Samla Mammas Manna- Maltid (1973)

If it wasn't for EdibleChrist introducing me to the R.I.O.- Rock In Opposition- genre, I never would have come across these guys.  Sammla Mammas Manna has gone through multiple line up changes and even a few name changes, but this album, their 2nd, seems to sum up this early 70's Swedish Prog/Rio sound to a "T". 

Maltid has a huge mix of all musical styles combined in one single direct approach for an all encompassing sound.  The vocals are in Swedish, and since I don't speak Swedish, I have no idea what they are saying; but since they use their vocals as more of an instrument and not as a "main sound" it fits in perfectly. (Seriously, they could be talking about unicorns or the newest Swedish dance hit for all I know.)  The great thing about this album, and alot of the early 70's European RIO/prog sound, is the fact that all the instruments being played, are being played very well.  You get to hear solos on various instruments, and the drumming is really quite advanced when you think of the time period when it was made.  Since the time signatures change and the instrumentation is weaving in and out of each other, the percussion is a constant throughout, not including their own solos.  Guitars, bass, pianos, xylophones, and more are used to provide you with a sense of music based comradeship that melts into a dynamic sound that will keep the most avid music fan and the most hyper ADHD child enthralled with interest.

RIO is a genre that you have to acquire a taste for.  Not for the standard music fan, this album and the genre as a whole, will be highly respected by some, and greatly disliked by others.  If you enjoy divers music, you'll love RIO and if you like RIO, you must get this album.

Official score-4/5

Khan- Space Shanty (1972, & reissued 2005)

Lately I've been trying to find new music to have different things to listen to, I'm a music junkie, so I had been browsing different bands and reviews on a progressive rock website.  Although prog rock has some lame stigmas to it genre, prog is pretty all encompassing. (kraut rock, early psych, prog, RIO, etc.)  Well, after finding quite a few of the albums that sounded cool and listening to them,  I have completely stopped reading anything from that site; some of those bands are freakin' awful.  Khan, being from the early Canterbury Scene, is pretty much one of those bands.  I wouldn't say that they are awful, but boring is probably a way better description. 

The first 20 seconds or so made me think that Space Shanty was going to be a pretty cool early psych/prog release; I was wrong.  This album has 8 tracks, and for the most part nothing to get excited about.  Granted they do hit early 70's prog rock spot on, the album, and songs, as a whole are is very disappointing.  Each track starts off pretty much the same with prog style guitar that builds until the drums kick in, then vocals, this continue until a breakdown, then you hear a solo, then back into the song; this formula is on every track.  I will admit that some of the instrumentation and breakdowns are cool, but there are way, I mean way, better examples of early prog/psych guitars/instrumentation/vocals/etc.  I was listening to this album, in order to review it, while driving home from work and was so bored that I got tired, literally.  I have been trying to think of something to compare this to so here it is: if you took C.C.R. mixed them with lo-fi guitars and then added Pink Floyd meets Boston vocals, then you'd have Khan.  This is more or less a band that you would hear on your local classic rock station that would stick in your head until you got mad that it was so intrusive. 

If you are reading this, you can tell that I didn't like it.  Maybe Khan has other albums, maybe some of there members went on to do really cool music?, I don't know and have no intention of trying to find out.  Maybe sometime down the line I will accidentally stumble across some project that had Khan members and will be impressed, and if so, I will post something about it.

Official score- 1/5

Foreningen Til Livets Beskyttelse- Self Titled (1972)

I found this album years ago, while surfing the internet for something new to hear.  I have never seen this album anywhere to buy, but have found it online, for a ton of cash, so download it if you think you are interested.  There isn't very much information to be found online for Foreningen Til Livets Beskyttelse, but this album isn't too bad and definitely worth a listen.


From what I can gather, Foreningen Til Livets Beskyttelse was comprised of different musicians that were in some sort of hippie-folk playing commune, in Holland around the early 70's; and their name means "The Organization for Protection of Life", how hippie is that?  This self titled album is a really good example of progressive folk, mixed with early Danish psychedelic.  The album is comprised of the usual instruments: guitars, bass, drums, woodwinds, etc., but the one thing that does stand out is the rhythms and structures of their songs.  Most folk type albums that I have heard are your standard peace loving acoustic guitar with melodic vocals-not that exciting, and I'm not saying that this will rock your world, but they way they structure their songs with all the different instruments and beats produced by the drumming or rhythmical instrumentation lends to some unique tunage.  With 9 tracks that cover a pretty broad spectrum, folk wise, this is something that can be a great addition to any music fans collection.

Now, with all that being said, it is folk, which in my opinion is not a genre that I am going to get too excited about; and with vocals being in Dutch, this is an album that is for that "certain niche".  I like this album, and in fact I am sure that I played this when I was doing a local radio show with Gene Cesspool.  I recommend this, but if you don't like being unable to understand the language of the vocals, don't like folk music and not a fan of early prog., then this will not be for you.

Official score- 3.5/5

King Crimson- Live At Summit Studios March 12, 1972 (2000)

I remember 2 of my old roommates introducing King Crimson to me, and I liked them from the first time I heard them; and my appreciation has grown throughout the years.  Years ago I had a chance to see them live, with the same 2 roommates that introduced them to me, but I didn't go; and I still kick myself for not going all these years later.

King Crimson is one of the premier Progressive Rock/Experimental Rock/ Jazz Fusion type bad asses that have graced the music world for the past 40+ years.  The first album that I was introduced to, as far as I can remember, was one of their earlier albums, Lark's Tongue in Aspic, and I was blown away.  I have always enjoyed King Crimson's multi-tempo style of music.  Each and every member is phenomenal on their instrument and they, as a whole and individually, have been influential in the progression of musicians and style of music being played/composed. 

Live At Summit Studios is one of my favorite King Crimson albums of all time.  Recorded live in 1972, in Denver Colorado, these 8 tracks that have a play time of over 70 minutes of sheer live raw early awesomeness.  Jazz meets progressive rock meets highly skilled improvisation.  This is a great King Crimson line up and as you listen to the album, you can tell the live audience is not disappointed in anything they get to hear.  Straight up head nodding rockin' with improvisation, on all instruments, that will make you say "WOW" out loud and make other people wonder what your thinking.  Each track builds on an improv then leads to the song or vise versa; one of the best examples of early progressive rock there is.

I would recommend this album to any/everyone that is a music fan. Whether you like standardly built songs, improv, jazz, early prog rock- this is a quintessential album for everyone's collection.

Official score-4.5/5