Oldish Psych and Prog

country: canada
quality : mp3 128k, scans
time: 41'33"
size: 52 mb

ProgArchves:

This Quebec-based Progressive rock band, who sang in French, has a very apt name in HARMONIUM. The core was a folk trio formed by guitarists Serge FIORI and Michel NORMANDEAU, and bassist Louis VALOIS. Their career was short (five years) and they released three studio albums in the mid-Seventies and a posthumous live album. They started off as a jazzy and typically French folk trio but began to delve into more progressive material on their brilliant second album, "Si on avait besoin d'une cinquième saison" ("If We Needed a Fifth Season"). They are regarded as one of the finest exponents (along with POLLEN and MANEIGE) of the "Golden Era of Quebec Progressive Music" Scene.
"Harmonium" is a "folky" album, but it contains progressive elements too. By their 2nd album, they were very much a cross between a symphonic rock band and a folk band; an interesting combination which you can hear most clearly on the 20-minute "Histoire Sans Paroles". Overall, a perfect album to start your French Canadian prog collection. With "L'Heptade", they reached their symphonic/progressive zenith. In addition to the now increasingly large band, classical instruments and mellotron are used throughout. This elegant double album is a testament to the potential of the genre. Both are really satisfying; if you are a confirmed proggy-prog band head,to begin with. "Harmonium en tournée" is an excellent live version of their conceptual work "L'Heptade". Fans of brave musical experiments and elegant songwriting could not be disappointed by HARMONIUM...!

genre: prog
country: canada
quality : lossless (flac, cue, log, booklet scans)
time: 46`01"+39'20"
size: 483 mb

www.vintageprog.com:
Harmonium's gradual transformation from acoustic folk to symphonic progressive rock was finally and definitively completed on "L'Heptade", a double album of utter musical depth and beauty dealing with the seven levels of consciousness. Fiori's ambitions kept getting bigger with each album and demanded the line-up to change and expand yet again, including now not just a permanent drummer in Denis Farmer, but also guitarist Robert Stanley who made the electric guitar more featured in the sound. His inclusion in the group was needed for other reasons too, as Normandeau actually left the band before the album was finished. The record also included several guest musicians, one of the most important were arranger Neil Chotem who in addition to play various keyboards also conducted the Montreal Symphony Orchestra on several passages during the record. They had also gotten a new wind player in Libert Subirana, as Daigneault decided to leave the band after the previous album. After a lush and moody orchestral prologue, the first song that graces our ears is "Comme un Fou" that has to be one of the best tracks the band recorded. All the new elements of the sound were presented here, and all of them worked as well as they could. The vocal harmonies (consisting both male and female voices) are wonderful, as well as the melodies and the very tasteful and integrated synths which play some of the main themes. You won't find much music that is more thoroughly and beautifully arranged than this. It should also be noted that Normandeau gets writing credits here and on several other tracks, so he were obviously a lot involved in the creation of the record, even if he's not featured on much of it. "Chanson Noire" shows that the more whimsical and light-hearted side of the band could come through even within the very ambitious frames of "L'Heptade". The song itself is far from simple though, featuring several chord changes and subtle symphonic passages with Mellotron. "Le Premier Ciel" has a pretty typical structure for an epic and lengthy progressive rock song, starting quite low-key and mellow before gradually building up the pace and evolving into one of the most infectious melodies on the album. Here the orchestral arrangements also really melt in together with the band, and the track climaxes with a lengthy instrumental part featuring excellent synth-work above an almost funky rhythm. The first part of "L'Exil" is an acoustic ballad where Fiori's emotional and dramatic vocal delivery is not far from Christian De Camps from Ange. The mid-part is a very dreamy and mystical instrumental section featuring nothing else than a drifting synth, taking the listener to a higher level of consciousness. But the track lightens considerably up when the vocals return in the end, before entering a grand and powerful finale. Guest vocalist Estelle St. Croix takes centre stage on "Le Corridor", singing a strong melody over the el-piano. The instrumental part of this song is also dreamy and quiet, but now underpinned by acoustic guitars. The least accessible moment on "L'Heptade" is probably "Lumières de Vie", featuring lots of classical piano and rather dark and subdued vocal parts. But again, also this track gets lighter in the end when the whole band joins in to play the concluding instrumental theme. "Comme un Sage" is a song that stays pretty much the same all the way through, despite the fact that it takes up nearly the entire fourth side of the album. Still, it doesn't become repetitive or boring for a second, but instead just glides gracefully away carried by a lovely melody and Fiori's pleasant vocals. And there are parts where the pace is turned up some levels too, like the one where the wordless vocal harmonies almost seem to be dancing around the band's powerful playing. But it slows down afterward again, just to build up to a striking finale where the beautiful chorus increases in intensity, before the orchestra joins in to top it off at the very end. The whole album is then ended with an orchestral epilogue that ends with the very first chords of the prologue. "L'Heptade" shows that Harmonium probably were the most original progressive rock band from Quèbec, as it won't remind you of any other band. And let's face it, no matter how many superb symphonic progressive rock bands that existed in the 70's, not too many of them were able to create a sound that was completely their own, but that's just what Harmonium did here.

genre: country
Tapestry of Delights:
Fomed in 1968, they initially started with a repertoire of folk, soul and R&B. However it took a couple of years for the band to gel with Colton, Gavin, Lee and Smith playing in Poet And The One Man Band around the same time. Upon the later's demise, they joined forces with Hodges and O'Neill to form Heads, Hands and Feet in 1970. Their debut album was issued as a double set in the US but as a single album here. It comprised a sort of country-influenced music which met with some critical acclaim. The follow-up, Tracks, made after Mike O'Neil had left, veered more towards rock than country but the group was by now plagued with interpersonal conflict and disintegrated before their final album was released.
Albert Lee later formed The Albert Lee Band, which included Gavin and Hodges. Hodges, incidentally, became half of the Chas and Dave duo and Albert Lee later played with Eric Clapton.
 

genre: heavy prog
country: norway
quality : lossless (flac, cue, log, small cover)
time: 42'29" size: 266 mb

Gepr:
Norwegian heavy rock. På Sterke Vinger is rather ordinary, very guitar based with some organ. As far as guitar-based hard rock with progressive touches goes, it's one of the better albums. More interesting from a strictly progressive standpoint is Hardt Mot Hardt. Still with an undeniable heaviness, but with an extended role for keyboards, plus guests on flute and strings. -- Mike Ohman
 

genre: psych
country: uk / new zealand
quality : lossless (flac, cue, log, scans)
time: 36'52" size: 207 mb

Wiki:
The Human Instinct were a New Zealand blues rock band active from the late 1960s until the early 1980s. The band's commercial peak was from 1969 to 1971, when albums featured the Jimi Hendrix-inspired guitar work of Billy Tekahika, professionally known as Billy TK
Early history: Psychedelic pop
The band emerged from. a 1950s pop band The Four Fours, formed in Tauranga in 1958 by drummer Trevor Spitz. Lead guitarist Bill Ward joined in 1959, former police cadet Dave Hartstone became rhythm guitarist in 1960, and Frank Hay was enlisted on bass. The foursome rapidly became one of the most sought-after bands in the country.
In mid-1966 Maurice Greer, then fronting his own band The Saints, was asked to try out. He had his first group at the age of 14 and was billed as "the teenage wonder drummer". In 1964 he began experimenting with his drum kit, converting it into a stand up-unit, which he claimed was better for his vocals. As well as his drumming ability, the Four Fours were impressed with his ability to harmonise and hit high notes, talents valued by chart-topping bands of the time. He joined just in time to record their biggest hit "Go Go"/"Don’t Print My Memoirs".
The band, featuring Maurice Greer as vocalist and stand-up drummer, toured as support band for The Rolling Stones' 1966 New Zealand tour and sailed to the UK in August, changing their name en route to the Human Instinct.
The band won a recording deal with Mercury Records in 1967, releasing "Rich Man" (which New Musical Expess described as a "pounding up-tempo piece with ear catching lyrics and some weird sounds"), "Can’t Stop Loving You", and a re-recording of the Four Fours' "Go Go". The band then signed with Deram Records to record "A Day in My Mind's Mind", described 30 years later by English critic Jon Savage as "a blurring of the real and fantastic, aurally reproduced by untuned raga-style guitars and a few voices".
Greer declined an offer to join the Jeff Beck Group, opting instead to return to New Zealand in September 1968 as the band disintegrated.

Peak of popularity: Blues rock
Palmerston North-born Greer sought a heavier rock sound with his band’s new three-piece lineup back in New Zealand: he had enlisted guitarist and old high school friend Billy Te Kahika (who used the name Billy TK) and bassist Peter Barton.
The Human Instinct secured a role as resident band at Auckland’s Bo Peep Club, then abandoned the gig to return to Britain in February 1969, where they invested in a massive PA and lighting system. They remained there for three months, during which time they met New Zealand guitarist Jesse Harper (real name Doug Jerebine), who was to contribute seven songs to the band’s first three albums.
On their return home, Greer was signed by Pye Records and entered Stebbing Studios to record their first blues-based album, Burning Up Years, which was released in late 1969. Three of the album’s seven songs were Harper compositions; one was Greer’s. (Another song, the A-side of their first single, "I Think I’ll Go Back Home", was a blues version of Neil Young’s "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere", but wrongly credited to Harper.)
During recording Barton was replaced on bass by Larry Waide.
In June 1970 the band began work on their second album, Stoned Guitar, after which Waide was replaced by former Underdogs bassist Neil Edwards. The band began work on their third album, Pins In It, which was released in June 1971.
The band flew to Sydney for a three-month tour, after which TK quit the band to remain in Australia. His place was taken by keyboardist Graeme Collins, formerly of Dedikation and Dragon 
Country rock
In 1972 Greer changed the lineup again, enlisting guitarists Martin Hope (Fourmyula) and John Donoghue (Timberjack) and bassist Glenn Mikkelson for a new country rock sound. The band released two more albums. A series of lineup changes took place before Greer ended the band in 1982.
 

genre: psych
country: uk / new zealand
quality : lossless (flac, cue, log, scans)
time: 31'24" size: 192 mb
 

01 - Cant Stop Around 2:33
02 - I Want To Be Loved By You My F 2:26
03 - The Rich Man 2:38
04 - Illusions 2:22
05 - Go Go 2:00
06 - I Cant Live Without You 2:23
07 - A Day In My Minds MInd 2:11
08 - Death Of The Seaside 2:30
09 - Renaissance Fair 2:22
10 - Pink Dawn 1:57
11 - I Think Ill Go Home 3:17
12 - You Really Got Me 3:27
13 - Midnight Sun 4:16
14 - Idea 4:35
15 - Black Sally 4:29
16 - Tomorrow 4:21
17 - Rainbow World 4:17
18 - Highway 2:19
19 - Texas Sparrow 2:40
20 - Children Of The World 2:31

... Read more »