Lost/Forgotten Album #205

[Jon]

From 2010 we bring you "Valhalla" from Stray, a band that released their first album in 1970. Some of you might be thinking that's a tie-in to last week's SHT list from Scott, but I can assure you his lists have no bearing on what I post. I figured you never heard this album and possibly never heard of this band, hence this post. 

NOTE: 100% collusion-free!!!!!. All facts are from jonsmindopedia, unless otherwise noted. Respond with funny pictures. I, unlike a certain someone, don't care! Also rest easy knowing that my players work correctly (unlike others) for two months, then they are sent to the dead player bin (awwwwww). 

First up is a brief history of Stray, courtesy of allmusic.com:

"London, England's Stray yielded a prolific career yet managed to elude the fame enjoyed by contemporaries like Cream, Thin Lizzy, or even Mountain. Formed in 1966, the hard rock, prog, and R&B outfit comprised of vocalist/guitarist Del Bromham, vocalist/guitarist Steve Gadd, bass player Gary Giles, and drummer Ritchie Cole signed to Transatlantic Records and released its debut, self-titled album in 1970. The group flirted with success throughout the '70s, releasing nine more records and even recruiting Charlie Kray -- the brother of the notorious Kray twins -- as their manager. In 1975, just prior to the release of Houdini, Gadd was replaced by Peter Dyer, who injected some much-needed life into the band, though the end was near for the financially strapped rockers. They released their last record, the ambitious Hearts of Fire, in 1976 on the Pye label, and proceeded to splinter off into various solo projects. Bromham re-formed the group in 1997 as a three-piece with newcomers Dusty Miller and Phil McKee, renaming the band Del Bromham's Stray, and released a live record called Alive and Giggin' on Mystic Records. In 2003, Castle put out the sprawling 35-track Anthology: 1970-1977. The majority of Stray's back catalog remains out of print."

I've been having fun by posting a review of the album, again courtesy of allmusic.com, so why stop now?

"It is rare indeed that a re-formed band should be acclaimed as cutting its best-ever album, especially when that band is one as storied and steeped in legend as Stray. Seemingly eternal denizens of the British hard rock circuit during the early- to mid-'70s, and one of those bands whom everyone at one point tipped for the top but who somehow contrived to never quite reach it, Stray were, quite simply, so ubiquitous that, even when they split up, it felt as though they were still out there someplace. And when they returned, it was as if they had never been away. That is certainly the case with Valhalla, a dozen-song set that showcases everything that was immortal about this band in the first place: the harmonies that soared out of somewhere so left-field that they amazed as much on the umpteenth play as they did on the first; the bludgeoning riffs and the soar-away melodies; the knowledge that, if Stray had only enjoyed the right breaks.... Valhalla is a fantasy fulfilled, a confirmation of all that we once held dear, and a compulsive reminder of all that we still ought to. "Move a Mountain," "Harry Farr," "Ghostwriter" -- every song here is a Stray classic in the making, and so one more voice adds itself to the chorus. If this isn't Stray's best album ever -- well, it's certainly as good as whatever else was."

I stumbled across this album while searching ebreggae.com, they send me a coupon for $40 off a $100 order and of course I have to use it. I had heard of Stray before but never listened to their music (as far as I can remember). Listened to snippets of the songs from this album, liked what I heard and went ahead and bought this album. Well worth the purchase (or was it free since I used the coupon). Lots and lots of geetar™ (or geeetar®) for those that like that. Only thing left was checking out their 70's output and that was kind of taken care of with the purchase of "Time Machine: Anthology 1970-1977".    

Whip out that air geetar™ (or geeetar®), folks. You'll want it for "Free At Last" at the VERY least.

Valhalla

1. Move A Mountain
2. Dirt Finger
3. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
4. Free At Last
5. Harry Farr
6. Skin
7. Double Six
8. Ghostwriter
9. Sing (The Song)
10. Rainy Day Blues
11. 24/7
12. You

Availability: New copy will run you around $15.

[Scott]

Move A Mountain...

Average geeeetar© (ya I just copyrighted that).  Vocally its monotone, not Lizzy like, not anything but flat monotone.  As an opener this is weak.  Openers are all about being tone setters, attention grabbers, with catchy hooks that pull the listener in.  This didn't do that.

PS:  Im doing this one song at a time, 1 down 11 to go...

[Scott]

Dirt Finger ...

Don't touch that, you don't know where that fingers been!! ... Better geeeetar© but not better song structure.  Heres the chorus...

Dirt Finger

Dirt Finger

Dirt Finger

 ...repeat

Say it, don't sing it, and there you have all you need to know.

[Scott]

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

So far the best song Ive heard.  Good acoustic work.  Again, and this appears to be the running theme on this one - weak chorus.  Really weak, a song full of promise though.  The potential seems there, but they need song writing help to pull it all together!

[RJhog (Admin)]

1. Move A Mountain - Nice bass, otherwise forgettable.

2. Dirt Finger - Good riff to start.  That's about it.  Okay, lead g is good.  As a matter of fact, is Dirt Finger the new Bond nemesis?

3. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue - Agree with Scott, this song is better.  Nice Electric Noise Instrument (if I could I'd trademark that).

4. Free At Last - Very dominating drum beat, almost sounds live.

5. Harry Farr - Don't like this song, but again, a very aggressive drum beat and lead.  Gordon will like this.

6. Skin - This may be the longest 5 minute song ever.

 

I'm tired.  This is just a pedestrian listen.  The guitar player, drummer and bassist are above average, but the vocalist and the songwriting is below average.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Ghostwriter is actually pretty cool.  Best song for sure.  Has a nineties alternative vibe, like Dreams So Real.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Not so fast.  Rainy Day Blues is even better.  Great 70's guitar and feel.  

[Scott]

FREE AT LAST ...

BY the way this one by one track listening and commenting is for the birds... More decent song structure and riffage only to be underwhelmed by poor vocals and flat choruses.  I see a pattern in their chorus writing, repeat the song title, and then sing it monotone.  I did love the bridge and geeeetar© work.  I've always loved the phaser effect when used properly, though not groundbreaking, it did make the tune very tolerable.  Maybe an instrumental version of the song would have been better.  Not quite as good at that White House address song, but hey beats the first two tracks!

[Scott]

Harry Farrrrrttt ...

So I went for the two-fer, sue me!  The crappy vocals persist.  How does a band record tunes, and play them back and not say to themselves..  Hey Band, Our singer is crap!  Unless, the singer is the one who funded it all, maybe that's why, otherwise I could never imagine a band tolerating this type of vocal performance.  The tune is OK because there is more good geeeetar© work that saves it from being a total failure, but overall not very interesting. 

[Scott]

6 - 12 ...

Ya I give up the one track at a time thing!  This album isn't cohesive enough to chunk up like that.  Rather it chunks up in different ways - almost all of which have to do with the vocals.  The albums has a whole different feel beginning with track 6, nice tune actually.  Good start to my finish? hmmm...  Great riff work on 7 (or 12 if you add it up).  Its a good thing Ghostriders isn't a Rush cover tune - blasphemy is now cause to suspend all listening!  (Check the updated contractual clause 21.1.2)  ...  Instead its a pedestrian tune with more monotone chorus work. Sing (The Song) - why the parentheses?  Sing (The Song), say that 5 times slowly ad then listen to the way they "sing" it, doesn't make sense.  I must recall the infamous and prophetic REO lyric - Some songs have no meaning and some song try too hard"...  both are true in this case.  Rainy Day Blues has an R&B / Disco vibe, more confusion since its supposed to be a Rainy Day and Bluesy, but hey, why am I to complain?  I like this one, even better than the Presidential Address song - these guys should get the blues more often! 24/7 and the closer YOU, finds us back in "Eh" territory.

So in summary...

• Vocals, bad
• Geeeetar©, good
• Choruses, awful
• Riffage, solid
• Blues, confused
• New contractual amendments, ratified
• Purchase, NOT
• Post, nice!

[Gordon Williams]

After one listen, I dont think this is a purchase, but I do like it, and I will listen again. I dont get the same "monotone" feel like Scott does, and I think the vocals are decent. Glad to hear this, and this is a band I have never ever even heard OF, much less heard any music. Never even heard the band name before this.

Jon's got him some cool, obscure, stuff.

[Jon]

I also think they're pretty good for a guy pushing 60. At least Gordon and I have good taste.

[Scott]