Missionaria Protectiva

  LEON RUSSELL  Leon Russell & The Shelter People  (Shelter,1971) - Rock'n'Roll         This record appears to have been recorded in fits and starts, because it lists four different groups as background musicians. It’s less a band and more like a loose collective; there’s The Shelter People, the Tulsa Tops, Muscle Shoals Swampers, and Friends in England. That being said, there is a cohesive fluidity to the album that belies the varied and seemingly complicated background groups.       Russell has a unique ability to compose his songs from the piano outward, which is to say that his songs feel played versus constructed .       Leon Russell and the Shelter People reminds me of what I like about albums from this era: the imperfection. This was a popular and successful record, but it isn’t perfect. So much popular music today is perfect; sure, imperfection is found on the fringes, but by and large, perfection is the name o...

  Dr. JOHN  Loser For You Baby  (Babylon,1982) - Voodoo funk   "Loser for You Baby" is a compilation album released in 1982 that packages some of Dr. John's earlier, often experimental or alternate recordings. Depending on the specific pressing, the collection is widely viewed by fans as an interesting curio rather than an essential studio album. TRACKLIST : Loser For You Baby                          The Ear Is On Strike                          I Pulled The Cover Off You Two Lovers                          Bring Your Love                          Make Your Own                          The Time Had Come             ...

        Guitar-slinger Richie Kotzen has recorded more than 20 albums under his own name since his debut at age 19, evolving from metal whiz-kid to mature singer-songwriter. Kotzen, born in Pennsylvania but a longtime resident of Los Angeles, was drafted for a bit into glam-metal MTV favorites Poison in the early-’90s and served a turn in L.A. hard-rock band Mr. Big around the turn of the century. As well as playing guitar and singing in the band Vertu alongside Jazz legends Stanley Clarke and Lenny White, he also impressed 6-string aficionados with a long string of solo ventures that touched on everything from metal to fusion. In 2012, Kotzen reunited with Mr. Big bassist Billy Sheehan for the power-trio Winery Dogs alongside ex-Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy; the band recorded two studio albums and a live DVD. Over the past few years, Kotzen has re-focused on his solo albums, playing all the instruments for such studio releases as Cannibals and, most recently, ...

  ARTHUR BROWN  Chisholm In My Bosom  (Gull,1977) - Rock       The first six tracks on the album are all listenable at variyng degrees. Nothing special or overly brilliant, just enjoyable pop-rock. The greatest effort and the track which makes the album worth every penny is the title track. It is not as crazy or wild as the earlier stuff by Arthur Brown but it is a lovely track, brilliant in it's own right and a delight to listen to. TRACKLIST: Need To Know                       Monkey Walk                       Let A Little Sunshine (Into Your Life)                       I Put A Spell On You                       She's On My Mind                       The Lord Is My Saviour   ...

  BROUGHTONS  Parlez-Vous English?  (Laser,1979) - Psychedelic rock       One of the last things The Edgar Broughton Band did in their heyday wasn't done by The Edgar Broughton Band. Re-formed in 1979 as simply The Broughtons, that incarnation of the band lasted just long enough to make this album.       Parlez-Vous English was originally recorded in 1979 and has a late '60s / early '70s vibe to it - so it probably missed its market by half a decade. And The Edgar Broughton Band was well known for its anti-everything activism and its political positions, which probably added to this record's lack of commercial success. So the fact that Parlez-Vous English isn't on the shelves of every collector of early Brit / Cantebury progressive music is a pity - it's very nicely put together, there's some good musicianship, every song is different from the next, and the whole package is a lot of fun . The humor and the some of the lyrics will be better ...

  AUDIENCE  Friend's Friend's Friend  (Charisma,1970) - Art rock, Progressive rock       Audience's 1970 album 'Friend's Friend's Friend' stands as an underrated prog-psych classic marked by creative freedom and exceptional songwriting. Despite being overshadowed by their next album 'The House on the Hill,' this record showcases a raw, anti-mainstream sound with standout vocals by Howard Werth and inventive wind instruments by Keith Gemmell. The album captures a unique moment of artistic expression without conventional production constraints, delivering memorable tracks like 'Nothing You Do' and 'Raid.' It remains a bright spot in a short but inspiring English band's career. TRACKLIST : Nothing To Do                        Belladonna Moonshine                        It Brings A Tear                 ...