle Up  (3:38)
A5. The Good Songs  (3:18)

Side B
B1. God Only Knows  (3:32)
B2. Honey Come Love Me  (2:57)
B3. Feel Like A Man  (3:14)
B4. Broddy Bounce  (2:32)
B5. Gentle Stramger  (3:45)
B6. I Write The Songs  (3:26)

Personnel
  • Daryl Dragon (The Captain) - keyboards, bass, arrangements, vocals
  • Toni Tennille - piano, vocals
  • Hal Blaine - drums, congas, percussion
  • Michael Price - trumpet
  • Kenneth Yerke - violin, string contractor
  • Jane Tennille, Louisa Tennille, Melissa Tennille, Toni Tennille - background vocals
  • Dennis Dragon - drums on "Disney Girls", timpani on "God Only Knows"
  • Ed Greene - drums on "The Way I Want to Touch You"
Notes
Release: 1974
Genre: Pop, adult contemporary
Label: A&M Records
Catalog# SP-3405
Prijs: € 10,00

Vinyl: Goed
Cover: Goed

http://www.ad-vinylrecords.com/product/captain-tennille-the-love-will-keep-us-together-lp/

juni 16, 2017

The London Symphony Orchestra - Classic Rock (1977) - 2Lp

The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), founded in 1904, is the oldest of London's symphony orchestras.
It was set up by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's Hall Orchestra because of a new rule requiring players to give the orchestra their exclusive services.
The LSO itself later introduced a similar rule for its members. From the outset, the LSO was organised on co-operative lines, with all players sharing the profits at the end of each season.
This practice continued for the orchestra's first four decades.


The LSO underwent periods of eclipse in the 1930s and 1950s when it was regarded as inferior in quality to new London orchestras, to which it lost players and bookings: the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic in the 1930s and the Philharmonia and Royal Philharmonic after the Second World War. The profit-sharing principle was abandoned in the post-war era as a condition of receiving public subsidy for the first time.
 In the 1950s the orchestra debated whether to concentrate on film work at the expense of symphony concerts; many senior players left when the majority of players rejected the idea. By the 1960s the LSO had recovered its leading position, which it has retained subsequently.
In 1966, to perform alongside it in choral works, the orchestra established the LSO Chorus, originally a mix of professional and amateur singers, later a wholly amateur ensemble.

This album is THE ONE , the original recording of the best classic rock album of all time at the time the LSO were practising well these songs . Album release 1977....
The record is timeless and it's one I have kept in my collection, and it still gets a play every now and then.
I agree with the other reviewer that the 5 tracks on what was side 1 are all brilliant. Side 2 doesn't quite match the standards, although the take on 'Without you' is really moving.
There are, what I consider a few spine tingling moments to note. The choir entry on 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in the middle just prior to singing "anyway the wind blows", the soothing strings and organ solo on 'Whiter shade of pale' and the massed choir singing at the climax of 'Paint it black' (a song whose original I had not heard prior to 'Classic Rock' amazingly).
The intro of 'Whole lotta love' is also inspirational.

Side A
A1. Bohemian Rhapsody – 6:20
A2. Life On Mars – 4:17
A3. Whiter Shade Of Pale – 3:47
A4. Whole Lotta Love – 4:19
A5. Paint It Black – 5:25

Side B
B1. Nights In White Satin – 4:47
B2. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds – 6:05
B3. Without You – 3:52
B4. I’m Not In Love – 7:26
B5. Sailing – 4:52

Side C
C1. Pinball Wizard – 5:53
C2. Hey Joe – 4:26
C3. A Day In The Life – 4:38
C4. Question – 5:17

Side D
D1. Space Oddity – 5:37
D2. God Only Knows – 5:43
D3. River Deep Mountain High – 3:16
D4. American Trilogy – 4:32

Companies, etc.
Credits
Notes
Release: 1977
Genre: Rock Classical
Format: 2LP
Label: K-Tel Records
Catalog# TN 1431
Prijs: € 11,95

Vinyl: Goed
Cover: Goed

http://www.ad-vinylrecords.com/product/london-symphony-orchestra-the-classic-rock-2lp/

juni 13, 2017

Bionic Boogie - Bionic Boogie (1977) - Lp

Gregg Diamond (May 4, 1949 – March 14, 1999) was an American pianist, drummer, songwriter, and producer who was active in the jazz and disco music scenes of the 1970s.
Diamond wrote the song "Hot Butterfly," which was released in 1978 under one of his group's names, Bionic Boogie, with Luther Vandross providing lead vocals.
Bionic Boogie were a studio disco outfit produced by disco magician Gregg Diamond. For Bionic Boogie's first incredible disco album, he wrote songs like "Mumbo jumbo" and "Dance little dreamer", although the highlight of this album is "Risky changes".
The song was later covered by David Lasley, The Sweet Inspirations, and Chaka Khan. His other popular songs included "Risky Changes" (released by Bionic Boogie in 1977), "Dance Little Dreamer" (released by Bionic Boogie in 1977).

When you think of the 1970’s what do you think about? Superfly? Shaft? Saturday Night Fever? Over the top cheesy commercial disco? Studio 54? Anyway, I can go on and on with 70’s inspired guesses and we could be at this all day. But both you and I don’t want that. Bionic Boogie’s 1977 self titled release on Polydor seemed to embody all things disco while walking that thin line between cheesy commercial disco and real legit disco.
The driving bass lines, simple boom/clap of the drum kit and the glittzy, glittery chimes and aural strings point this album straight to the cheesy disco category around that time. However, the superb funk breaks, horn solos, and staccato strings point this right back to the real disco and will dance right into your boogie filled heart. This album packs a lot of names in the credits. The group credits consist of an almost 30 piece band including drummer Allan Schwartzberg.
Does that name sound familiar? Well, it should be you’ve heard him drum all over the 70’s on albums by Deodato, Gloria Gaynor, Carl Douglas, and even jammed with the Godfather himself, James Brown. All the tracks on this album are notable and definitely help define the last days of disco in the 70’s. However, if you were to ask me my favorite tracks I’d have to go with “Boogie Boo,” for the driving head noddin’, foot shufflin’ groove.

Side A
A1. Dance Little Dreamer – 3:40
A2. Risky Changes – 6:19
A3. Don’t Lose That Number (Mumbo Jumbo) – 4:50
A4. Boogie Boo – 5:16

Side B
B1. We Must Believe In Magic – 4:56
B2. Stop The Music – 4:53
B3. Feel Like Dancing – 3:55
B4. Big West – 4:50

Companies, etc.
Credits
Notes
℗ © 1977 Polydor Incorporated 
Printed in Holland
Produced and Engineered for Diamond Touch Productions Ltd.
Diamond Touch Publishing Ltd.
Genre: Funk, Soul, Disco
Format: LP
Label: Polydor Records
Catalog# 2391322
Prijs: € 6,95

Vinyl: Goed
Cover: Goed

juni 10, 2017

Kenny Bee - 情變 (Love Lost) (1986) - Lp

Chung Chun-to (born 23 February 1953), known by his stage name Kenny Bee, is a Hong Kong singer, songwriter, and actor.
He is well known as a member of the pop group the Wynners, and as a solo artist who has been active in the Hong Kong entertainment industry for nearly three decades.

Bee made his break into the Hong Kong entertainment industry in 1973 as a member of the popular 1970s band, the Wynners, sharing vocal duties with Alan Tam.
Before joining the Wynners, he was a vocalist and saxophonist on the Hong Kong nightclub circuit, and briefly fronted a band called the Sergeant Majors.

Alongside acting, Bee develops his career as a solo singer-songwriter and has released over fifty studio and compilation albums, in Cantonese, Mandarin and English, to date.
Known for a distinct, husky voice, the singer penned most of his own hits and plays multiple instruments. In the early days he was often seen on stage with keyboards or a saxophone. In recent performances he usually accompanies himself with a guitar.

The 1980s marked the peak of Bee's popularity with the Hong Kong audience so far, and released his cantonese album " 情變 (Love Lost) (1986).


Side A
A1 香腸蚊帳機關槍   (Machine Gun) (3:27)
A2 情變   (Love Lost) (3:56)
A3 永遠愛下去  (Forever In Love) (3:39)
A4 原諒我   (Forgive Me) (3:19)
A5 長跑者   (Runners) (3:07)

Side B
B1 情人的慌話  (Lovers Lie) (4:10)
B2 默然   (Silence) (3:51)
B3 戀愛木偶   (Love Doll) (2:46)
B4 害怕    (Afraid Of) (4:18)
B5 編織美夢  (Weaving Dreams) (2:44)

Notes
Release: 1986
Genre: Cantonese, Pop
Label: Polydor Records
Catalog# 829270-1
Prijs: 10,00

Vinyl: Goed
Hoes: Goed

http://www.ad-vinylrecords.com/product/bee-kenny-love-lost-lp/