A pair of early records from Hour Glass – back to back in a single set! First up is the self titled Hour Glass album – fantastic early work from Gregg And Duane Allman – a set that's nothing at all like their Allman Brothers material, but which has a wonderful style nonetheless! At some level, there's a very strong soul current running through the music – as the group mix in songs by Curtis Mayfield, Deon Jackson, and others with some headier rock material – all set up in these arrangements by Dallas Smith that seem to begin in uptown soul, then push things into more psychedelic territory! The blend is great, and makes for a really wonderful record – on titles that include "I've Been Trying", "No Easy Way Down", "Out Of The Night", "Nothing But Tears", "Heartbeat", and "Silently". Power Of Love is an excellent second set from Hour Glass – the pre-Allman Brothers Band that featured both Duane and Gregg Allman, the latter of whom is really coming into his own on the record! Unlike the group's debut, this one features a lot more original material by Gregg – and guitars that start to crackle in that sweetly cresting style that would become the group's hallmark, and which would have an undeniable influence on the sound of rock in the 70s. At some level, the whole thing's an early southern effort to answer the sounds of the Bay Area scene – and comes off beautifully, thanks to titles that include "To Things Before", "I'm Not Afraid", "Home For The Summer", "Down In Texas", "Now Is The Time", and "Going Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue full length album from Ace Of Cups – a really unusual female group from the Bay Area scene of the late 60s – but one who never hit the heights of their bigger San Francisco contemporaries! The girls have this really great look on the back – kind of flower power, but with a bit more charm – a quality that comes through in the music, with is often more garagey than trippy – but which also has a way of putting forth female vocals and honest ideas that might not flourish this strongly for similar groups until the post-punk years. That approach makes the whole thing a truly timeless collection of tracks – of the sort that maybe resonate more strongly today than they did back in the 60s. Titles include "Music", "Glue", "Taste Of One", "Stones", "Pretty Boy", "Waller Street Blues", "Simplicity", and a great version of "Afro Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

An underground classic from Karen Dalton – a record that's almost out of time, given its early 70s release – as Karen sings with spare backings that are almost in a Folkway Records mode at points, but with all these headier currents that are also indicative of the Bay Area generation too! Dalton's voice is completely unique too – unlike anything you'll ever hear – phrasing that almost hearkens back both to vintage jazz and Appalachian folk, but a style that's more long hair – as are some of the backings too. The set was recorded upstate in Bearsville – and really has all the hallmarks of the freedoms of that scene at the time – summed up beautifully on material that includes "Something On Your Mind", "In A Station", "Take Me", "Same Old Man", Are You Leaving For The Country", "Katie Cruel", and "How Sweet It Is". LP, Vinyl record album

An underground classic from Karen Dalton – a record that's almost out of time, given its early 70s release – as Karen sings with spare backings that are almost in a Folkway Records mode at points, but with all these headier currents that are also indicative of the Bay Area generation too! Dalton's voice is completely unique too – unlike anything you'll ever hear – phrasing that almost hearkens back both to vintage jazz and Appalachian folk, but a style that's more long hair – as are some of the backings too. The set was recorded upstate in Bearsville – and really has all the hallmarks of the freedoms of that scene at the time – summed up beautifully on material that includes "Something On Your Mind", "In A Station", "Take Me", "Same Old Man", Are You Leaving For The Country", "Katie Cruel", and "How Sweet It Is". Features a huge amount of bonus material – three alternate takes from the album sessions, and six more live tracks from 1971! LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy Bay Area sounds here – with cuts that include "Superbyrd" and "Your Old Lady" by Steve Miller Band, "Stranger In My Own Home Town" and "Revolution" by Mother Earth, and "Codine" and "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" by Quicksilver Messenger Service. (Soundtracks, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

An underground classic from Karen Dalton – a record that's almost out of time, given its early 70s release – as Karen sings with spare backings that are almost in a Folkway Records mode at points, but with all these headier currents that are also indicative of the Bay Area generation too! Dalton's voice is completely unique too – unlike anything you'll ever hear – phrasing that almost hearkens back both to vintage jazz and Appalachian folk, but a style that's more long hair – as are some of the backings too. The set was recorded upstate in Bearsville – and really has all the hallmarks of the freedoms of that scene at the time – summed up beautifully on material that includes "Something On Your Mind", "In A Station", "Take Me", "Same Old Man", Are You Leaving For The Country", "Katie Cruel", and "How Sweet It Is". LP, Vinyl record album

The first moment of genius from the Steve Miller Band – a killer debut that also features a young Boz Scaggs as a key member of the group! Steve's the core star here, though – setting things up in this amazing blend of psych, blues, and hard rock – one that's easily a lot more ballsy than most of his Bay Area contemporaries at the time – really taking off on some propulsive rhythms, razor-sharp guitar, and cooking keyboards! Scaggs' vocal help is mighty nice – and titles include "You've Got The Power", "Pushed Me To It", "Junior Saw It Happen", "Baby's Callin Me Home", "Roll With It", and "Key To The Highway". LP, Vinyl record album

Recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound, the studio referenced in the title of the album, and presented in a wonderful cover image that has Cher standing outside the tiny facility with a host of legendary studio players that include Eddie Hinton, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Beckett, and Roger Hawkins! Sonny's also standing in the crowd in the photo, but he's as in the background as he is on this set – as Cher's singing alone in a soul-styled mode that's befits the setting of the album. Titles include a funky take on "I Walk On Guilded Splinters", plus "For What It's Worth", "Cry Like A Baby", "Save The Children", "Do Right Woman", and "Dock Of The Bay". Plus, the 2LP set features a huge amount of bonus tracks – 11 more numbers from a whole second Muscle Shoals album, but which was never issued – with titles that include "Momma Look Sharp", "Chastity's Song", "It Gets Me Where I Want To Go", "Easy To Be Hard", "I Believe", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", and "The First Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's really out of time and place – a set that sounds nothing like most other material issued in 1980, and which also hardly shows any traces of the Louisiana roots of Will & James Ragar! Instead, the set's got this laidback style that's almost folk funk at times, especially the variant from the late 60s and early 70s – maybe a bit like the music of Alzo & Udine. Guitars are mostly acoustic, but warmed up in nicely smooth ways – not through commercial production, just by inflecting the proceedings with a knowledge of jazzier phrasing, which comes through in the vocals, piano, and occasional other instrumentation too. There's a warm, laidback approach to the record that's really beautiful – and titles include "As The Day Grows Tired", "My Shining Sun", "She's Laughter", "Melting Pot", "Needs", "Hidden Away", "Just A Wanderer", "Oregon", and "Parade". This reissue also adds in the bonus tracks "Forever" and "Bayou Paradise". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure bit of Christian rock from the Seattle scene at the start of the 70s – but a record that's got a lot more to offer than just that unusual pedigree! Don't think "Jesus rock", think instead of some of the more laidback, open-minded singer/songwriter material of the Bay Area scene – especially Marin County, with its elements of rootsy instrumentation and warmly collaborative spirit in the musicianship – a perfect fit for the gently spiritual messages of Wilson McKinley, which are mostly aimed at living a good life with a clear conscience. Production is lean, but in a great way – and the strength of the music's spirit comes through wonderfully on cuts that include "Crown Of Glory", "All My Life", "Tree Of Life", "One In The Spirit", and "It's Up To You". LP, Vinyl record album

If you think you know Boz Scaggs, think again – because this early Columbia album features a whole different sound! The Scaggs here is a really loose and soulful one – as Boz steps out of the freewheeling late 60s Bay Area scene with a really wonderful take on blue-eyed soul – an approach that's clearly informed by the sound of The Rascals and some of the New York scene, but which also has some tasty California touches that really transform the mood. Boz vocals are pure and straightforward – and the instrumentation on the set has a tight, but laidback sort of feel – no surprise, as Boz' band of the time was really great. There's a real Free Soul sort of feel to the record – and tracks include "Moments", "Downright Women", "Painted Bells", "Alone Alone", "Near You", "We Were Always Sweethearts", "Can I Make It Last", and "We Been Away". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from Ian Hunter and group – recorded in 1969, and a great harbinger for the sound of the 70s! Titles include "Rock & Roll Queen", "Half Moon Bay", "Rabbit Foot & Toby Time", "Wrath & Wroll", "Laught At Me", "Backsliding Fearlessly", and "You Really Got Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A slightly gentler album than the first Captain Beyond outing – but one that really has the group stretching out their wings wonderfully! The set's recorded both in Macon and Sausalito – and really has a vibe that indicates that mix – a core southern rock element, handled with the soulful undercurrents of early 70s Capricorn Records – but given some freer-thinking elements at times from the Bay Area scene! The drums power through nicely at some of the best points – but even the laidback tunes are pretty darn great – and we honestly never can understand why Captain Beyond weren't as big as some of their contemporaries from the southern scene. Titles include "Starglow Energy", "Evil Men", "Drifting In Space", "Bright Blue Tango", "Everything's A Circle", and "Voyages Of Past Travelers". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet folk rock from the Bay Area scene of the early 70s – a record that's very much in keeping with some of the criss-crossing of styles going on at the time – mostly rock, but with touches of folk, a consciousness of rootsier blues, and an overall laidback and hippie-warm style! The record features some great vocals from Toni Brown and Terry Garthwaite – often singing together in a sweetly melodic style with some nice harmonies. Titles include "Brownsville/Mockingbird", "Hush", "Too Late But Not Forgotten", "Dancing Couple", and "Did You Go Downtown". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set from that second chapter on the California scene – that moment when the big initial wave of successful groups had rose and broke, leaving behind all sorts of new creative partnerships! This set's a great example of one of those – as Jefferson Airplane members Paul Kantner and Grace Slick come together with David Freiberg of Quicksilver Messenger Service – then open the door to a whole host of guests who really help make the whole thing an all-star Bay Area affair! You can definitely hear some echoes of Quicksilver, especially some of the more down to earth modes of the later records by that group – which fit perfectly with the vocals – and the lineup features work by Jerry Garcia on guitar on most tracks, plus Mickey Hart on percussion, Papa John Creach on violin, Jorma Kaukonen on guitar, Jack Casady on bass, The Pointer Sisters on backup vocals, and even David Crosby on guest vocals on one track. Titles include "White Boy", "Fishman", "Sketches Of China", "Ballad Of The Chrome Nun", "Flowers Of The Night", and "Across The Board". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully heady set from this obscure Texas group – every bit in the best raw-edged psych of that scene of the time – with a few really nice noisy moments too! Titles include "All One Big Game", "Tomorrow", "Rock N Roll Woman", "Smell Of Incence", and "Bells Of Baytown" – plus the much longer cuts "And Another Thing" and "Downtown Woman/Nadine". LP, Vinyl record album