Butthole Surfers - The Hurdy Gurdy Man EP
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 95 MB | Full Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Rough Trade # RTT 240CD | Country/Year: UK 1990
Genre: Alternative Rock | Style: Psychedelic, Punk

The Hurdy Gurdy Man is the fourth studio EP by American alternative rock band Butthole Surfers, released in 1990. The EP was named after its title track, "The Hurdy Gurdy Man," written by '60s pop star Donovan. All versions also included one original Surfers song, "Barking Dogs," and most versions also included a remix of "The Hurdy Gurdy Man."

The reunion between pianist John Taylor, singer Norma Winstone and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler finds Azimuth (which was always a part-time group) performing fairly spacy improvisations. All of the selections are group originals (mostly by Taylor), except for Bobo Stenson's "Mindiatyr" and an almost unrecognizable reshaping of "How Deep Is the Ocean." Taylor sometimes recalls Keith Jarrett, while Wheeler comes across as the most conventional of the three participants, and Winstone's voice keeps the music from getting too comfortable or predictable. Interesting but not essential music from three adventurous spirits.

Distancing himself still further from the howling guitars and shoegazer drones of his old band, the Verve, on his second solo effort, Richard Ashcroft maintains the stripped-down, introspective aesthetic of 2000's Alone with Everybody. Human Conditions focuses on the same spiritual battle of religion and love versus desperation and disillusionment—it's a conflict Ashcroft has been waging with himself and the world since the Verve's intensely sad 1995 release, A Northern Soul. Whether he's winning or losing these psychic skirmishes is still in question, but songs like "Paradise" ("How long can I stay here? How long can I pray here?") and "Lord I've Been Trying" indicate a deepening spiritual inspiration.

This band was the remains of Carcass (minus Bill Steer) along with former Cathedral bassist Mark Griffiths. They played a straight forward 70s metal/rock style, not unlike the album Swansong from Carcass. After one album, the band split.

Out of the murky depths of the Black Forest rise IMPERIUM DEKADENZ. The dark chasms of these steep mountains have witnessed the rise and fall of empires in bloody battles and glorious history. Celts, Romans and Germanic tribes have lived and perished in these fog ridden, harsh and yet exquisite landscapes. The ancient past and lost peoples left lingering feelings of longing and a deep melancholy, which none have ever captured more intensively than native IMPERIUM DEKADENZ on their fourth full-length "Meadows of Nostalgia".Lyrically IMPERIUM DEKADENZ clad metaphors of human transience, ashes, dust and shadows into an antique attire with a penchant for the Roman Empire, while declining to deal with stereotypical political, religious or misanthropic genre themes. The same obvious intelligence is applied in their complex and multi-layered compositions, which combined with emotional passion and intuitive skill turns "Meadows of Nostalgia" into a dark masterpiece. Delve deep into the secrets and detailed riches of IMPERIUM DEKADENZ. Glory to the new German emperors!

Tombstone Highway emerges from the muddy shores of The Po River in Piacenza (Italy) and draws strong inspiration from the rural and folklore parts of its homeland. Their debut album is a classic blend of feisty Stoner/Southern Rock and Doom Metal, with catchy guitar solos and old-school heavy metal parts that may remind of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Corrosion of Conformity, Pride and Glory, Down, Black Sabbath, or even ZZ Top riffage. Apart from Hard Rock instruments, the band uses also a banjo and Hammond organs.

One of the outlets for bassist Charlie Haden's multifarious musical interests is the politically charged, progressive Liberation Music Orchestra. In July 1992, the Orchestra - a powerhouse of some of the top names in jazz - brought the collaborative sound of their album Dream Keeper to the Montreal International Jazz Festival. The African National Congress anthem, 'Nkosi Sikelel'I Afrika,' opens the program and sets the tone, with a blistering solo from the alto sax of Makanda Ken McIntyre and a more reflective one by tenor giant Joe Lovano.

Kelly Keeling is a Jack of all trades in music business. Among others he already worked with MSG, BATON ROUGE, KING KOBRA, BLUE MURDER or John Norum, and wrote songs for Alice Cooper, Roger Daltrey (THE WHO) and DOKKEN. But now he wants to perform himself as singer and songwriter, supported by a number of heroes whom he helped out in the past.

Excellent seems to be an understatement to me. A monumental surprise. Instrumentally we have: Violin, Trumpet, Keyboards, Bass, Guitar, Drums and three vocalists. The music ranges from jaunty Irish jig to frenzied Zappaesque guitar squalls…