Prelude - Take It From Me

UK act Prelude bring us this enjoyable folk pop album. I originally started to do this post with just one track, but honestly feel it's better to represent their sound with a few cuts from this LP. They're a brilliant act with sweet harmonies and a well rounded jingly touch to their own brand of AM rock.

This is some Pina Colada and 'walkin' in the rain' music for sure.

This sound won't be for everybody, but represents the diversity in the music in which we love on this site. A lot of this same style of music was harvested by Leonora, who started a night called 'Smile' in San Francisco.  Two Years ago when I DJ'ed there it had transformed quite a bit and was a completely different animal. Respect is due to 'Leo' for not only starting that night, but for also diggin in the crates for rare folk, pop, rock, and hippy stuff from the 70's. I was sold on first listen, and thought of her when I found this in a junk shop record pile.

I've included the first three songs from side B, just because they moved me the most, and I've also included the first song on side A. 'Take It From Me' is by far the best song on this LP, yet there's a variety in these songs. From the 'funky-lite' style in 'The Night That New York Cried' (easy a second best) and 'Woman To Love' to the Jesus Christ Superstar-ish jam 'I Was Born To Sing Your Song' (a strong third best on the LP) they've got the 70's late night lite rock vibe covered.

In ripping these songs I made a slight error in tagging them. I mistakenly misread the date from LP label.  In the track ID tags I entered 1978 as the year this LP was released, but it was in fact released in 1976. I'm off to track down any other good Prelude LP's and if you know anything about this group, please I encourage you to share!


Prelude - The Night That New York Cried
Prelude - Take It From Me
Prelude - I Was Born To Sing Your Song
Prelude - Woman To Love

Heaven And Earth - Feel The Spirit

Extraordinary female psych offering here. It's quintessential hippy tunage too. This is a haunting song that starts slow and works itself into a frenzy. In fact this shit is down right creepy. You could say it might be right for the next Dario Argento witch trilogy.


Before I found this LP 'Refuge' on Ovation, I think I became aware of it via some kinda comp, can't remember the name though. It may have been 'Folk Funk', I don't honestly remember. But, I do know that since then it's been comped several more times, been featured on quite a few mixes, and may be in the works for a full re-release from the master tapes. Seems like they could have opened for Fifty Foot Hose or something back in the day. It's some of the best femme folk psych I've laid ears on. This track is amazing. Steady hypnotizing guitar chords, great string arrangements, a touch of staccato strings with just the right amount of delay, and all nicely wrapped up with only the finest in head melting, psychedelic lyrics. Then, they work it all up into a drug induced rave up storm complete with flute echoing throughout. Would you like snowflakes that sing? Sure, why not. Right? What a tasty little treat. I hope you enjoy.

Heaven And Earth - Feel The Spirit

Suzy And The Red Stripes - Seaside Woman

This is one of those deliciously hot tracks that's hardly classifiable and unique enough to turn heads where ever it's played. Some might remember it from the brief airwaves run it had in '77, but chances of that are slim. Most step up to the decks when I'm playing it and feel as though they know it because it is strikingly familiar in sound to everything else Paul McCartney did.

But, honestly there's never been enough of this kind of stuff from him for me. I could never get tired of the malarkey and unique rhythms that Paul enjoyed with expanding pop music. A strangely reggae calypso thing, this Wings-in-disguise debut has tight beats and a well placed snare. It's syncopated funkiness is undeniable, and I'm hard pressed to say it was trying to fit into any particular pop market. It is rumored to be recorded during 72-74. Hats off to Paul and wife Linda McCartney for once again going against the mainstream, yet keeping it playful and entertaining. Is that Paul slightly rapping on it at various points? Pressed on 'red' vinyl promo and delivered straight from the soundboutique vaults just for you.

Suzy And The Red Stripes - Seaside Woman