Muddy Candy will be on vacation for the following week. More posts coming the week after that.

Also, feedback would be appreciated regarding DL sources. Which servers work best/fastest/easiest?
And please leave comments when links go down.

Regards,
BP

Jesús Figueroa - Mágica Fuente (Uruguay, 1974)

 

Killer Uruguayan guitar psych! Little more needs to be said than that. South American shredding, punctuated by folksy interludes and stoned maté-blues. Definite similarities to compatriots Psiglo (although not as proggy, more straight-ahead blues-rock) (also: members of Psiglo apparently play on this record) as well as Southern neighbors like Almendra and Aquelarre, and more far-flung shredders like Shinki Chen. Figueroa was also in the group Opus Alfa; the bonus track included here (added onto the CD reissue) is by that band. I would take it off to preserve the original tracklisting, but it's too good of a song. I think I got this originally from Crotchbat. I always remember being surprised this one wasn't more well-known.

Jesús Figueroa - Mágica Fuente

LP, Sondor, 1974

A1  Curtiendo Bajo el Sol        
A2  Gitana        
A3  Nena Diablo        
A4  Amándote        
B1  Las Sombras        
B2  Eva        
B3  Boa Verde        
B4  Fuego de Dragón

(Bonus Track)  Casa des Huespedes

Link

Too much maté

Mario Adnet - Planeta Azul (Brazil, 1984)

This record features 80s MPB with strong ties to 70s tropicalia. I'm a sucker for this stuff—Like the early-80s Lô Borges and Alceu Valença albums (which I'll probably post later): a strange balance between acoustic/psychedelic/folk/samba/tropicalia and electronic/jazz/smooth/modal/chorus/new age... This record flips between all these separate modes, between exuberance and meditation, hovering somewhere between Lula Côrtes and the Pat Metheny Group?? Bordering on too smooth for some of you—not for me. According to Adnet's website, this was a private press record (If anyone knows otherwise, please note in the comments). Also features Joyce singing on some tracks. I got this a couple years ago from Um Que Tenha (which is now back up and running, FYI).

Mario Adnet - Planeta Azul
LP, private press, 1984

A1  Planeta Azul
A2  X-42
A3  Bolero
A4  Reza Macunaíma
B1  Pim Pim
B2  Por Cima de Mim
B3  Noites de Medéia
B4  Ele Não Tá Nem Aí
B5  Pra Joana

Link

Sheriff - s/t (Italy/USA, 1979)

In the mid-70s, Sensations' Fix relocated from Florence to California, eventually landing in Virginia in 1979. From their earlier experimental style, they moved towards a thick, otherworldly AOR sound on the later recordings. After recording Boxes Paradise, Vision's Fugitives, and Flying Tapes (I'm not sure if all three were recorded in the US, but the second was released there, as was this record), the group decided to change their name to Sheriff, and recorded this solid rock album at a studio in Fall's Church, VA in 1979. A second guitarist Frank Filfoyt is credited here, but I'm not sure if this is a pesudonym for Falsini (anyone know?). Otherwise the lineup is the same as Sensations' Fix. Falsini's guitar and vocals are unmistakeable here, continuing in the solid, spacey, bluesy rock mode of Boxes Paradise. This record is certainly the least 'prog' of the S.F. albums, but it's never boring, never predictable, ranging from cosmic blues to proto-metal. Uncredited synths bubble in the background, guitars echo and phase, Falsini shreds. If you approve of the later S.F. approach of Boxes Paradise, you'll be feeling Sheriff. I think I originally got this from Lamaraba back in the day.

Sheriff - s/t
LP, Observatory, 1979

A1  Girl with Optional Eyes
A2  Don't Let Go
A3  Troublemaker Blues
A4  Infall Defrauders and Audiphiles
B1  Stranger
B2  Sustain City
B3  There from the Phantom Base (instrumental)
B4  Transfixion Wait-In

Link

Flying Norwegians - Wounded Bird (Norway, 1976)

This one originally came from mysteryposter a few years back. Rare psychedelic country-rock from Norway. A thorough write-up on the group is at Willems County:

The first real country-rock band from Norway was formed January 1974 in Bergen. They ended their carrier in the early 80s as a new wave band singing in Norwegian, but had a reunion in the 90s where they where back to the country-rock roots.
Guitarist Rune Walle and drummer Gunnar Bergstrøm had both been playing in the folk(-rock) band Hole in the Wall, and had just been playing with the band Saft when they grouped with Cato Sanden (vocals, guitar), Johannes Torkelson (bass) and Jarle Zimmerman (vocal, keyboards) to make a Norwegian country-rock act inspired by what had been going on in the US (eg. Flying Burrito Brothers, Eagles, Poco etc). The quintet moved to Denmark, where they where living in the countryside making songs for their first LP, recorded in Oslo. ”New Day” was released in ’74 and ”Wounded Bird” in 1976.  A&M Records long considered a release of the second album in the states, but it never happened. 

Along with the aforementioned influences, I would cite the Byrds, CSNY, the Dead, other Scandinavian guitar-rock like Day of Phoenix, Anonymous, Oasis (the 70s Californian group), even Thin Lizzy (at times), or the Trevor Swadling I posted here last week. The most interesting songs are the ones that lace the well-built country-rock songs with proggy riffs, jangly guitar and cosmic synth lines.

Flying Norwegians - Wounded Bird
LP, Sonet, 1976

A1  Crazy Eyes Go Blind  
A2  Turn The Page    
A3  Taste Of The Money   
A4  Let's Walk To The River
A5  Evening Prayer
B1  Wounded Bird  
B2  Tangles  
B3  It's Over 
B4  Old Lady
B5  Absolutely Sweet Marie

Link