Lion
Productions is an independently owned label and wholesale distribution
company started in 2001. Our own Lion Productions label concentrates
on creating respectful re-releases of music first recorded during
the "psychedelic era" (1965-1973); as a distributor,
we offer similar reissues made by other labels from locations
all across the globe.
If it is not a contradiction to say so, we carry a wide range
of music within the boundaries of our chosen musical niche.
As the definition of what is "psychedelic" alters
and expands, we find that we can stock whatever happens to catch
our ears and eyes—music that tends to fall between the
cracks at other, larger companies. While Lion Productions does
stock a wide range of music, we are proud of our selectivity.
We are a small company, and excel in customer service and ease
of use for both customers and vendors alike.
We sell to independent music stores throughout the United States,
and to small, independently owned distributors all over the
world. We export to many countries, including Canada, Mexico,
England, Benelux, Spain, Greece, Brazil, Japan, and Korea.
LION PRODUCTIONS
STONE
HARBOUR “Emerges” (1974) plus bonus tracks
“Extraordinary basement psych with two multi-instrumentalists
creating a melancholic dreamlike state with songs fading in
and out of the speakers, cavemen drums, primitive electronics
and murky fuzz lurking in the background. The best tracks go
into places no other albums reach. Actually closer to the heart
of psychedelia than most other records listed here.”
—Acid Archives of Underground Sounds
“What's a boy to do? It's 1974, you're young and have
a head full of Hawkwind and Roky and the Elevators, and old
brutalist blues in the Hound Dog Taylor/Fred McDowell backwoods
whisky-fucked mode; you're stuck in Hicksville, USA; the music
scene sucks: glam's dead or dying slowly; punk is a good year
or so from even starting to get itself born. Town's too damn
small to even muster up a band. It's just and your buddy and
that's it, man. So you grow your hair and wear satin, wander
wide-eyed and tripping across small-town railway tracks and
hang loose at the weekend in your basement. You gather a bunch
of cheapo instruments on the never-never and you start cutting
low-fi bedroom demos. Stone Harbour were Ric Ballas and Dave
McCarty, and out of nowhere and nothing, at entirely the wrong
time, they cut an LP that will blow your head clean off. This
is a trip into the true dark heart of psychedelia! The music?
‘You'll Be a Star’ shimmers and aches in the midnight;
cymbals wash over you, Dave McCarty's vocals emerge from some
subterranean cave, as the keyboards flicker, flicker, flash
across the periphery of the song; ‘Rock & Roll Puzzle’
is dark, twisted fried garage punk blues brutality, pre-empting
The Gories and Pussy Galore by a good ten years! Songs fade
in and out; finger-picking blurs into screaming squelching synths;
guitars melt in the mid-summer heat. ‘Grains of Sand’
frazzles like The Stooges through a fucked-up amp and filtered
through a transistor radio with the valves burning out, whilst
‘Summer Magic is Gone’ is the most haunted, haunting
song in many a long strange moon. Shimmers like stars in the
2 am fog and haze, and bleeds lost and lonely and bruised into
the heat-warped dawn. You're still awake, although the brain
doesn't work like it used to. Blurred and bleary and exhilarated
and stoned to the very core of your soul.” Booklet includes
lyrics and notes; disc has a handful of previously unreleased
tracks from 1975 sessions as bonus tracks. Yowzah.
Catalogue number: LION 621HCD
UPC: 778578062125
THIRD
ESTATE “Years Before the Wine” + AGONISTES “S/T”
Third Estate’s “Years Before the Wine” is
an ambitious and intricate psychedelic concept album from 1976
about the French Revolution (!) which blends warm Southern summer
sounds (the band were from Baton Rouge, Louisiana) with baroque
song structures. Never fear, the serious subject matter is no
match for the strong songwriting and light, flowing music. Stunning
vocals from Fae Ficklin on the title track are lovely, but even
without them this album would richly deserve its status as a
psychedelic classic. Stark, intimate production, with tasty
fuzz guitar, backwards tape-loop soundscapes and beautiful treated
acoustic guitar, puts one in mind of the Ithaca/Agincourt/Friends
trilogy from England. The sound of exploration is evident everywhere,
as the band spreads its wings, and glorious harmonies flow forth.
The previously unreleased album recorded as Agonistes (1973)
shows that the later recordings were no fluke—it can stand
alone as one of the most beguiling folk/psych albums we’ve
ever heard. Additional bonus tracks include singles and home
demos. Budget-priced double disc package includes a 28-page
color booklet, with histories of both groups by band co-leader
Robert Everett, as well as lyrics for all the songs included
herein.
Catalogue number: LION 620H (2xCD)
UPC: 778578062026
Two
new titles in our acclaimed ACME/LION series of official, licensed
compact disc reissues!!
SUNFOREST
“Sound of Sunforest” (Deram Nova SDN7, 1969)
There was once a band called Sunforest, who recorded a splendid
album in 1969. The record is (as has been said elsewhere) a
unique compendium of UK acid folk with a popsike feel, sporting
harpsichord and (somewhat) medieval-tinged arrangements integrated
into electric and acoustic folk-esque tunes. But one thing must
be said straight away: the Sunforest album is not at all twee—the
songs are far too clever, and the production (by legendary producer
Vic Coppersmith-Heaven) has far too much depth—we say
this despite cover art that seems to have misled people since
the album was released. Worthy of special mention is the phenomenal
folk/funk vibe-fest 'Magician In The Mountain,' which has made
this LP the object of desire of many a DJ and a sampler. And,
of course, lest we forget, the Sunforest album supplies the
answer to the recent burning question (for those of you living
in the UK): “What’s that song on the Marks and Spencer
TV advert—the one with Twiggy and those other girls in
it, singing, "I want to marry a lighthouse keeper.”
Why, it’s ‘Lighthouse Keeper,’ of course!
The sound of Sunforest was enlivened by contributions from exceptional
and experienced studio musicians. On this album, you can hear
supple work from bass guitarist par excellance Herbie Flowers
(it’s his bass that makes Lou Reed's ‘Walk on the
Wild Side’ one of the best late-night songs ever written;
he also played bass on the Serge Gainsbourg’s “Histoire
de Melody Nelson”). He was joined for the Sunforest sessions
by his compatriot in the Jean-Claude Vannier Orchestra, guitarist
on an incredible variety of UK number one hit songs (fifty-nine
to be exact), including the Kink’s “You Really Got
Me,” Thunderclap Newman’s "Something in the
Air,’ and Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg’s orgasmic
classic ‘Je t'aime... moi non plus’: session-guitarist
extraordinaire (and the mastermind behind the Lord Sitar and
“Sitar Beat” albums), Big Jim Sullivan. Yes, here
on the Sunforest album these two titans of UK rock can be found
working with another legend, Vic Smith, on what turned out to
be the only release from a trio of unpretentious girls, discovered
in a cafe. Ah, the wondrous 1960’s! Includes a 20-page
booklet with additional insider information on the band, as
well as lyrics. Licensed from Decca/Universal, UK.
Catalogue number: ACLN 1012CD
UPC: 778578101220
T2
“It’ll All Work Out in Boomland” + bonus:
The rise of power trio T2 in 1970 was rapid: important open-air
festivals; headlining residencies at the Marquee Club; appearances
at virtually every major venue in London. Then their debut album
was released; they seemed poised for a breakthrough. As the
band recalled, they were playing the Marquee club, with John
Lennon and Jimi Hendrix hanging out backstage, which was all
to the good. But people were coming forward saying, “we
can’t find your album anywhere.” In short order,
the band fell apart. Still, their sole Decca album has become
well established as an all-time classic amongst progressive
and psychedelic music collectors—even the techno and dj
crowds. The fact that it has done so without hype is a testament
to the innate quality of the music. The album is packed with
melodic acoustic passages, frenzied fuzz guitar workouts, not
to mention acid-trip induced lyrical and musical content. It
is, in every way, an extraordinary album, one of rock music’s
best kept secrets, on a par with all the other major works that
form the rock music canon of the time. Hefty booklet contains
extensive musicological analysis by composer and musician Andrew
Keeling, which includes illuminating interviews with band members
Peter Dunton and Keith Cross, as well as detailed illustrations.
Included as bonus are three tracks from BBC Sessions recorded
in October 1970. Licensed from Decca/Universal, UK.
Catalogue number: ACLN 1010CD
UPC: 778578101022
T2
“S/T”: Even though fame and fortune never
came to pass for T2, their Decca album “It’ll All
Work out in Boomland” has become an all-time classic amongst
collectors of progressive and psychedelic music, and even in
the techno and dj scenes. Apart from a 1970 Sound of the 70’s
BBC radio session, (included on our Acme/Lion reissue of “It’ll
All Work Out in Boomland,” ACLN 1010 CD), fans assumed
that “Boomland” was both the beginning and the end
of the group’s recorded legacy. But Acme Records unearthed
an eponymous second album of material, recorded in 1970 with
the original line-up as demo tracks for a planned second album.
This was first released way back in the late 1990’s, and
is now available again thanks to the new Acme/Lion version which
is the subject of this one-sheet. This second T2 album, had
it been released in 1970, could have put the band on the same
level of fame with the likes of Deep Purple, Free, and King
Crimson (bands with whom T2 shared a stage). It’s hard-driving
opener ‘Highway,’ ablaze with wailing guitars, gives
way to moody introspection, culminating with the LSD induced
finale ‘T2.’ It’s music that is dreamy without
being sleepy; heavy without danger of suffocation. Those of
you who were lucky enough to snap up a copy of the limited Acme
Deluxe pressings of this album many years ago now can testify
to the importance of these recordings. For those of you who
missed out the first time around—or who have only recently
discovered the greatness of the mighty T2—all we can say
is, enjoy the power and glory of the second T2 album!
Catalogue number: ACLN 1011CD
UPC: 778578101121
2007
RELEASES
DINO
& MONTEVIDEO BLUES
The one and only album by Dino & Montevideo Blues (Macondo
GAM 551, 1972) deserves to be a serious contender as one of
the most important, and as it happens, most grooving, records
ever released in Uruguay. But there is another reason that the
album has attained exalted status: the incisive power of the
lyrics, which are all the more impressive considering the national
turmoil out of which they were created. Montevideo Blues was
founded by Uruguayan song-writing legend Gastón “Dino”
Ciarlo as a way to fuse the rawness of rock music with obscure
native Uruguayan rhythms like malambo, milonga and chamarrita—a
logical direction to pursue after Dino had attempted pop/candombe
fusions in his solo recordings. “At the time, we were
revolutionary and looking for change,” said Dino. Montevideo
Blues demonstrated an unyielding and combative attitude. During
live shows in 1971, Dino often criticized the government—a
level of political commitment reflected in the lyrics of the
songs, some of the most radical ever set to music. Eduardo Mateo,
the sacred monster of modern Uruguayan music, was succinct:
“You have decided to prune the tree,” he said to
Dino. The album opens with one of Dino’s most famous songs
‘Milonga de Pelo Largo’ (‘Milonga of the Long
Hair’), a sinuous song transformed by the arrival of the
dictatorship into a hymn of Uruguayan popular resistance. The
rest of the album tracks have an edgy, atonal quality, with
terrific unconventional angular guitar and a kind of ragged
glory, all driven along by insistent grooving rhythms, whether
from native drums or the clicking of drumsticks. Bonus tracks
include beat-rockers ‘Sendero de Rosas’ and ‘Rubio
es el color,’ from the rare “La Juventud”
compilation album, as well as both sides of Dino’s two
early singles for RCA Vik. A 32-page booklet is packed with
photos, detailed band history, and lyrics for this important
Uruguayan band.
Catalogue number: LION 614
UPC: 778578061425
EDUARDO
MATEO “Mateo Solo Bien Se Lame” plus bonus tracks
“If I can be a little romantic, Mateo is Uruguayan music's
light. He is the sun.” Osvaldo Fattoruso
“Mateo solo bien se lame,” is a record that requires
many superlatives in order to do it justice: from it’s
first moments, the music is lilting, poetic, intimate, in turns
life-affirming and melancholic, with pulsating percussion backed
by unheard-of guitar chords and tunings (perhaps the reason
for the frequent Caetano Veloso and Nick Drake comparisons);
it is an album that sounds—simply put—honest. The
record was released at the end of 1972 in both Argentina and
Uruguay, and was received from that first moment as a classic
in those countries, a position it still occupies today.
When El Kinto co-founder and iconoclastic maniac Eduardo Mateo
traveled to Buenos Aires in October of 1971 to record what came
to be “Mateo solo bien se lame,” his situation was
unusual. With the explosion of candombe-beat music on the popular
scene, Mateo had become a living legend of Uruguayan music.
Yet apart from the “Musicasión 4 1/2” compilation,
which had been released in July of that year, there were no
published recordings of Mateo available, whether as a soloist
or with his already dissolved group El Kinto. By this time,
the public had a clear notion of the dreamy character of Mateo
that by the end of his brief life had made him a part-time panhandler
and apparent acid casualty. But they still wanted a record by
him. It was singer Diane Denoir who gave the final push. She
was in Argentina finishing a record for the De la Planta label
that included eight songs written by Mateo. Denoir insisted
that Mateo participate as arranger for three of these grooves.
With Mateo in Buenos Aires, the owners of De la Planta decided
to take the necessary steps to record him. This was not easy,
as Mateo tried to erase everything he recorded as soon as it
was put onto tape, and that only on the rare occasions when
he showed up ready to play. In the end, engineers Carlos Píriz
and Eduardo Rozas selected material for the album from hours
of free improvisations, and formed the album as it appears today.
Our first Lion Productions volume of Mateo’s solo recordings
includes the entire “Mateo Solo Bien Se Lame” album,
plus a variety of tracks from Mateo’s early solo years.
The eight bonus tracks include songs originally issued in Uruguay
on the legendary “Musicasión 4 1/2” LP, two
tracks live from a bowling alley (!), as well as four very special
early recordings backing female singers: two sung by the lovely
Diane Denoir, and two by the mysterious Verónica Indart.
Special slip-case edition comes with an oversize 48-page full-blown
booklet packed with photos, text, and lyrics, which tries to
unravel some of the myth surrounding this great surrealist poet
and drug casualty, whose decline and ultimate madness and early
death have done nothing to diminish his stature as one of the
greatest artists in South American music.
Catalogue
number: LION 613
UPC number: 778578061326
EL
KINTO
"El Kinto" (Complete Collection)
"I was lucky to see Uruguayan music born. Before
El Kinto it didn't exist, and if it did I did not know it or
like it." Osvaldo Fattorusso
All twenty-two tracks by these Uruguayan legends, whose line-up
includes members of Totem and Limonada, and features the compositional
abilities of candombe legend Ruben Rada, and his alter-ego,
poet/panhandler and acid casualty Eduardo Mateo. El Kinto began
their brief but eventful life in music playing in the dark shadows
at Orfeo Negro (Black Orpheus), a night club near the Portones
de Carrasco in Montevideo, Uruguay. Inspired by the way the
Tropicalistas like Os Mutantes were transforming the pop music
of Brazil, El Kinto embraced their own native music forms—but,
as always, they went a step further: yes, they integrated candombe
and bossa nova into beat music, but they also added their own
notion of “psicodelics.” They experimented with
newness in all its variety—new sounds from their guitars,
new types of vocal delivery, new ways of striking the drums
(with little brooms, with gavels or with the hands), all very
uncommon in rock music. As one journalist noted in 1969, “El
Kinto, directed by the brilliant Mateo, and amplified to the
maximum... creates a frenzy of rhythmic music in which—with
force and conviction—pure wave ‘beat’ is synthesized
with the warmth of the African drums.” The result of the
group’s tireless experiments is music which sounds fresh
and engaging today. In a world dominated by the commercialization
of everything—including (although it is difficult to comprehend)—the
arts, all we can say is, thank god for El Kinto!
Special slip-case edition comes with an oversize 36-page full-blown
booklet packed with photos, detailed band history, and lyrics
for this most important of Uruguayan bands.
Catalogue
number: LION 612
UPC number: 778578061227
ERGO
SUM “Mexico”
Along with the two records by Nurse With Wound favorites Moving
Gelatine Plates, Ergo Sum’s weird and wonderful album
“Mexico” is an unusual portal into the intense creativity
of early 1970’s French music. True, the bands are not
musically similar; yet these three albums are distinguished
not only by their instrumental richness, but by their unceasing
sense of adventure. We’d go so far to say that Ergo Sum
presents one of the most distinctive experiences in a rock idiom
(apart from Zeuhl music juggernaut Magma) to ever come from
France. The band’s one and only album (1971) features
the unique voice of Lionel Ledissez—his guttural sort-of-English
language delivery described as being “somewhere between
Family’s Roger Chapman and a drunken Champs-Elysees taxi
driver,” although more sober comparisons to Tim and/or
Jeff Buckley have also been made. The compositions develop at
a relaxed pace; incredible jazz-inflected guitar, flute, piano
and droning violin swirl around the vocals, and keep one submerged
in, yet attentive to the intimate mood. Tracks full of instrumental
richness—they simmer, rather than blaze, which makes the
rewards ever so great for patient listeners. Bonus tracks include
the superb ‘All’s So Comic,’ one of the highlights
of the “Puissance 13+2” Thélème label
anthology, as well as both sides of Ergo Sum’s musically
relevant single from 1972. A fulsome 28-page booklet includes
band history, photos, lyrics, and a contemporary 1971 review
from Superhebdo magazine. A three o-clock in the morning, slow
burn album if ever there was one.
Catalogue number: LION 618M
UPC: 778578061821
FOLKORDS
“Release the Sunshine”:
When we first issued this terrific album—twelve perfect
examples of dreamy sunshine pop/folk psych released by independent
Canadian label Allied Records in 1968—on CD some time
ago, our booklet featured the few scraps of information on the
band we could find. We challenged “anyone out there”
to find some information on this elusive and intriguing band,
with the offer of a reward that would be “something very
Folklordish.” Well, we’re pleased to say that someone
took us up on that offer, and that someone was band leader Tom
Waschkowski. He very graciously offered for this LP package
(and the forthcoming mini-LP sleeve CD package) a band history,
lyrics, some terrific photos, and best of all, a rare pre-album
single that the band had self-released. This allows us to offer
up as perfect a reissue of this album as humanly possible. The
Folklords “Release the Sunshine” is a captivating
album, a notion shared by the many collectors world-wide who
fight for original copies, which are few and far between. Glorious
sound, as the reissue taken directly from the master-tapes.
Bonus single is an exact replica of the rare, privately issued
non-LP single, which features haunting, drum-less versions of
‘Forty Second River’ and ‘Unspoken Love,’
both of which were re-recorded for the original Allied release.
Now, on to the presentation—the highest quality mastering
and pressing (done at Acoustech Mastering/RTI in California,
the same plant that presses every title that audiophile label
Classic Records makes); the resulting LP is housed in a poly-lined
sleeve, inside an ultra-heavy 1960's style gatefold jacket,
which is housed in a loose-fitting plastic sleeve. The LP labels
are replicas of the original Allied silver and blue labels.
A top of the line pressing all the way. Limited edition of exactly
700 copies.
Catalogue number: LION LP-104
OPA“Back Home: The Lost 1975 Sessions”
This disc is a departure from the other reissues in our Uruguayan
music series. It’s not remotely in a psychedelic or rock
idiom; it was not released on the mighty Sondor label. Yet when
given the opportunity to reissue these “lost” sessions,
we did not hesitate for a moment. This music is funky and jazzy,
groovy and urban, even sounding like Fela (on ‘Goldenwings’
at least); it has the sunny feel of sweltering days on South
American beaches, but it also has a heavy dose of the grittiness
of mid 1970’s New York City. There are connections to
the great bands of Uruguay, of course: both Fattoruso brothers,
so successful with their beat band Los Shakers, greatly admired
the work of the much less successful Eduardo Mateo, Ruben Rada
and their band El Kinto. Opa had their own style, and the critical
acclaim for their recorded legacy would soon eclipse on an international
level that of anything else from their native land.
After coming to NYC in 1969, a regular club gig led to Opa becoming
backing band for Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira (Weather
Report/Return to Forever); they toured the USA, working on a
sound that resulted in the “Fingers” album for the
CTI label (1973), Airto’s most successful record. Things
looked grim when Flora Purim, Airto’s wife and singer
of the band, was sentenced to two years in prison for drug possession.
But drummer and producer Larry Rosen invited Opa to record in
his small home studio. They recorded nine demos with Rosen during
1975 (all but one of the tracks that give this reissue a reason
to exist, the other being the band’s first demo recording
from 1972). Included are versions of songs which would later
be re-recorded the following year for Opa’s debut album
for Milestone Records. Rhythm-laden tracks that range from the
heavily funkified to chilled out, shimmering, and trance-inducing.
A 16-page booklet includes band history and photos.
Catalogue number: LION 617
UPC: 778578061722
OPHIUCUS
“S/T”
Ophiucus may be the name of an obscure constellation, but it's
also the name of a French band that recorded an exceptional
album in 1972 for the Barclay label. All the members of the
band had already enjoyed ample success in music before musician/actor
Emmanuel Booz brought them together in 1971: Jean-Pierre Pouret
was a well-known session-man for Sylvie Vartan; brothers Alain
and Bernard Labacci released albums as Tom & Jerry, and
supported Jimi Hendrix for a TV appearance; Michel Bonnecarrere
had founded the band Zoo (one of Andy Votel from the B-Music
label’s favorites), and was one of the composers, arrangers
and musicians for that group’s first two albums. Apropos
of the period, the band members decided to live together as
a small family in Flagy, a small town in France, where they
lived a happy life, and wrote the tracks which adorn this reissue.
This ambitious album somehow manages to blend grungy psychedelic
rock, acoustic blues, and densely orchestrated French pop/psych
(in an Ilous & Decuyper vein) into an impressive and cohesive
whole. Sandy Spencer, cellist and member of Mormos contributed
wonderful playing on ‘Ne cherche plus’ and ‘Inachevée.’
This reissue includes the original album plus eight bonus tracks
in English meant to be the basis of an international album that
was never issued. A fulsome 28-page booklet includes band history
and commentaries on the songs written by Ophiucus, photos, lyrics
(French and English), and a contemporary review. Not to be missed!
Catalogue number: LION 619M
UPC: 778578061920
WE
ALL TOGETHER "Singles"
This joint effort of Lion Productions and Repsychled Records
of Peru presents that nation's answer to the Beatles and Badfinger!
When the people of Peru heard the first singles by We all together
in 1972, they thought that these songs were the work of a foreign
group—this because of the high quality of production demonstrated
therein. The band’s songs were fashioned after the lighter
side of the late-'60s Beatles sound—not to mention the
early solo John Lennon and Paul McCartney material—with
melodic tunes, vocal harmonies, and sophisticated arrangements
which blended keyboards, acoustic guitars and electric guitars
in a graceful manner. The reason for We all together ’s
excellence is simple: the band members had been around many
years, first as New Juggler Sound, and then as Laghonia. The
Peruvian scene at the beginning of the 1970's, still very influenced
by the psychedelic experimentation of the 1960's, colored the
way that the band shaped its songs, made its drawings and developed
its recording techniques. This disc contains the thirteen We
all together singles that did not appear on either of the band’s
LPs. Audio mastered from the original tapes using tube amplifiers
by original band member Saúl Cornejo with Miguel Vance
in MCA studios, Lima - Peru; bi-lingual 24-page booklet with
rare photos, band history, as well as drawings and watercolors
painted by Manuel Cornejo during 1971-73. The cover image was
painted by band-member Manuel Cornejo for a possible third We
all together album that never came to fruition..
Catalogue number: Lion 615 (CD 1009)
UPC number: 778578061524
WE
ALL TOGETHER & FRIENDS "We Are Not Together"
Second joint effort of Lion Productions and Repsychled Records
of Peru brings together an abundance of rare tracks recorded
at MAG studios in Lima, Peru between 1968 to 1974 by members
of We all together along with various musician friends of the
time (and a few relatives too). Some of the songs are originals,
others are covers—what they all have in common is the
musical skill that Carlos Guerrero, Saúl Cornejo, Manuel
Cornejo, Ernesto Samamé, Félix Varvarande and
Carlos Salom brought to these varied projects—some recorded
prior to, some after the creation of their great band. Eight
different groups of musicians (Illicit, Smog, Carlos Guerrero
& Nilo Espinosa orquesta, FE 59, Cerro Verde, Beto Villena
& We All Together, and Monik) produced rich and varied music
of uniform excellence! Audio mastered from the original tapes
using tube amplifiers by Saúl Cornejo, Miguel Yance and
Andrés Tapia in MCA Studios, Lima – Perú;
watercolors and drawings painted by Manuel Cornejo during 1970
–1972.
Catalogue number: Lion 616 (CD 1010)
UPC number: 778578061623
PREVIOUS
LION PRODUCTIONS CD RELEASES
49th
PARALLEL“S/T” plus eleven bonus tracks
First proper version of this legendary Canadian psych album,
supplemented by eleven bonus tracks, two of which have never
seen reissue before now. The group's first two singles, ‘Laborer’/’You
Do Things’ (1967), and ‘She Says’ b/w ‘Citizen
Freak’ (1968), are prime pieces of pouting Prairie punk.
In the spring of 1969, the 49th Parallel had a hit in Canada
and the USA with ‘Twilight Woman’, a lovely song
that sounded like a poppier, slightly folkier version of what
bands like Tomorrow were doing in England. The success of the
singles resulted in the release of the 49th Parallel’s
only album, on MGM affiliate Maverick Records. All hyperbole
aside, this is easily one of the top Canadian rock albums ever
released. The album contains excellent material, including the
pulsating psychedelia of ‘Lazerander Filchy’ and
the ultra-strange ‘(The) Magician’, as well as the
quintessential punk edginess of ‘Now That I'm a Man’
and ‘(Come On Little Child &) Talk To Me’. Dan
Lowe's blazing fuzz guitar work stands out, particularly on
‘Missouri’, and when challenged by organist Jack
Velker's brilliant stuttering work on ‘Eye To Eye’,
‘Talk To Me’ and ‘(The) People’. Strong
melodies, great playing and sympathetic production, make for
a must own collection of songs. The twelve page booklet includes
two slightly different views of the band’s history, as
well as the notes from the original LP release.
Catalogue number: PACE 048LN
UPC number: 778578004828
AGINCOURT
“Fly Away”
First official issue of this much-loved album of Moody Blues-influenced
home recordings from around 1970, from the fertile minds of
psychedelic-folk masters Peter Howell and John Ferdinando, but
credited to their semi-fictitious group Agincourt; an intricate,
dreamy psychedelic album, made all the better by the fragile
female vocals on offer from Lee Menelaus; considered a bit more
progressive (read: less acoustic, less fluid) than the duo’s
other albums, with reasonable comparisons often made to the
music of Syd Barret or Fairfield Parlour. We at Lion Productions
are pleased to have had a hand at making this music available
for the first time from the original master tapes! The sixteen-page
booklet comes with lyrics and band history, and includes previously
unseen photos of the band. The addition of two previously unheard
bonus tracks makes this an essential reissue of a private pressing
mega-rarity (originals are £1500 or more)!
Catalogue number: ACLN 1002 CD
UPC number: 778578100223
ATTACK “Complete
Recordings 1967-1969”
The four great bands of the 1966 pop-apocalypse were the Who,
the Action, the Creation and the Attack: four names that in
their brevity summed up their flash and mod-pop appeal. These
were bands that had more energy than an H-bomb after-flash,
and they hit the senses with a long-awaited wake up call. The
title of this disc should clue you in about what you're getting
in this case: we’ve assembled the complete output from
the prime era of the Attack, taken for the very first time from
the original master tapes—fifteen tracks of essential
UK freakbeat/psych, with hard-edged, sitar-esque guitar, great
vocals and prominent organ. At their best, the Attack indeed
attacked, leaving us with excellent distorted and nicely fuzzed-out
psych, often with a hard edge and Kinks style proto-metal licks...
Although, truth be told, the music of the Attack bears closer
resemblance to that of the Birds, the Pretty Things, or the
Creation. This definitive collection of Attack recordings includes
such stand outs as ‘Try It’ (bugged out insanity,
with sexual overtones blowing the Standells version into oblivion);
‘We Don't Know’ (a tight explosion of mod-soul);
‘Anymore Than I Do’ (a freak beat classic); their
pre-Jeff Beck version of ‘Hi Ho Silver lining;’
and perhaps the band’s most oft-requested track, their
unreleased Decca single ‘Magic in the Air.’ Solid
tracks from a band perhaps best known today for a revolving
door membership that gave them connections to the Marmalade,
The Nice and Atomic Rooster (Alan Whithead left the group to
form Marmalade; Davey O’List joined the
Nice, and the rest of the band evolved into
the great Andromeda, until guitarist John DuCann
left to join Atomic Rooster).
Catalogue number: ACLN 1005 CD
UPC number: 778578100520
BULLDOG
BREED “Made in England”
First official issue, taken from the original DECCA master tapes,
of this amazing mod/psych/freakbeat rarity from 1969, featuring
members of T2 and The FLIES. An album from the very end of the
psychedelic era, one of the last landmark albums when bands
seemed play exactly what they wanted, instead of opting for
either the mainstream or the gutter; the psych-pop sensibilities
of 1967 still live in 'Paper Man', 'Eileen's Haberdashery Store'
and 'Dougal', 'Silver' and 'Top O' The Pops Cock?!?' give us
a nasty Deviants proto-punk edge, while the mournful 'Friday
Hill' sounds like Caravan on Prozac. Quintessential English
eccentricity! This Acme/Lion issue comes complete with new sleeve-notes,
photos and the legendary and mega-rare single "Halo in
my Hair" b/w "Portcullis Gate" as bonus tracks.
A classic album finally gets proper recognition!!!
Catalogue number: ACLN 1004 CD
UPC number: 778578100421
CHRISTMAS
“S/T”
Available again! debut album by Bob Bryden's (Reign Ghost) "dream
band", first released on Paragon in 1970 the same day as
the second Reign Ghost album! Dreamy and atmospheric, with lovely
vocals and understated guitar work suffused with a melancholic
lethargy every bit the match of that of the Velvet Underground's
third album, a comparison all the more telling once you hear
the ambitious 21-minute instrumental Jungle Fabulous that closes
out the proceedings; the rarest artifact by this much-beloved
Canadian underground band finally sees its compact disc debut;
a great event for psychedelic fans worldwide!
Catalogue number: PACE 043-LN
UPC number: 778578004323
CLASSICAL
M “Bad Guys: The Complete Collection”
Classical M could have made a great album if given the chance.
As it is, the songs contained on this disc make for a stunning
collection, with the band’s psychedelic flourishes, outrageous
melodies, and fantastic attention to production detail evident
throughout. This profoundly original music was made in three
short years (1967-1970): twenty-four delirious and provocative
songs that establish Classical M as perhaps the best, and certainly
the most intriguing French band of all time. Their offbeat sense
of rhythm and harmony, the complex intertwining of voices, and
perhaps more than anything, their unusual practice of trying
to play all sorts of instruments—be they electronic or
traditional—these elements make the music of this odd
French trio unique and very special. We are proud to make this
music available to the world.
Catalogue number: Lion 603
UPC number: 77857806032
THE
EYES "The Arrival of the Eyes: the Complete
Recordings"
The Eyes' 1965 single, 'When The Night Falls,' produced by the
king of compression Shel Talmy, should have made them rich and
famous (it didn’t). Alan Freeman described it as "truly
unforgettable"—a prophetic statement. Later writers,
like Cliff Jones in Mojo magazine, have described it as being
"raw as an open wound, as sharp as a scalpel blade, and
jammed full of sinewy whiplash lead guitar and pounding demonic
‘jungle telegraph’ drums." And it’s not
as though the rest of the Eyes other recordings lack power and
excellence. Sure, their early slices of Mod cool borrowed heavily
from the classic 1960’s sound of the Who—Mod anthem
‘My Degeneration', the b-side to the Eyes’ second
single, is either a tongue-in-cheek homage to (or an absolute
subversive rip on) the Who, and is both funny and cool at the
same time. Yet the band’s finest cuts, with their blend
of innovative guitar feedback/distortion and anthemic songwriting,
are equal in stature to rock classics of the era. The Eyes’
bursts of electronic mayhem were advanced for the time, and
they had hooks and harmonies to counterpoint the madness. Thanks
to the timeless quality of their great tracks, the band's legacy
continues to grow as more and more people discover that long
forgotten bands like the Eyes (or Les Fleur Des Lys, to name
another) could match heavyweights like the Who, the Kinks and
the Small Faces blow for blow, even if only for a fleeting three
minutes of pure genius at a time. Contains all the band’s
output—released and unreleased—including demo versions,
alternates, and the entire Pupils Tribute To The Rolling Stones
exploitation album from 1966 as a bonus. Fat 24-page booklet
is packed with zippy notes on the band, photos, and pages from
the band’s own fan-club pamphlet.
Catalogue
number: LION ACLN 1008CD
UPC: 778578100827
THE
FLIES "Complete Collection 1965-1968"
From the opening riff of the Flies’ hard-edged debut single
for Decca, ‘(I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone,’
you might think that here was a band who were destined for glory—possibly
even fame and fortune. But their story, like that of many awe-inspiring
UK underground bands from the 1960s, was not a success story.
Yes, the Flies had a few other releases on Decca and RCA, none
of which attained any chart success. If not for the inclusion
of this one slab of fuzz psychedelia on the legendary compilation
"Chocolate Soup for Diabetics", the Flies would perhaps
have remained unknown to devotees of the 1960s psychedelic scene.
Still, this was a band that played major gigs with the Jimi
Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, the Moody Blues, and Traffic,
and were a big part of the mayhem at the legendary 14-hour Technicolour
Dream event in London in 1967; this is a band whose key members
founded bands like Please, T2, Bulldog Breed, Gun, and Infinity,
and whose producer was Ivor Raymonde, who co-authored and arranged
Dusty Springfield’s big hits for Philips (and also sired
Cocteau Twins’ bassist Simon Raymonde). Although commercial
success eluded them, it is fitting that the Flies have now achieved
cult fame—their singles, which range from freakbeat to
Mark Wirtz-esque pop/psych, merit the acclaim, and their introspective
demos are perhaps even better. Contains everything by the Flies—released
and unreleased—including demo versions, and alternates,
plus a sampling of their the In-Sect "Direct From England"
pre-Flies exploitation album from 1965 as a bonus. Fat 20-page
booklet is packed with detailed notes on the band, original
Decca promotional materials, and plentiful photos.
Catalogue number: LION ACLN 1009CD
UPC: 778578100926
FOLKORDS
“Release the Sunshine”
The first time on compact disc for this terrific album—twelve
perfect examples of dreamy pop/psych released by independent
Canadian label Allied Records in 1968, from a band that were
so obscure, they did not rate a single mention in any Canadian
magazine of the era. No matter. The fact remains that the Folklords
“Release the Sunshine” is a captivating album, a
notion shared by the many collectors world-wide who fight for
original copies, which are few and far between. Glorious sound,
as the reissue taken directly from the master-tapes. Booklet
features band photos and the few scraps of information on the
band that we could find. LP version in heavy cardboard gatefold
jacket, with bonus non-LP single, lyrics, photos, and band history
is in production right now!
Catalogue number: PACE 047-LN
UPC number: 778578004729
FOUR
LEVELS OF EXISTENCE “S/T”
The first ever official CD reissue of an album that many people
consider to be the best Greek psychedelic album ever recorded,
a belief that would mean that the Four Levels of Existence
LP would supercede albums by artists like Axis, Aphrodite’s
Child, Socrates, and George Romanos. We’ll let you decide
the argument, for of one thing there is no doubt—that
this is tremendous hard edged psychedelic/progressive material,
originally released in a very small quantity by the private
Venus label from 1976. As band leader Athanasios Alatas said:
“Through Nick’s musical quest, Mario’s sensitivity,
Christos’s madness, and my thoughts, we create many
songs, all characterized by a psychedelic music sound, Greek
lyrics, and monumental guitar solos.” This carefully
documented reissue contains the entire Four Levels of Existence
LP (its reissue debut), the only recordings they ever made.
A twenty-four page booklet includes historical background
on the Greek music scene of the early 1970’s, details
of the band’s past written by Alatas, rare photos of
the group, as well as lyrics to all the songs in both Greek
and English. This CD edition is very strictly limited to 1,000
copies.
Catalogue number: Lion 604
UPC number: 778578060428
FRIENDS
"Fragile"
The rarest, and I would dare to say best, folk/psych album
from Peter Howell and John Ferdinando, musical brainchildren
behind Ithaca, Agincourt, Alice Through the Looking Glass,
and Tomorrow Come Someday. This fifth Howell/Ferdinando album
had just been completed in or around 1974 when the partnership
came to an end. Howell had been working at the BBC as a studio
manager since 1970 (he'd provided a stiff upper lip voiceover
for John Peels Top Gear shows), but he was now offered a position
with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, which he accepted, and
still holds. An album so incredibly rare (only a single acetate
exists), that many have doubted the album’s existence…
until now! “Friends” still has the recognizable
Ithaca and/or Agincourt sound, with lead vocals mainly by
Peter Howell mostly, but with all the same elements and participants,
and four tracks featuring the lovely vocals of Ruth Cubbin.
A pastoral psychedelic folk stroll in the sunshine, with a
few tracks reminiscent of 60's soft psych. Very good!!”
Catalogue number: ACLN 1007 CD
UPC number: 778578100728
HOJAS
“Mis sueños piden” plus seven bonus tracks
If you were in Uruguay in 1971, you would have known along with
everyone else that Hojas (the Leaves) was the best band for
melodic rock—what we now might call power pop—and
slow-burn rock ballads. This was the year of their hit singles,
‘El mundo es una flor’ (The World is a Flower) and
‘Caminar en la lluvia’. With their supple guitars,
dreamy pop/psych melodies and driving rhythm section, Hojas
rose to prominence quickly; and of course, it helped that most
people agreed that the band’s vocalist César “Cacho”
Badin had one of the best voices they had ever heard singing
rock music. But Hojas were not just a singles band. They recorded
an LP, “Mis sueños piden” (Sondor LP 44009),
released by the Sondor label in August of 1973. The problem
was that the album’s release very nearly coincided with
the arrival of a military dictatorship in Uruguay, which effectively
ended the career of the nations’ top bands, including
Hojas. This carefully researched reissue contains the entire
Hojas LP (its reissue debut), supplemented by seven bonus tracks,
which include rare singles and an unreleased Badfinger cover.
The sixteen page booklet includes historical background on the
Uruguayan scene, details of the band’s past, plenty of
photos, as well as a brief overview of the legendary Sondor
label.
Catalogue number: Lion 606
UPC number: 778578060626
ILOUS
& DECUYPER "S/T"
It has always seemed a pity to us that the Ilous & Decuyper
LP, (first issued in 1971 on the boutique Flamophone label),
has not been more widely available. It is an inspired album,
with superb vocal harmonies and an introspective quality that
sets it apart from most other musical efforts of the time. Even
the circumstances surrounding the recording are unusual: the
duo squatted at the Vogue studios for more than a year, using
(almost to the utmost extreme) that facility’s 16-track
equipment for many a dark night. The result was a sensuous sound
full of subtlety and emotion—elaborate music based on
elegant arrangements and orchestrations. It doesn’t hurt
matters that French rock icon Jacques Dutronc’s backing
band, including extraordinary guitarist Jean-Pierre Alarcen
(also a key member of Systeme Crapoutchik and Sandrose), helped
out their friends on some of these sessions. This CD includes
all the tracks from the eponymous album, and as a bonus, two
non LP-tracks from Ilous & Decuyper’s second single,
recorded and released late in 1971. The booklet contains a detailed
band history, rare photos, and lyrics in French and English.
It just goes to show what can be done with late nights in the
studio if you have talent, great songs, and a flair for overdubs.
Catalogue
number: LION 610M
UPC number: 778578061029
ITHACA “Game
For All Who Know”
Incredibly good and extremely rare home recordings from the
same basically the same line-up, headed by psychedelic-folk
masters Peter Howell and John Ferdinando, that had made the
AGINCOURT album two years earlier. The album opens with the
sound of pages turning, and more or less follows a journey through
a cycle of questions, times, feelings, and dreams; a slightly
different emphasis this time, as the band sounds more like a
folk version of Pink Floyd. Beautiful interwoven songs with
nice tape experiments of added sounds made all the better by
the fragile female vocals on offer from Lee Menelaus. We at
Lion Productions are pleased to have had a hand at making this
music available for the first time from the original master
tapes! The addition of three previously unreleased bonus tracks
is cause for much rejoicing! The sixteen-page booklet has lengthy
band history, lyrics, and rare photos. A beautiful, trippy album
with lovely female vocals sounding glorious in a dreamy setting.
Catalogue number: ACLN 1003 CD
UPC number: 778578100322
LIMONADA
“LimoNada” plus one bonus track
Although they sprung ready-made from of the ashes of legendary
candombe/beat group El Kinto, one of the best-kept secrets from
Uruguay’s musical mythology is nevertheless the group
of musicians who recorded one album as Limonada. So what happened?
The story starts with the end of El Kinto, when band leader
and iconoclastic maniac Eduardo Mateo decided to embark on a
solo career (see our forthcoming Lion Productions collection
of his early music for more details), and the other members
of El Kinto said “let’s do something together”.
And so it was that in the middle of 1970, Limonada recorded
their one and only album, “LimoNada” (Sondor 33.111).
It is a strange record, with backwards tape splices, abrupt
song changes, yet at the same time it is absolutely accessible
and very groovy, in a Tropicalia sort of way, which might explain
why it was an immediate success. In truth, it’s a profound
mystery why the Limonada LP—one of the ten best sellers
of its time within three weeks of its release—seems to
have vanished from the consciousness of even the most devoted
fans of obscure music. Until now, of course. This carefully
researched reissue contains the entire Limonada LP (its reissue
debut), supplemented by an extended live bonus track. The sixteen
page booklet includes historical background on the Uruguayan
scene, details of the band’s past, plenty of photos, as
well as a brief overview of the legendary Sondor label.
Catalogue number: Lion 607
UPC number: 778578060725
NEON PEARL
“1967”
First time on CD for these incredible sessions from the year
of psychedelia’s apex—gliding rhythms and softly
pulsing melodies floating on a bed of organ and harmonium ('Out
Of Sight' and 'Going With The Flow' in particular are especially
delicious). Peter Dunton (drums/vocals), Bernard Jinks (bass)
and Rod Harrison (guitar) (sometime members of PLEASE and THE
FLIES and later in legendary band T2) plied their trade as Neon
Pearl in Germany in the summer of 1967. After a few months playing
to appreciative German audiences, they returned to England where
a music publisher financed them to lay as many tracks to tape
as they could within the few hours booked. The result is what
we have here. Almost certainly the most spartan of Dunton-related
material reissued thus far, but it doesn't suffer because of
it, rather it gives it a feel all of its own. This edition is
taken from the master tapes, and comes complete with two bonus
tracks not on the limited LP edition!
Catalogue number: ACLN 1001 CD
UPC number: 778578100124
ODYSSEY
“Setting Forth”
Once upon a time, when the music business was more music than
business (but only just), there was a band that created a quintessential
dose of New York sixties psychedelia—strong harmonic vocals,
heavy swirling organ, and fuzz guitar riffs of the greatest
ferocity. Finally, their lone album—one of the ten rarest
and most sought after US psychedelic albums—is available
again: painstakingly remastered, repackaged, and ready for true
psych fans to devour. This is truly one of the cornerstones
of underground psychedelic music, recorded in 1969, released
in an edition of fewer than 100 copies, and impossible to find
as it only came in a plain white cardboard sleeve. An album
that jumps right out of the speakers at you, from it’s
opening “In-a-gadda-da-vida” riffs right to the
very end. Twelve-page booklet has part one of a band history
by Odyssey leader Vinny Kusy, as well as rare photos from his
own archive. Deluxe limited edition LP version in heavy cardboard
gatefold jacket also available.
Catalogue number: Lion 601
UPC 778578060121
ODYSSEY “Live at Levittown
Memorial Auditorium: 1974”
A live recording that was never really meant to be, recorded
by Odyssey’s sound engineer on a portable cassette recorder,
and recently unearthed! “Live at Levittown” is the
only document of Odyssey as they were in their progressive phase,
just before Fred Callan and sometime Odyssey keyboardist Tom
Doncourt recorded their legendary album as Cathedral. Bonus
tracks include three “basement recordings” from
the “Setting Forth” era—two untitled originals
that never made the album, plus the band’s version of
"Whiter Shade of Pale". These three tracks have been
salvaged as well as possible from the cassette that is the only
recorded evidence of these songs. Important note: this disc
is not audiophile quality sound! despite our best efforts, it’s
rough sounding, but we think that you’ll find it well
worth listening to, despite the source limitations. Twelve-page
booklet has a continuation of the Odyssey story by band leader
Vinny Kusy, as well as rare photos from his own archive.
Catalogue number: Lion 602
UPC 778578060220
EMMANUELLE
PARRENIN "Maison Rose"
We begin by saying that this is an album unlike any other. A
bold statement, perhaps. Yet look in the "Scented Gardens
of the Mind" book and you will see this description: "a
revelation of a folk album, with songs of incredible beauty
and innovative arrangements. It features traditional instruments
you’ve hardly ever heard before and touches of the avant-garde.
Play this album directly after that of another randomly chosen
female folk album, and you will notice the difference! This
is one of the best!" Parrenin had been part of a traditional
"antique folk" movement in France in the late 1960’s
(she was in many ways a French equivalent to Sandy Denny or
Mandy Morton); indeed, she had recorded eight albums with musicians
from this scene before "Maison Rose"—her best,
and last album, recorded in 1976 and released the following
year. The record seems to alternate between a cosmic take on
an ancient Breton sound, and delicate, multi-tracked ballads—ranging
from sounds that would not be out of place on an Ash Ra Tempel
album to elements of traditional French folk music (including
home-made instruments) that are just as exotic. Certainly, the
avant-garde edge lurking beneath the simple folkiness of "Maison
Rose" puts in mind the explorations of Brigitte Fontaine
with her sometime musical voyager Areski; there are also suggestions
of the pastoral caranavserai aesthetic of Vashti Bunyan, as
well as the multi-track sensuality of Linda Perhacs (to name
two much-touted singers who seem to have a similar ability to
enchant). But Parrenin has her own style, her music has its
own deeply ethereal quality, and the album itself has its own
magic spell to cast that renders comparison with other albums
unimportant in the end. Magnificent… we say.
Catalogue number: LION 611M
UPC: 778578061128
PLASTIC CLOUD
“S/T”
In 1968, the Plastic Cloud recorded, quite simply, one of the
greatest psychedelic albums ever made. This is one hip album,
full of catchy melodies and hippie harmonies, as well as some
of the most superb (and trippiest) fuzz guitar ever recorded.
There is no point singling out a specific track, they are all
excellent—one is equally as good as the next. We feel
that it’s about time this fine record got it’s compact
disc due, so we have gone all out for this reissue—it
is remastered from the tapes; the accompanying twenty-page booklet
has all the lyrics, thanks to Don Brewer, the man who wrote
them, as well as rare photos and a replica of an original press
release that must be seen to be believed. Essential psychedelia!
Deluxe limited edition LP version in heavy cardboard gatefold
jacket also available.
Catalogue number:
Catalogue number:PACE 046-LN
UPC number: 778578004620
DAVID
PRITCHARD “Nocturnal Earthworm Stew”
An incredible pioneering electronic album recorded in the early
1970’s, from the first Canadian artist signed to Island
Records. Serious headphone music made under the influence of
Stockhausen, John Cage, Ornette Coleman, Stravinsky, Frank Zappa,
Weather Report, Charles Ives and others—and with a sound
that’s often compared to that of early Eno and/or (depending
on your preferences) the first two Kraftwerk albums. Indefinable
compositions integrate the earliest of portable synthsizers
(ARP 2600 and EMS AKS) with acoustic instruments (violin, cello,
dulcimer, electric violin, electric guitar), found sounds (short-wave
radio transmissions and a summer thunderstorm) and random objects
(instant coffee jar, scissors, chopsticks, among others)—and
they also have special contributions from Nash the Slash (a.k.a.
Jeff Plewman) and Martin Deller of famed Canadian band FM. Sixteen-page
booklet has an abundance of photos, track by track information,
and the odd history of these seminal recordings told by David
Pritchard himself. Includes four bonus tracks not on the original
1976 Island LP release.
Catalogue number: PACE 044-LN
UPC number: 778578044022
PTARMIGAN
"S/T"
First official release of this cult favorite—an album
overflowing with brooding, mystical, Eastern-influenced hippie
psychedelia dominated by long and largely instrumental tracks—all
based on a complex interplay of recorder, hand drums and acoustic
guitar. Ptarmigan recorded the basic tracks for what would eventually
become their only album in Vancouver, B.C. during the fall of
1972. It then took the band’s producer and manager, renowned
flautist Paul Horn, more than a year to find a label willing
to release such unusual music. Finally, in 1974, Columbia Records
released Ptarmigan’s album to critical acclaim, and minimal
sales. The music of Ptarmigan is deep and authentic, and sounds
best when meditating on a landscape, an emotion, or a bottle
of wine. Sometimes it is free-flowing and jazz-oriented; at
other times it has the mystical feel of a shamanistic ceremony,
with its oriental or South American harmonies. But in the end,
this album is about the sea—Ptarmigan was, after all,
from Vancouver Island, and the musicians were well-versed in
the contradictory moods of the surrounding ocean. One of those
hidden gems from the 70's that make life better when you discover
them all these years later, rated by many as the best "folk/progressive"
and/or "folk/psych" album ever made. As one contemporary
review said, this is "music from musicians, for musicians,
late-at-night, last joint music." Our Lion Productions
reissue comes with a 28-page booklet that includes lyrics, liner
notes from the band, and a multitude of photos and historical
mementos.
Catalogue
number: LION 609
UPC: 778578060923
QUAD “S/T”
(A.K.A. “No.1”)
The material recorded by Sun Dial approximately between 1990-1997
under their alter-ego QUAD has been among the most elusive prizes
for fans of modern psychedelia, as it was issued many moons
ago as an extremely limited LP in a clear plastic sleeve. And
who among us music lovers wouldn’t chase after it? It
is an album certainly great enough to deserve such avid pursuit
by fans of all sorts of psychedelia—mesmerizing, drugged-out
and trippy at all times, with sitar and guitar floating in and
out and up and down in the mix over some decidedly funky grooves.
If there was ever music for dj’s to sample, and yet also
for heads to enjoy at home, this is it!
Catalogue number: ACLN 1006 CD
UPC number: 778578100629
SOULS
OF INSPYRATION “S/T”
Eight tracks—that's all that exist—from this mysterious
band that emerged from Sherbrooke, Quebec in time to have the
honor of closing the activities at the Expo 70 musical presentations
in Osaka, Japan. Their album (released by Columbia in 1970)
is quite sought-after and deservedly so, with keyboard driven,
melodic songs, attractive harmonies, strong vocals, and an overall
sense of cohesion. Great acoustic driven songs like 'Eyes of
Nature' and 'Sun Shines in the Winter', or the more hard-driving,
progressive tinged 'Dil Kusha (Heart's Happiness) and 'Of Lambs
and Wolves' should certainly have been compiled before, but
amazingly were not. Now's the time to discover beautiful aberration,
one of the unspoiled jewels of the psychedelic era!
Catalogue number: PACE 037-LN
UPC number: 778578003722
SUNLIGHT
“Creation of Sunlight” plus bonus
The first licensed CD version—and thus the first from
the original master tapes—of an album that is absolutely
great from start to finish, loaded with organ and fuzz guitar
and just oozing with an acid and sunshine vibe. Formed in
Long Beach, California in 1966, the group were originally
named the Torques, then the Sunlights Seven, recording a single
(an alternate version of album staple ‘David’
b/w a bizarre screaming psychedelic version of ‘Judy
in Disguise’ both included here as bonus tracks) for
local label Entra Records. The band signed to the Windi label,
changed their name to Sunlight and unleashed their acid masterpiece
on the world in a miniscule edition of 500 copies. The Sunlight/Creation
of Sunlight album is definitive west coast psychedelic sunshine
pop influenced by the jazzy psychedelia of Strawberry Alarm
Clock; it’s packed with gorgeous harmonies, driving
Hammond, minor-keyed melodies and eclectic guitar. In some
specialist quarters the album is a now being deservedly championed,
and original copies sell for enormous amounts of money. The
sixteen page booklet that accompanies this reissue contains
a band history, solarized photos provided by band members,
as well as lyrics for all the songs. Come one and all to enjoy
the Sunlight!
Catalogue number: Lion 605H
UPC number: 778578060527
VARIOUS
ARTISTS "The Gaiety Records Story Volume Two":
At last, a second collection of rare singles from the label
that produced the cream of the mid-sixties crop of Canadian
garage, punk, and psychedelic music! The Gaiety roster was rich
in talent (the 49th Parallel, Jarvis Street Review, and Souls
of Inspyration, not to mention the Checkerlads, White Knights,
Dewline, Tomorrow's Keepsake, NRG, Merriday Park, and Portland
Street South)—but it was not rich in resources, which
is why these singles are so incredibly rare. This second Gaiety
Records volume has twenty-four tracks in all, ranging from the
ferocious punk psych of Solid Reputation’s ‘Lies’
to the wonderfully druggy (and truly demented) ‘Ode to
a Cucumber, A Berry, and A Flower", a song that deserves
to be in the pantheon of weird psychedelia right alongside the
West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band’s ‘Help, I’m
a Rock’. NRG’s UK psych-inspired ‘Magic Man,’
much in demand in collector’s circles, is here in all
its glory—along with six other tracks by this underrated
band, including the psychedelic groover ‘Withcraft’.
Other highlights are four more terrific beat/pop songs from
the Plague and Lexington Avenue (bands who would become better
known later as Jarvis Street Review). Tracks by the Checkerlads,
Tomorrow's Keepsake, Flying Colours, Portland Street South,
round out the disc, and (we hope) bring pleasure to everyone.
Catalogue number: PACE 044
UPC: 778578004422
LION
PRODUCTIONS with VICOR MUSIC (Philippines):
Official reissues of albums by JUAN DELA CRUZ guitarist
WALLY GONZALEZ!!
That’s right: official reissues (for the first time) from
the master-tapes (for the first time) of rare LP's by Wally
Gonzalez, the amazing heavy fuzz guitarist on all the
Juan De La Cruz albums. Gonzalez emerged in
the 1970's as a rock icon along with band-mates Joey "Pepe"
Smith (who was also in Speed, Glue, & Shinki
by the way) and Mike Hanopol. Together, they were collectively
called Juan Dela Cruz—a powerhouse group who awed the
hippie generation in the Philippines with a their scorching
Pinoy Rock. The two solo Wally Gonzalez albums are the rarest—and
among the best—recordings from the Juan Dela Cruz contingent,
up (or down) the same turgid back-alley as the the Juan Dela
Cruz band’s own "Himig Natin" and "Maskara"
LPs. Recommended without reservation. If you like heavy fuzz
guitar/psych similar to Shinki Chen and Speed Glue and Shinki—you
will love these albums!
WALLY
GONZALEZ "Tunog Pinoy" (1977) (KBA-5009)
A much more varied album than we expected—just listening
to the soaring solos of the third track, ‘Pinag-isa’,
makes us think how much this sounds like Pink Floyd circa “Dark
Side of the Moon”—atmospheric, with breathy vocals,
yet thick with that mid-70’s heavy energy at the same
time; then you get to ‘Rock & Roll Mama’, and
it’s stinging guitar leads and crunching rhythm section
all the way; Gonzalez clearly was not a one trick (heavy acid
blues rock) pony, which explains why this album has always been
held in such high regard among those who had a chance to hear
it.
Catalogue number: KBA-5009 (LN)
UPC number: 4800616770108
WALLY
GONZALEZ "Wally On The Road" (1978) (KBA-5024)
First off, don’t be deceived by the title—this is
a studio album all the way; altogether a different sort of album
from “Tunog Pinoy”, thudding out of the gate with
the monumental ‘Kailan Pa Kaya’, syrupy treated
vocals, John Bonham-esque drumming and all; dig too, if you
will, the Zeppelin vibe of ‘Screw’ before sailing
into the trippy, acoustic ‘Tattong Araw’, or the
legendary ‘Wally’s Blues’; more effects than
the earlier record, sounding more like newfound recordings from
the late 1960’s than a mid-70’s record—this
has more psychedelic credentials than most reissues which get
that label bestowed upon them; you might say that while “Tunog
Pinoy” is classic rock in the best sense, this is classic
psychedelia, in the best sense.
Catalogue
number:KBA-5024 (LN)
UPC number: 4800616770115
LION
PRODUCTIONS LPs RELEASES
CHRISTOPHER
“What'cha Gonna Do?”:
Deluxe LP reissue of one of the absolute rarest American psychedelic
LPs of the 60s—and one of the best! every song is of the
highest quality (all originals too), with an accessible sound
the suggests that the band could have had more widespread success,
had they ever made it out of their native South Carolina; the
album was originally pressed in 1969 to use as a demo, but you'd
never know it based on the overall quality of the production;
the music demands your attention: well-crafted trippy lysergic
lyrics about plastic capsules (and more), flanged vocals (among
other effects), fine vocal harmonies, extended jamming, and
a transcendent quality well expressed by the gutsy and creative
guitar work. When you've got blistering acid rock mixed with
acid blues, with a couple of thoughtful melodic songs for good
measure, you've got a recipe for something special. Had Christopher
been a major label release it would be a staple in every record
collection. Now, on to the presentation... Highest quality mastering
and pressing (done at Acoustech Mastering/RTI in California);
the resulting LP is housed in a poly-lined sleeve, which is
inside an ultra-heavy 1960's Project label style gatefold jacket,
which is in a loose-fitting plastic sleeve. Top of the line
pressing all the way. Limited by license to exactly 500 copies.
Catalogue number: LION LP-101
ODYSSEY
“Setting Forth”
Once upon a time, when the music business was more music than
business (but only just), there was a band that created a quintessential
dose of New York sixties psychedelia—strong harmonic vocals,
heavy swirling organ, and fuzz guitar riffs of the greatest
ferocity. Their lone album, one of the ten rarest and most sought
after US psychedelic albums, is available on vinyl for the first
time since its original pressing—painstakingly remastered,
repackaged, and ready for true psych fans to devour. This is
truly one of the cornerstones of underground psychedelic music,
recorded in 1969, released in an edition of fewer than 100 copies,
and impossible to find as it only came in a plain white cardboard
sleeve. An album that jumps right out of the speakers at you,
from it’s opening “In-a-gadda-da-vida” riffs
right to the very end. Gatefold spread has a band history by
Odyssey leader Vinny Kusy, as well as rare photos from his own
archive. Now, on to the presentation... Highest quality mastering
and pressing (done at Acoustech Mastering/RTI in California);
the resulting LP is housed in a poly-lined sleeve, which is
inside an ultra-heavy 1960's Project label style gatefold jacket,
which is in a loose-fitting plastic sleeve.
Catalogue number: LION LP-102
PLASTIC CLOUD
"S/T":
In 1968, the Plastic Cloud recorded, quite simply, one of the
greatest psychedelic albums ever made. This a record with few
equals, full of foreboding melodies and lovely hippie harmonies,
as well as some of the most superb and trippiest, Eastern sounding
fuzz guitar ever recorded. There is no point singling out a
specific track, they are all excellent—one is equally
as good as the next. Take for example the album centerpiece,
the ten-and-a-half-minute ‘You Don't Care,’ an insane
piece of social commentary that features terrific back-of-the-mix
fuzz guitar as an elusive focal point to its extended pounding-drum
laden instrumental breaks; with a great chorus and a plaintive
melody in the verse, it doesn't overstay its welcome, winding
its way to a final freak out. Essential psychedelia! We feel
that it’s about time this fine record got it’s due
on vinyl, so we have gone all out: it is mastered from the original
tapes; the gatefold inner spread has the original LP text, lyrics
for all of the songs (thanks to Don Brewer, the man who wrote
them), as well as rare photos; as an insert, we have included
a replica of an original press release that must be seen to
be believed. Now, on to the presentation—the highest quality
mastering and pressing (done at Acoustech Mastering/RTI in California,
the same plant that presses every title that Classic Records
makes); the resulting LP is housed in a poly-lined sleeve, inside
an ultra-heavy 1960's style gatefold jacket, which is housed
in a loose-fitting plastic sleeve. The LP labels are replicas
of the original Allied silver and blue labels. A top of the
line pressing all the way. Limited edition of exactly 700 copies.
Catalogue number:LION LP-103