SCORPION/I AM THE SCORPION 9P (-70/-15) SWEDEN

                                                                               

 One-off album from this setting, consisting of the then boss for the MNW label - Bo Anders Larsson - together with US artist, writer and producer Kim Fowley, backed by the labels newly signed band Contact  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2013/04/contactnobody-wants-to-be-sixteen-mnwl.html   . Produced by Kim Fowley who also co-wrote most of the songs. I've seen it described as hard rock, garage or psych. Listening today I hear some of all those genres, but also some classic rock, blues and ballads. Greater part though raw hard rock filled with howling guitars, wild drumming and rude vocals, much reminding of the contemporary Detroit rock scene with bands like MC5 and Iggy & The Stooges. To my taste most of it excellent, but if I have to pick favourites it'd be the title track, "Hey Girl I'm Ugly" and the crude cover of "It's All Over Now".  The 1970 original 12-track issue of this album didn't sell at all and was soon withdrawn. I've been looking for it in bins for decades, without luck. This 2015 14-track re-issue - with the former 45 A-side "It's All Over Now" and the almost insulting instrumental "Fuck The Cops" as bonus - mimics the original, having the same label design in a silvery fold/out cover with record pocket inside. The release was limited to 500 numbered vinyl copies only and is now getting very rare too, so I was truly happy to find this one. Sorry bout the quality of the front sleeve pic, but my scanner just can't handle the glossy slilvery surface. And sadly it seems Youtube don't allow me to download any songs from this to my page, but You can get them all here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erd4YR4RuXc&list=OLAK5uy_mKT_085XHviCCrQy4Coic7q0I5ZNXJ1nA&index=2   (NÅY*) (CCÖ*) (SCÄ*) 

                                                                                 

                                                                                           

                                                                                   


 

 

FAIR WEATHER/BEGINNING FROM AN END NE1 (-71) UK

                                                                                      

 Band forming after a split within the successful Welsh rock combo Amen Corner  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2017/06/amen-cornerfarewell-to-real-magnificent.html .  When sax player Allan Jones quit to start Judas Jump  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2018/05/judas-jumpscorch-pas-10001-70-uk.html the remaining members, led by guitarist singer Andy Fairweather-Low, transformed into this 1970. However the band just existed a little more than a year, releasing two albums whereof the second - "Let Your Mind Roll On" - only was issued in Germany and Italy. They scored one UK hit with the 45 "Natural Sinner", but that was it. The other 45:s and this debute album fell short. Listening today part of  the music here is far from Amen Corner's positive up-tempo rock. I get a couple of rockers - the hard "Don't Mess With Cupid" the heavy "You Ain't No Friend Of Mine" and the intense "I Hear You Knockin" cover. Further the title song comes as a jazzy instrumental, "Poor Man's Bum A Run" is hard to descibe, but why not Country psych. Add to that a couple of jazzy ballads and what you get is a very mixed bag. But I dont feel split listening. It's all kept well together by production, audio and Fairweather-Low's vocals. Good to my ears and a keeper for sure. Also issued in Germany, France, Italy, US, Japan, Downunder and a couple of South American countries. UK CD on Esoteric Records (ECLEC 2028) came with six bonus tracks. First UK had labels as shown here in a matte fold/out cover.