Monday, March 25, 2013

The Fallen Angels - The Roulette Masters Part 2 (1967 us, marvelous garage psych)



 Released within a matter of months of the debut, "It's a Long Way Down" proved an even better effort.  With managers Traynor and Seidal again co-producing, musically the album wasn't a major stylistic change from the debut offering up another mix of folk rock, pop and psych moves. 

That said, the overall results were far more consistent and tighter than the debut, the band having apparently gained considerable confidence in the studio.  Adding Jack Lauritsen to the songwriting collective, ballads such as the acid soaked 'Horn Playing on My Thin Wall', 'Look to the Sun' and the heavily orchestrated 'One of the Few Ones Left' were to-kill-for numbers showcasing the band's commercial side. 

Elsewhere, material such as the lead off track 'Poor Old Man', 'Something You Can Hide In' and 'I'll Drive You from My Mind' underscored the band's trippier edge with great fuzz guitar, stabbing organs and droning vocals.  All told it's easy to see why this one's become a sought after and high priced collectable. 

Unfortunately, unhappy with the band's harder edged sound and ongoing lack of sales Roulette quickly dropped them from its recording roster and by the end of 1969 the members had called it quits.  (The album was originally released with a gatefold sleeve.)
Bad-Cat
Tracks
1. Poor Old Man (J. Bryant, H. Danchik, J. Lauritsen) - 3:41
2. Horn Playing On My Thin Wall (J. Bryant, J. Lauritsen) - 4:25
3. Something You Can Hide In (J. Bryant) - 3:59
4. Tell Me A Story (H. Danchik) - 0:22
5. Silent Garden (H. Danchik) - 1:54
6. Look To The Sun (J. Bryant, J. Lauritsen) - 3:46
7. Left (J. Bryant) - 2:50
8. I Really Love My Mother (H. Danchik) - 1:07
9. Look At The Wind (J. Bryant, J. Lauritsen) - 4:04
10.Didn't I (J. Bryant) - 2:55
11.It's A Long Way Down (J. Bryant) - 2:45
12.I'll Drive You From My Mind (J. Bryant) - 4:19

The Fallen Angels
*Jack Bryant - Vocals, Bass, Kazoo
*Wally Cook - Guitar
*Howard Danchik - Keyboards, Flute
*Richard Kumer - Drums, Percussion 
*Jack Lauritsen - Guitar, Sitar, Vibes

1965-66 The Mad Hatters Meet The Fallen Angels
1967  The Roulette Masters Part 1

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