Aorta

Wrapping it up for today with some of that great hard rocking psych from that great underappreciated scene of the late, great early 70's......I swear there was more great hard rock albums that NO ONE HEARD created in that 5 year or so period (1968-73 roughly) than any in rock history......many are JUST NOW figuring out how great this stuff all is, it was years ahead of it's time for certain, just as, (I predict) the great stoner rock bands of the modern era (say Alabama Thunderpussy, Orange Goblin, Spiritual Beggars and probably 100 others won't be appreciated for their greatness until after I am long departed).

Aorta was from Chicago, forming earlier in the 1960's, the crew that put out this pair of albums was roughly bassist Bobby Jones, singer Jim Donlinger, guitarist/multi instrumentalist Jim Nyeholt, and drummer Billy Herman. They were the actual performers of "Max Frost and the Trooper's" great "Shape of things  to come which appeared in the movie "Wild in the Streets" and is comped on a great many 60's collections, not here though.

The first album "Aorta", is a bitch, a swirling blend of fuzz guitar with soul/jazz/folk elements all screaming to come through. I think it's a near-classic, don't know how many would agree with me, but so it is.  "Strange" and "Ode to Missy Mxyzosptlk" were the singles, but nearly every track here is worth your time....interseted to hear from folks who have not heard this before......ahead of it's time? I certainly think so.

The follow up, Aorta 2, is not nearly as great as the debut......more country-leaning and spiritually-themed, i find it quite a disapointing follow-up to the debut. it's here, though, should you want a quick documentary on the rise and fall of a band that had at least ONE great one in them.

Let me know what you think......regular readers know that records of this era/style are my truest passion......I don't steer ya wrong, I hope, the first is "must hear", the second is a curiosity....procede with caution!

AORTA-01 Main Vein/02 Heart attack/03 What's In My Mind's Eye/04 Magic bed/05 Main Vein II/06 Sleep Tight/07 Catalyptic/08 Main Vein III/09 Sprinkle Road to Cork Street/10 Ode to Missy Mxyzospltk/11 Strange/12 A Thousand Thoughts/13 Thoughts and Feelings/Main Vein IV

AORTA 2-01 01 Willie Jean/02 Little Bonnie/03 Blythe Spirit/04 Beg For His Forgiveness/05 Egypt/06 His Faith in Man/07 Devil, Maggot,and Son/08 Sandcastles/09 Pickin Blues/10 Fallin Behind

Good stuff here, in particular the debut.....you guys know this stuff is one of my passions (late 60's/early 70's fairly obscure hard psych), and I have tons more to share with you.....just let me know if this is stuff everyone else wants to hear, or is it just a personal kinda thang? I want this site, as I've said before, to be known for NOTHING if not variety of GREAT stuff from different sources (thanks to my GREAT team of helpers), but if I go too far on some genre or something, please let me know, WHAT YOU GUYS WANT is what I want to give ya! Love to all!