-
Featured News
Patti Smith Upcoming Tour for 50th Anniversary of Horses
By Harvey Kubernik
“Horses was like the first cannon blast in a war – frightening and disorienting. I mean, she was so unlike the FM radio terrain in every way. She was literate, aggress -
Featured Articles
Chasing the White Light: Lou Reed, the Telepathic Secretary and Metal Machine Music
By David Holzer
Fifty years ago, Lou Reed released Transformer. In among “Walk on the Wild Side,” “Make Up” and “Vicious,” cuts that would launch a cartoon Rock N Roll Animal pers -
OMEGA – Ten Thousand Paces
(Jegrfa Productions/Moiras, Hungary) LP
Omega was one of Hungary’s most successful groups in the ’60s and ’70s. In fact, they’re still together, celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. This limited edition LP rounds up some of the very best obscure tracks from what is now considered Omega’s ‘classic’ period, 1968-70. Their progressive beat sound has a dark, epic feel, characterized by dramatic vocals, keyboard-dominated arrangements, and the type of cerebral, poetic lyrics that could only derive from living in an oppressed Eastern European country. “One day the sun / too tired to shine / Slept in the deep, green somber lake / And in the darkness the world did ail”—that sort of thing.
Several of the tracks here are superior English language versions of songs from their second (and best) album, 10,000 Lepes, including the superb “Petroleum Lantern” with its bouncy, upbeat groove and bluesy harmonica fills, the powerfully-charged ballad “Pearls in Her Hair,” and the title track, “Ten Thousand Paces,” a tense, drama-laden epic full of moaning Gregorian voices, and some manic, panicked guitar scribbling. Even better is “The Prodigal Son” (not the Beggars Banquet song), a thumping rocker with a killer fuzz guitar riff, blaring gladiator trumpets, and an uber-anguished banshee vocal.
The 1970 single “Dead Are the Flowers” has an attractive pop-psych arrangement, while the previously unreleased “Varakozni Jo” (one of the few Hungarian-sung numbers) is highlighted by some lovely, bendy guitar work. Meanwhile, “Vigyazz, Vigyazz ram” is a previously unreleased vocal version of a song from their ’68 debut album, Omega Red Star, its wailing Hammond and slightly hysterical vocal bringing to mind the Crazy World of Arthur Brown.
The set comes in a colorful psychedelic gatefold sleeve and includes a large foldout poster with photos, liner notes and all the lyrics (in English). It’s a splendid way to make the acquaintance of one of Eastern Europe’s most inventive and fascinating bands. (MS)
More info: http://moiras.somoskiado.hu/
When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get several e-mails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service? Appreciate it!
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. thanks a lot
I was wondering if you ever thought of changing the layout of your site? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1 or 2 pictures. Maybe you could space it out better?
Hey there! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a collection of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a extraordinary job!
Good day! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok. I’m definitely enjoying your blog and look forward to new posts.
Nearly all of what you assert is supprisingly accurate and that makes me ponder the reason why I hadn’t looked at this with this light previously. Your piece truly did turn the light on for me as far as this specific issue goes. Nevertheless there is one particular issue I am not too comfy with so whilst I make an effort to reconcile that with the core idea of the issue, permit me observe just what all the rest of the subscribers have to point out.Very well done.
I’m curious to find out what blog platform you are working with? I’m experiencing some small security issues with my latest site and I would like to find something more risk-free. Do you have any solutions?
This is a great website, would you be involved in doing an interview regarding how you created it? If so e-mail me!
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyway, just wanted to say fantastic blog!
I really like your wordpress template, exactly where do you obtain it from?