Missionaria Protectiva

        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                 ...

  CITY BOY  Dinner At The Ritz  (Vertigo,1976) - Art rock, Progressive pop       Dinner At The Ritz  is a huge step up from the debut album, released that same year. Not only are there no weak/weaker songs but the album can actually be seen as a minor conceptual masterpiece. I was really not a fan of the funk and reggae explorations on the debut so the absence of these styles is a complete bliss to my ears. The overall sound of the record makes me think of Supertramp around the  Even in the Quietest Moments... -era, released a year after  Dinner At The Ritz . The record is smooth, subtile and featuring that magical sound that can only be found on a '70s studio album. TRACKLIST : Momma's Boy                        Walk On The Water                        Narcissus                  ...

  BIRTHA  Birtha  (Dubhill,1972) - Hard/Blues rock       This is well played hard rock with female voices. The band toured UK with the Kinks and the US with (among others) James Gang, Alice Cooper or Black Oak Arkansas and their own music is from the same mold. If any of those bands appeal to you, then Birtha is really worth to check out. TRACKLIST : Free Spirit                        Fine Talkning Man                        Tuesday                        Feeling Lonely                        She Was Good To Me                        Work On A Dream                        Too Much Woman (For A Hen Pecked...