Dave Thompson's review of "Mosaics" on "Goldmine".

 

Contributing editor at "Goldmine" and "Spin Cycle" vinyl column, a much published author (he co-wrote recent (and upcoming) autobiographies by Eddie and Brian Holland, New York Doll Sylvain Sylvain and Walter Lure of Johnny Thunder’s Heartbreaker), DAVE THOMPSON writes this good review on "GOLDMINE - The Music Collector's Magazine" web site.

 

"If you don’t know the Third Ear Band, stop reading and look them up on Youtube. We’ll see you back here in about thirty minutes.If, on the other hand, you do know their music… and have been waiting for a CD package that comes close to the quality of your original vinyl… this is what you’ve been looking for.

Effectively, Mosaics is a slimmed down version of the deluxe editions that appeared a few years back; it contains just the three basic albums (1969’s Alchemy, 1970’s Third Ear Band and 1972’s Music from MacBeth), without any of the bonus material, BBC sessions and out-takes, that accompanied them the last time around.

It’s a fascinating journey regardless; the first two albums in particular hang so far outside anything remotely approaching even the underground mainstream of the era that the most common description for them is “challenging.”

Nevertheless, the band’s haunting oboe/cello/violin/hand drum-led improv (more-or-less) transports you to places best described as the ultimate destination for everything that was happening musically at the end of the sixties. Flavoured with a vision that refuses point-blank to sit comfortably among your expectations."

 

(original page here)

 no©2021 LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first).

Another TEB's track in a forthcoming Grapefruit's compilation.

A secondary effect related to Cherry Red has acquised the TEB's Harvest full catalogue clearly has been the publication of their tracks in many compilations. This is the last one published by Grapefruit and it shows the old National Balkan Ensemble's "Cosmic Trip" (anyway already officially available on the "Alchemy" remastered edition).

I don't know if this tune can be classify as "psychedelic music", because the ambiguity of the term, but it's a great track and it can be useful for letting people know the Third Ear Band's music.

 

Here below you can read the press release of the forthcoming CDs box:

Think I’m Going Weird: Original Artefacts From The British Psychedelic Scene 1966-68, 5CD
Various Artists

£33.99

Released October 29, 2021.

• Grapefruit’s landmark 100th release

• A definitive overview of the British psychedelic scene, an epic five-CD/book set that includes more than 50 minutes of previously unreleased music from the halcyon period 1966-68.

• Grapefruit’s landmark 100th release

• A definitive overview of the British psychedelic scene, an epic five-CD/book set that includes more than 50 minutes of previously unreleased music from the halcyon period 1966-68.

• Including the major acts of the era (The Who, Traffic, Small Faces, The Move, Procol Harum, Incredible String Band, Family, Crazy World of Arthur Brown etc), ‘Think I’m Going Weird: Original Artefacts From The British Psychedelic Scene 1966-68’ features many bands who also played London’s underground dungeons during the Summer Of Love.

• Featuring studio demos from the likes of Tintern Abbey, The Soft Machine, Mabel Greer’s Toyshop, Genesis, Mandrake Paddle Steamer, Dantalian’s Chariot and others plus numerous cult 45s (July, Caleb, Vamp, Blossom Toes, Sweet Feeling, etc) and fascinating album cuts from such scene stalwarts as Tomorrow, Fairport Convention, Kaleidoscope, The Deviants and Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera.

Perhaps most enticingly of all, the collection includes a number of hitherto-unknown recordings by bands who are only now gaining their first public exposure including Eyes Of Blond, Tinsel Arcade, Crystal Ship (whose contribution features lyrics from Pete Brown) and the semi-mythical 117, such a legendary name from the era’s handbills and posters that they even had a UK psych fanzine named after them in the ‘90s.

A dazzling feat of licensing and research, ‘Think I’m Going Weird…’ comes in a 60-page A5 book format with 25,000-word track-by-track annotation with some extraordinary and rare photos and memorabilia.

For anyone even remotely interested in British psychedelia, it’s simply an essential purchase.

Track Listing:

DISC ONE:

1 THINK I’M GOING WEIRD – Art
2 MY CLOWN (single mix) – July
3 THE VIEW – Gary Walker & The Rain
4 UTTERLY SIMPLE – Traffic
5 A WOMAN OF DISTINCTION – Caleb
6 LIKE THE SUN, LIKE THE FIRE – Simon Dupree & The Big Sound
7 LAZY OLD SUN (alternative version, stereo) – The Kinks
8 PLASTIC DAFFODILS – Atlanta Roots
9 PSYCHEDELIA – Ron Geesin
10 DREAM STARTS – Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera
11 TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE IN ME – Strawbs
12 FUNNIEST GIG – Manfred Mann
13 SUNNY CELLOPHANE SKIES – The Status Quo
14 MRS GRUNDY – Plastic Penny
15 BUFFALO BILLYCAN – Apple
16 CHARLES BROWN – Sweet Feeling
17 ROSIE CAN’T FLY – Sleepy
18 I KNOW, SHE BELIEVES – The Picadilly Line
19 THE LOBSTER – Fairport Convention
20 YELLOW BRICK ROAD – The Mindbenders
21 THE STORY OF DAVID – Granny’s Intentions
22 THE DEVIL RIDES OUT – Icarus
23 IS ANYBODY HOME? – The Mirage
24 WHY – Eyes Of Blond*
*previously unreleased

DISC TWO:

1 WORLD WAR III – Dantalian’s Chariot
2 SEE THROUGH WINDOWS – Family
3 SALAD DAYS (ARE HERE AGAIN) – Procol Harum
4 THE TRUTH IS PLAIN TO SEE – Freedom
5 SUN SING – Force Four
6 MR SMALL THE WATCH REPAIRER MAN – Kaleidoscope
7 IMAGE BLOWN OUT – Genesis
8 LIFE IS JUST BEGINNING – The Creation
9 TAKING OUT TIME – The Spencer Davis Group
10 THAT MAN – Small Faces
11 YOU’RE HAUNTING ME – The Hi-Fis
12 MRS GILLESPIE’S REFRIGERATOR – Sands
13 PLEASE RETURN – Rust
14 LAST MINUTE – The Nashville Teens 15 ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER – The Alan Bown!
16 THE TOUCHABLES (ALL OF US) – Nirvana
17 HALLIFORD HOUSE – The Virgin Sleep
18 CATHERINE’S WHEEL – Denny Laine
19 GIRL IN THE MIRROR – Christopher Colt
20 ELEVATOR (single mix) – Grapefruit
21 WORLD IN MY HEAD – Mike Stuart Span
22 UFO – Neo Maya
23 THE LAUGHING MAN – John Carter & Russ Alquist
24 FLOATIN’ – Vamp
25 LIFE DOES NOT SEEM WHAT IT SEEMS – Tinsel Arcade*
26 SCENE OF THE LEMON QUEEN – One Step Beyond*
*previously unreleased

DISC THREE:

1 HAPPENINGS TEN YEARS TIME AGO – The Yardbirds
2 HAVE SOME MORE TEA – The Smoke
3 WALK UPON THE WATER – The Move
4 JABBERWOCK – Boeing Duveen And The Beautiful Soup
5 THE MAD HATTER’S SONG – The Incredible String Band
6 SHOPLIFTERS – Ivor Cutler Trio
7 LOOK OUT THERE’S A MONSTER COMING – The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band
8 SARA, CRAZY CHILD (extended German 45 version) – John’s Children
9 BEYOND THE RISING SUN – Tyrannosaurus Rex
10 HEY GIRL – JP Sunshine
11 MR SUNSHINE (film version) – Barclay James Harvest
12 TICK TOCK – Shyster
13 CHEADLE HEATH DELUSIONS – Felius Andromeda
14 THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF TIMOTHY CHASE – Tomorrow
15 THE BIRTHDAY – The Idle Race
16 HOW CAN WE HANG ON TO A DREAM? – The Moody Blues
17 YES IS A PLEASANT COUNTRY – Circus
18 SUMMER SUN SHINES – The Fresh Windows
19 THE BLUE MAN RUNS AWAY – Crystal Ship*
20 WHAT’S HAPPENING? – The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
21 MOTHER’S MAGAZINE – Mother’s Pride*
22 FLYING MACHINE – Turquoise
23 IN THE PARK – The Cortinas
24 HUNG UP ON A DREAM – The Zombies
25 WE ARE THE MOLES PART 1 – The Moles
26 WE ARE THE MOLES PART 2 – The Moles
*previously unreleased

DISC FOUR:

1 ARMENIA CITY IN THE SKY – The Who
2 FREDEREEK HERNANDO – One In A Million
3 FLOWERMAN – The Syn
4 I CAN HEAR COLOURS – The Motives
5 GREEN – The Lion & The Fish
6 I’M SO LOW (aka JET- PROPELLED PHOTOGRAPH) – The Soft Machine
7 JEANETTA – Mabel Greer’s Toyshop
8 COME OVER STRANGER – Canto
9 CHILDREN OF THE SUN (demo version) – The Misunderstood
10 BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME – St. Valentine’s Day Massacre
11 (I’M SO) SAD – The Magic Mixture
12 YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE LOVE BABE – The Graham Bond Organisation
13 RUMBLE OF MERSEY SQUARE SOUTH – Wimple Winch
14 COSMIC TRIP – Third Ear Band
15 I BRING THE SUN – John Bryant
16 POLICE IS HERE – A New Generation
17 SPICKS AND SPECKS – The Bee Gees
18 DEATH OF THE SEASIDE – The Human Instinct
19 BOYS AND GIRLS TOGETHER – Friday’s Chyld*
20 CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE – Jason Crest
21 TOYMAKER’S SHOP – Louise
22 PLASTIC AEROPLANE – Medium Rare*
23 VENUSIAN MOONSHINE (live at Middle Earth) – 117*
*previously unreleased

DISC FIVE:

1 PATH THROUGH THE FOREST – The Factory
2 FREEDOM FOR YOU – The Attack
3 WALKING THROUGH MY DREAMS – Pretty Things
4 DON’T GO ‘WAY LITTLE GIRL – The Shame
5 MY PRAYER – Tintern Abbey*
6 PHANTOM I – Jade Hexagram
7 COVER GIRL – Perfumed Garden
8 ROSE COLOURED GLASSES – The Tickle
9 AMY PEATE – The Orange Bicycle
10 DREAM IN MY MIND – Rupert’s People
11 SPIDER – Downliners Sect
12 WHAT ON EARTH (single mix) – Blossom Toes
13 BUILDING UP A DREAM – The End
14 THE CAT – The Merseys
15 PANDEMONIUM SHADOW SHOW – Mandrake Paddle Steamer
16 WATERWAYS (demo version) – East Of Eden
17 WHICH WAY – The Sorrows
18 BUN – The Deviants
19 ANOTHER VINCENT VAN GOGH – The 23rd Turnoff
20 SMILE AT THE SAD SUN – Champagne*
21 TALES OF BRAVE ULYSSES – The Zany Woodruff Operation*
22 SITTING ON A BLUNESTONE – Tales Of Justine
23 BRAIN – The Action
*previously unreleased

 no©2021 LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first).

"Stone Circle" in a new collection dedicated to "the undeground sounds of 1969".

 

This is the cover of a new 3CDs collection produced by Esoteric Recordings about the "underground sounds of 1969". Third Ear Band is included with "Stone Circle", taken from "Alchemy". The project is edited by Mark Powell.

You can get a copy of it at £19.99 HERE.

 

Here's the press release:

"Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the next release in their series of compilations celebrating the so-called “underground” rock music – “Banquet – Underground Sounds of 1969”, is a 3CD clamshell boxed set which gathers together nearly four hours of music from 1969, a year that saw a huge progression in both musically and socially. It was a fine year for creativity in British album-based rock, embraced by the emerging counter-culture. Musical stylistic influences such as psychedelia jazz, blues, hard rock, folk and even classical music melded, all of which championed by “underground” figures of the day such as DJ John Peel on his BBC Radio One show Top Gear and by publications such as International Times and Oz.

The common thread among all of these artists was an emphasis on experimentation and a desire to push the perceived boundaries of popular music. It was also a year that would see the birth of “progressive” record labels such as EMI’s Harvest and Phillips Records’ Vertigo imprints, both aiming to mimic the success that independent labels such as Island Records had achieved and it was the year when the “sampler” compilation albums such as “You Can All Join In”, “Nice Enough to Eat”, “Gutbucket”, “Son of Gutbucket” and “Wowie Zowie! – The World of Progressive Music” left a lasting impression on the album buying audience.

1969 also saw bands that would go on to achieve success and influence in the 1970s such as Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After, Jethro Tull, Barclay James Harvest, Edgar Broughton Band, Free, Family, Genesis, Strawbs, Van Der Graaf Generator, Man and Yes begin their rise to prominence.

Aside from featuring better known acts such as Jack Bruce, Thunderclap Newman, Procol Harum, Moody Blues, Taste, Fairport Convention, Colosseum, Michael Chapman and The Jeff Beck Group, this compilation also features lesser-known acts that produced fine work of a wide breadth such as Eyes of Blue, East of Eden, Blodwyn Pig, Locomotive, Mighty Baby, Pete Brown and The Deviants.

This collection celebrates a creative period when rock music was evolving into something altogether more serious, moving away from the single as medium to give way to the dominance of the album. Open your ears to “Banquet – Underground Sounds of 1969”."

 

You can read a review by Dave Thompson on "Goldmine" here.

 

no©2021 LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first).

3CDs "Mosaics" out now: a first review brings the Thirds back into the spotlight.

"Mosaics", the Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red 3CDs box with all the original Harvest TEB records, is now available. For £20.99, you can get a copy from the label's Web site at https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/third-ear-band-mosaics-the-albums-1969-1972-3cd-clamshell-box-set/

A first long review by John Barlass has been published HERE.

no©2021 LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first).