Purson-The Circle and the Blue Door

Metal Blade Records / Rise Above Records
2013

Well, what have we here now? Something the black cat dragged in perhaps? How am I even to describe this? Let's see, you've got a band that has a name that, per Wikipedia, means "The Great King Of Hell" and they're fronted by the mysterious Rosalie Cunningham who, in addition to singing like her soul in engulfed in the fire of darkness, plays lead guitar solos that sound like they are right out of the psychedelic 60s and 70s!  With bits of organ, mellotron, and wurlitzer (all from Samuel Shove) added into the mix and an eye fixated on the satanic rock of groups like Coven and Black Widow this LP is both odd and interesting. The promo says that Purson's new album "finds the missing link between Pentangle and Pentagram, by way of David Bowie's dream reality and The Beatles' feel for the perfect melody". That's an interesting way to put it. The group, which is filled out by guitarist George Hudson, bassist/backing vocalist Barnaby Maddick and drummer Jack Hobbs, searches the past for inspiration and, even if this one is oddly way out there, it's still got a lot going for it. In addition to the various artists listed above you've got elements of The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Iron Butterfly, Fleetwood Mac and The Rolling Stones. All of it wraps together nicely creating a sound that is equal parts psychedelic-tinged 70's rock and proto-doom with Rosalie Cunningham sounding like a free-spirit lost in dreamland. You'll want to pull out the incense for this one folks!

Underrated and overrated 70's albums

I think I did one of these lists for 80's album so now maybe I'll tackle the 70's. Here are five albums that I overrated at one time and five that I underrated.




Underrated

1-Led Zeppelin-3
This one didn't click with me for years just because it was way more mellow than I was used to. It has grown on me and I glad that it is an album with it's own personality.

2-Rush-Caress of steel
Not everyone's favorite Rush album for sure. Odd around the edges and perhaps that's why it stands out for me.

3-Aerosmith-Get your wings
This one often gets left in the shadows of album like Rocks and Toys in the attic. It's more subtle, but the grooves are solid.

4-TKO-Let it roll
Known more for their 80's output, but this 1979 release was a solid Boston inspired album that didn't work for me in the mid-80's. In recent years I came around.

5-KISS-Hotter than hell
I used to skip past this one for most of their other mid-70's albums. Now I think it's one of their 4-5 best of their long career.

Overrated
1-Deep Purple-Who do we think we are
I always put this in with their fine string of early 70's albums, but really it's a mixed bag.

2-AC/DC-High Voltage (US version)
All their other 70's efforts rock and this one has some fine songs, but some snoozers too.

3-KISS-S/T
I used to like this one just as much as the five albums after it. There is some potential there, but it's clunky too.

4-Alice Cooper-From the inside
I got really into this one for a while mainly just because I liked the concept. Then I realized the songs were not quite as good as the ideas behind them.

5-Judas Priest-Rocka Rolla
Once I saw this one a small step away from Sad wings of destiny and sin after sin. Time and repeated plays has made me realize that the distance is wider than I thought it once was. Their are some sparks here, but it's a long ways from where they would go with their other 1970's efforts.