September 9, 2011 Playlist

"July" by July (1968)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
July  "July"  1968 (UK)
Perhaps we're a couple months late with this Classic Album (it being September already), but it ties in with last week's Sitar Special.  July was one of countless lesser-known British psychedelic bands of the late 1960's, who managed to release just this one album during their short career.  While certainly no masterpiece, the July record is notable for a handful of classic tunes and an eclectic style that included exotic sounds like sitar and flute (it is also allegedly one of the rarest and most valuable UK obscurities of its era).  The group July has some notable connections to other acts -- previous to becoming July, they scored a few hits in Spain in the mid-sixties when they were known as Los Tomcats.  After July dissolved in 1969, lead singer and main songwriter Tom Newman released a number of solo albums, but is best remembered today as a producer of Tubular Bells and other Mike Oldfield albums.  Two other members of July, flautist/organist John Field and the late guitarist Tony Duhig, founded an interesting progressive group called Jade Warrior which made a run of interesting rock albums in the 1970's before turning into more of a "world music / new age" act by the end of that decade.
There is no video footage of July (or Jade Warrior), so here are some fan clips for the sitar-driven classic "The Way" and another period piece from this album: "Jolly Mary".  Next here's some tasty Jade Warrior tunes featuring ex-July members Field & Duhig:  "Dragonfly Day" is from their 1970 debut LP, and "May Queen" is a charmer from their third album.
(N) = New Release
Artist Song Album Year (label) Country
The Curious Mystery Up In The Morning We Creeling (N) 2011 (K Records) USA
MV & EE Foxy One Country Stash (N) 2011 (Three Lobed) USA
The Black Lips
 You Keep On Running Arabia Mountain (N) 2011 (Vice) USA
Peaking Lights Summertime 936 (N) 2011 (Not Not Fun) USA
Black Moth Super Rainbow Tooth Decay Eating Us 2009 USA
 
  
July The Way July
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		 1968 UK
July My Clown July
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		 1968 UK
July Dandelion Seeds July
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		 1968 UK
Jade Warrior
(John Field & Tony Duhig from July)		 A Prenormal Day At Brighton Jade Warrior 1970 UK
Jade Warrior
(John Field & Tony Duhig from July)		 Three-Horned Dragon King Released 1971 UK
 
  
Smoke Fairies Hotel Room Through Low Light And Trees (N) 2011 (Year Seven) UK
Eleanor Friedberger Roosevelt Island Last Summer (N)
 2011 (Merge) USA
Wagon Christ
 Respectrum Toomorrow (N) 2011 (Ninja Tune) UK
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Senator Mirror Traffic (N) 2011 (Matador) USA
Paris Suit Yourself Brainwashed My Main Shitstain (N) 2011 (Big Dada) France
 
  
Annapurna Illusion Entering Illusion Life Is An Illusion (N) 2011 (Rocket) France
High Wolf Flowers Of Congo Etoile 3030 (N - cassette) 2011 (Not Not Fun) France
Sun Araw Trireme Ancient Romans (N) 2011 (Drag City) USA
 
  
The Luck Of Eden Hall
 Never My Love (The Association) Chrysalide EP (N - 7" EP) 2011 (Regal Crabomophone) USA
Cranium Pie Run To Survive Mechanism (Part 1) (N) 2011 (Regal Crabomophone) UK
Joan Of Arc Love Life Life Like (N)
 2011 (Polyvinyl) USA
The Diamond Center Dos Fridas My Only Companion 2009 USA
 
  
Mugstar European Nihilism Collisions 02 (N - split album with Oneida) 2011 (Rocket) USA
Afuche Here's To Toast Highly Publicized Digital Boxing Match (N) 2011 (Cuneiform) USA
 
  
Sun Ra & His Arkestra India Super-Sonic Jazz 1957 USA
John Coltrane (with Eric Dolphy) India (live) Impressions rec. 1961, rel. 1963 USA
 
  
The Incredible String Band Creation Changing Horses 1969 UK
                 
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