Nicodemus - What For? (Underrated American Biker Art Rock)

Nicodemus - What For?
(1980 USA)

Amazing underground american biker art rock. It sad that there is not much talk of Necodemus. The guy has made a number private press Lp's since the 70s which vary intentionally from Album to Album. Acid Folk, Biker Rock, Damage Proto-Punk, and bizarre Effected tracks that sound like Chrome. What For? is the most rockin' Necodemus album I've found, a good starter.

Except from Article on Necodemus,
"Nicodemus has produced a body of work over his more than 30-year career that is stunning in its breadth and shocking in its level of accomplishment, yet is so underexposed that many have never heard of a man whose best music is easily on a par or better than the work of auteurs ranging from Lou Reed to Neil Young to John Lennon to Brian Wilson to Bruce Springsteen. Perhaps it's too much to ask that the terminally clueless Rolling Stone Record Guide have caught on, but St. Nic has been consistently overlooked even by self-proclaimed 'underground' guides like The Trouser Press Record Guide or Unknown Legends Of Rock. Excepting a brief blurb in Jello Biafra's section of the RE/Search book Incredibly Strange Music, Vol. 2 and an error-riddled article in Motorbooty magazine, precious few signposts point the music consumer towards Nicodemus' work. Given that the world of music journalism is prone to hyperbole, many may choose to doubt my words, but the proof is in the music: a couple of listens to amazing songs like "Sometimes I Can't Sleep", "They Whisper Here", "One Way", or "When The Daylight Fades To Nothing" should convince even the most skeptical that Nicodemus' music deserves to be considered among the most creative musical art of the last thirty years."

Go here for full article on the man,
http://aaronpoehler.com/nicodemus.html
by Aaron Poehler, author of "In The Eyes Of Nicodemus"


Download here,
What For?

You can also find other Lp's here,
http://prognotfrog.blogspot.com/2009/05/nicodemus-and-matchez-better-art-music.html
& here,
http://prognotfrog.blogspot.com/2009/02/nicodemus-spacechild-squall-usa-1977.html

I'm going to post a few other rare ones soon.

Martin Rev - Debut Album (NO WAVE ELECTRONICS)

Martin Rev - S/T
1980
Lust/Unlust Records

Amazing and hard to find debut S/T album by Martin Rev of the famed NYC Underground group Suicide. Released by Lust/Unlust who dropped some of the best slabs of vinyl from the NYC No-Wave Scene in the late 1970's.

Featuring Martin's unique blend of old drum machines, organs, and ripped synths. Very Hypnotic!

Highly Recommended!

Download here,
Martin Rev

Fraction (CHRISTIAN WEST COAST PSYCH, 1971)

Fraction - "Moon Blood"
Angelus Record Label
1971 USA

A Fantastic LP worthy of its Legendary status with great vocals by Jim Beach and powerful guitar work allegedly recorded live in the studio. Long out-of-print album, originally limited to 200 copies, by the short lived Los Angeles-based psychedelic, fuzz-drenched garage band.

"This is the kind of album that keeps us 70's rock fanatics on the never-ending quest to discover the elusive "lost masterpiece". FRACTION-"Moon Blood" LP (1970) is without a doubt one of the earliest examples of stoner rock. Blending elements of brain damaged psyche with bombastic drumming and absolutely over the top vocals, FRACTION immediately grabs the listener and virtually crams a hit of acid down their throat. Well, not quite... But FRACTION is the epitome of 70's drug damaged garage rock, and had FRACTION been from Detroit, maybe you would hear there name mentioned with the likes of the MC5, the UP, and the STOOGES. Nearly everything about FRACTION just reeks of the underground making them destined to be only a footnote in regards to the musical mainstream. However, for those of us with minds of our own FRACTION can be quite a killer musical journey. If I had to describe their sound I would say take the rawest, most drugged-out elements of the DOORS and cross it with the intensity of the MC5 and the STOOGES, then throw in a little grim Krautrock(like NIGHT SUN or HAIRY CHAPTER) and add on top of the whole mix a vocalist who sounds like he is literally having a mental breakdown at times and you begin to get the picture. The production on "Moon Blood" is pretty good although certainly sounds like a record made on a mid-range budget by a band with probably little previous studio experience. Luckily for FRACTION, their naivety works in their favor and gives "Moon Blood" a truly grim, disturbing, punky, and underground feel. The lyrics deal primarily with existential issues and have a somewhat Christian feel to them in a way similar to later heavy metal bands like BLACK SABBATH, TROUBLE, SAINT VITUS/OBSESSED. There isn't a hint of preachy Christianity here but rather a lyrical window into the after-effects of too much LSD, the Vietnam War, assassinations, protests, etc., on a person with faith in God. So "Moon Blood" is a really dark and deep affair, which renders it quite unique and absolutely mandatory for all those interested in late-60's and 70's psyche, pre-punk, hard prog, acid rock, and stoner music. FRACTION-"Moon Blood" is a notoriously valuable(as much as $1000+) and sought after LP(supposedly released in 1970 in quantities of only several hundred) so chances are a CD re-release is the only way you'll ever touch this monster. It may cost you a little bit more than you'd prefer, but FRACTION-"Moon Blood" is a strange beast of a record that you'll find yourself returning to over and over. So pick up a copy, sit back, throw on the headphones, smoke a bowl and take a trip into FRACTION's bleak world of Christian acid angst...."

Damin Eih, A.L.K & Brother Clark (RARE ACID GEM!!!)

Damin Eih, A.l.k & Brother Clark - "Never Mind"
Demelot Records - 1973
Minneapolis, MN

Super rare Acid Rock/Folk album from the Minneapolis area in 1973. Amazing production and tripped guitar effects. Mesmerizing song craft that's very lysergic in a Syd Barrett sort of way.

"One of those elaborate Midwestern headtrips that will send you into aural space you didn't even know exitsted, like CA Quintet of side 1 of Yezda Urfa. The longer suites are particularly impressive, while the shorter tunes less so. A unique mix of multi-layered acoustic guitars, treated vocals and extensive use of cymbals creates a piercing yet enjoyable high frequency soundscape that demands your attention, while soom moog and fuzz bass round out the bottom. Someone spent a lot of money on this one and I would deem it largely successful, with parts that are truly spellbinding, even though the 'message' remains obscure. Pretentious and rather Euro-proggish in its sensibility, yet playful and exotic enough to appeal to more adventerous psych fans. The bands ridiculously unwieldy moniker and the lack of a high profile reissue keeps this one buried.' - Acid Archives"

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Download here,
Damin Eih, A.L.K & Brother Clark