Rock — LPs  

Sandy Bull's third album – a pair of long pieces that combine the multicultural folk instrumental experimentation – with Bull playing guitar, bass, bass drum, oud and hand percussion – rolling in a bit more electric blues on one side, and meandering psychedelic impulses on the other! The album features 2 sidelong pieces, "No Deposit, No Return Blues" and "Electric Blend" – the both recognizable as Bull's work if you've heard is previous couple of excellent LPs for Vanguard, but actually manage to work in more conventional grooves and more far out experimentation – splitting the difference in that regard. "No Deposit, No Return Blues" does work in some laidback electric blues guitar and spare percussion backing, but tinged with Sandy's Middle Eastern touches, too. "Electric Blend" works in the evolving sprit of his earlier "Blends", with with inspiration from the later 60s psyche sounds.

Great 60s work from Mina – a singer who only seems to get better and better as the years go on! This smoker from 1967 finds Mina really working out strongly in a mix of mod modes – including some newly soulful undercurrents that definitely borrow a bit from the Dusty Springfield generation, yet which also take on a rich new feel of their own in Mina's Italian vocals. There's also a touch of Brazilian influence, and some of the usual strong soundtrack impulses that show up in previous records – making for a really rich batch of tunes that includes an excellent cover of Chico Buarque's "A Banda", plus "Quando Vedro", "L'Immensita", "Conversazione", "Sabati E Domeniche", "Noi Due", "Portami Con Te", and "Se Tornasse Caso Mai".