Passenger - Better Man / Sally Ann. 1977 USA-Tennessee

Here's another great find! The a) side is a total ripper, with a heavy guitar/synth riff and some mean organ. Sounds like a heavy version of Styx (think James Young). The flip side is more of a romantic ballad. Maybe think Dennis DeYoung here. Some definite Styx vibes. Maybe a little Elton John on the b) side too. But it's the first song that you're after here.

The label is mostly known for country music, so this is a real outlier in their catalog.

Ownership: SP: 1977 Prairie Dust. Online acquisition (2022).

4.5 / 3.0

2/5/22

Night Watch - Babey Blues / Battle Cries. 1984 USA

Another great discovery, the b) side has an intriguing prog meets neo classical metal sound. So it turns out to be from 1984 right at the advent of the neo prog movement, with traces of hard rock and metal. Sure would love to hear a whole album of this! The a) side is completely different and is blues rock, old school style. But... and it's a big one... it features a killer psych solo! What an interesting find. The photo on RYM has WKNH, which is a station in Keene, New Hampshire. Maybe they were from the region?

Ownership: SP: 1984 T.H.X. Online acquisition (2022)

2/5/22 

Happy - When and How / Letting Easy Take Me. 1974 USA-Virginia

The a) side is a complete stunner. Starts off beautiful enough with acoustic guitar and keys, which leads to a goose bump inducing mellotron strings chord progression. This track is absolutely loaded with mellotron strings, and is particularly gorgeous when the guitarist plays an equally beautiful lightly amplified jazzy solo on top. What an absolute monster of a track, the pinnacle of psychedelic folk. The flip is completely different and is southern rock, though despite the jarring contrast, is pretty good actually. There's some unusual drumming up front, and the latter half has the guitarist back out front with another great solo! Love his style, expressive but subdued.

Ownership: SP: 1974 Studio 1. Online acquisition (2022). Since I added this to Discogs, it's really taken off.

5.0 / 3.5

2/5/22