new releases

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ELONKORJUU - Harvest Time, Finland 1972 (SHADOKS 127)
LP 500 numbered / heavy sleeve / 180 gram pressing
Elonkorjuu came from Pori, Finland and was founded in 1969. At first the sessions were done in a rather dark cellar; the musicians were young, talented and highly motivated. Already in the same year Elonkorjuu won the second place at a competition at Helsinki´s House of Culture. Short time after this the band´s success grow very fast. They toured through whole of Finland and quickly were well known. One of the band´s highlights was the gig at the rock festival in Turku, where they did act big ahead of hundred thousands youths, who went wild about the phantastic band. At the end of the same year they decided to make an LP, titled "Harvest Time". This album recieved cult status of the progressive rock.
The Finnish quintet Elonkorjuu are one of the many little-known bands that did heavy blues/psych with strong prog elements, drawing initially from the schools of Cream, Sabbath and Colosseum but expanding on those influences with soulful church organ and cutting guitar from leader Jukka Syrenius. A killer album from beginning to end. Heavy guitar work all over and great English vocals.

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SHOES - One In Versailles, USA 1975 (SHADOKS 128)
LP 500 numbered / heavy engraved sleeve / 180 gram pressing /2 page insert
Shoes are formed in Zion, Illinois, in 1974 by brothers John and Jeff Murphy, and Gary Klebe.The Murphy brothers and Klebe were high school friends and decided to form a band following graduation. In the fall of 1974, Shoes was in its infancy as a band. Members Gary Klebe, John Murphy and Jeff Murphy had just completed their first official recording project, Heads or Tails, recorded in a basement on a Teac 4-channel tape machine. In college at this time, Gary was an architecture student signed up to study abroad at the campus in Versailles France. In his absence John and Jeff decided that it would be a fitting tribute and testament to their commitment to the new band, to record a new batch of songs in their newly established home base in Jeff’s small rented flat (referred to as La Cabane) and dedicate it to their pal Gary. The title would be One In Versailles, in his honor. The inspiration of Versailles, France became the basis of an imaginary long-distance romance between a boy and his overseas girlfriend. Despite the limited resources, limited equipment and strained working schedule, the elemental sounding One In Versailles proved to be a crucial link in the fundamental development of the band. The initial pressing of 300 copies have become a sought-after collector’s items among record collectors the world over. Appearing here, on vinyl for the first time since it’s limited, 1975 pressing, the songs of One In Versailles provide a look inside the very earliest days of the band and represent a snapshot in the development of Shoes, one of the first do-it-yourself bands to embrace and capitalize on the home-recording technologies. The Shoes have released of 20 recordings over the years.
Really amazing album this is. Not so power-pop as the others. This has an underground charm which lots of heavy guitar, great vocals and and tight song-structure. It sails in-between an great Wave/Pop album with a touch of "Spoils Of War" avant-garde underground on a rough but clear ocean. Please check them here: http://www.blackvinyl.com

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EMBRUJO - Same, Chile 1971 (SHADOKS 129)
LP 500 numbered / heavy sleeve / 180 gram pressing /2 page insert
The band KISSING SPELL changed name to EMBRUJO in early 1970 due the fact of the political climate in Chile in the because it was less than ideal for a band with an english name. EMBRUJO is the Spanish translation of the word Spell (bewitched). So Embrujo is the same band as Kissing Spell and the album came out on Arena Records in 1971. Among the great albums from Chile like Blops, Aguaturbia, Los Jaivas and Escombros, this album is just amazing, just like their first. Beautiful compositions and instrumentation, very well played, strong vocals and poetic lyrics, we would vote this album as one of the best from whole South America. Chile seems to be "the county" for extraordinary pop and underground songs going right into the heart. What a shame after 1973 until 1990 (Pinochet dictatorship ) no more bands could work anymore. We are missing a lot of great future albums by those bands.

click here to listen to the mp3 sound samples

ODMENN - Same, Iceland 1970 (SHADOKS 121)
CD: in jewelbox.
This selftitled album was the only one that Icelandic progressive rock trio Odmenn ever released. It was made at a critical point in Odmenn‘s history when the band members had agreed to take a sabbatical year while the guitarist studied law at the University of Iceland. They got together for the last time a year after the album was released and split up directly after having played only one gig. Odmenn was formed in early 1966 by the Johannsson brothers playing the most popular music clubs in Reykjavik. Most of Odmenn’s music could be categorised as protest songs or social studies touching topics like anti-war protest and fights against pollution, greed and deception balanced with more positive stances like hope for a better world with love and eternal brotherhood. "Psychedelic guitar pieces had become their trademark". Odmenn recorded this double album in Copenhagen with a release late December 1970. Odmenn made a great impression with their blooming mixture of energetic blues rock and was probably one of the best progressive rock bands in Northern Europe. 15 great songs, 70 minutes of music, 12 page booklet and many photos never shown plus a long liner notes.

JOHN & PHILIPA COOPER - The Cooperville Times, South Africa 1969 (SHADOKS 122)
CD: in jewelbox.
It was a long search to locate the rights for this album since it was not with EMI anymore. With the help of musicians and producers from The Third Eye and Freedoms Children we've found the original producer. He told us that the brother/sister band John & Philipa Cooper went shortly after the album was made to Britain and there it lost track. This amazing album has the same class as Billy Nichols, Duncan Browne and Blossom Toes. Many other musicians from S.A. where helping out. Every track is just great. Well composed underground songs, folk rock, effects, pop tunes just the right mixture for an album full of ideas and mastercraftly played. Perhaps one of the rarest albums from S.A. This album would have been a great success if it was produced in UK. It just has the right feel with the combination of great songs with an 60s art-vibe. Female / male vocals, Julian Laxton on guitar, keyboards, beside Jon & Philipa 8 more musicians on the album. This LP is just a perfect 1969 underground folk-rock album. 8 page booklet

SVANFRIDUR - What's Hidden There, Iceland 1972 (SHADOKS 124)
CD: in jewelbox.
The Icelandic prog-rock band Svanfrídur released only one album, recorded six months after they played their first gig. This short-lived band rapidly rose to fame, receiving rave reviews for live performances, but in fact their music was way ahead of its time. They were unable to seal a recording contract so they formed their own label - Swan Records. When the album ‘What’s Hidden There?’ was released in autumn 1972 it got mixed reviews and sold only a few hundred copies, leaving the band with a great album but sadly not the income they had been hoping for.
Recorded at London’s Majestic Studios the album was cut and pressed in England. Perhaps one of the best heavy prog / underground album from Scandinavia with amazing guitar & all English vocals. Would have been a famous and successful album on Decca UK. 12 page booklet.

TRÚBROT - Same, Iceland 1969 (SHADOKS 125)
CD: in jewelbox.
Trúbrot was the first supergroup ever founded in Iceland. It was created in May 1969 when leading members of ‘Hljómar’ (Sounds) and ‘Flowers’ set out to create the finest Icelandic rock group of all time. Guitarist and composer Gunnar Thórgarson, bass player and singer Rúnar Júlíusson and lead vocalist Shady Owens of Hljómar had been plotting this for some months, along with organist Karl Sighvatsson and drummer Gunnar Jökull Hákonarson of Flowers, before the band’s genesis was announced publicly. These were troubled times and Trúbrot had countless hurdles to overcome before the band eventually fell apart early in 1973. After the début album was released in December 1969 by EMI. After this album vocalist Shady Owens announced that she was quitting. Trúbrot recorded 3 more albums which will be released on Shadoks too. Tony Branwell of Apple Records was saying these were one of the two best bands he had seen perform on stage in the preceding six months. Really cool underground album full of musical ideas and well-crafted music, male & female vocals. The music should hit the same listener as UK bands such as Blossom Toes, Billy Nichols, underground with a touch of pop. 12 page booklet