Search - Various Artists :: Golden Miles: Australian Progressive Rock

A wonderful compilation of Aussie prog-rock

Todd M. Pence | Fairfax, VA | 03/09/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone interested in unearthing treasures from the history of progressive rock should not miss this excellent anthology. The music scene in Australia during the seventies appears to have been an abundance of riches, even though it remains a chapter of rock's lost history. Splendidly represented here is some great music which otherwise might have been lost to oblivion. My personal favorite is a cover of Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman" by the band King Harvest. If you're at all a fan of progressive rock, you are cheating yourself if you don't buy this album. And to the compilers: Please, PLEASE, make a Golden Miles Volume Two!!"

GREAT COMPILATION

Todd M. Pence | 05/21/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'VE BEEN A FAN OF OZ ROCK OF THIS ERA FOR SOME TIME AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE SOMEONE PUT OUT A SET OF THIS STUFF.YOU WILL HEAR PRE-AC/DC BON SCOTT ON FRATERNITY'S "Seasons Of Change",A PRE-ROSE TATTOO PETER WELLS PLAYING BASS ON AUSSIE METAL BAND BUFFALO'S "'Til My Death" AND KAHVAS JUTE'S"Free"FEATURING FUTURE OZZY OSBORNE SIDEMAN BOB DAISLEY,IT HAS AN ALLMAN BROS. STYLE DUAL GUITAR RIFF(GET THEIR ONLY ALBUM CALLED"WIDE OPEN" ON CD IF IT'S STILL AVAILABLE,IF YOU LIKE CREAM-ERA STYLE CLAPTON GUITAR WITH ALLMAN STYLE GUITAR HARMONIES YOU'LL WILL PROBABLY LIKE THIS ONE),A SOULFUL READING OF JIMMY WEBB'S "WITCHITA LINEMAN" BY KING HARVEST WITH VOCALS BY LEO DECASTRO.DISC ONE IS BOOKENDED BY THE 2 HEAVIEST TRACKS ON THIS SET,BAKERY'S "No Dying In The Dark" A POORLY RECORDED RIFF-FEST WHICH OUT-PURPLE'S PURPLE AND ZEPPELIN IN THE MOST HEAVY RIFFS PER SECOND LEAGUE WITH ABOVE RIFFS COURTESY OF GUITARIST PETER WALKER.FANNY ADAMS "Ain't No Loving Left" WAS A OZ SUPERGROUP FEATURING FORMER BEE GEES GUITARIST VINCE MELOUNEY AND DOUG PARKINSON ON LEAD VOCALS,THEY RELEASED ONLY ONE SELF TITLED LP AFTER THE BAND SPLIT,THIS SONG IS ONE OF THE HEAVIEST RECORDS FROM THAT ERA ,IT'S LOUDER AND HEAVIER THAN ZEP AND DEEP PURPLE AND PARKINSON HAD A VERY GRUFF MANLY VOICE AS OPPOSED TO ROBERT PLANT/IAN GILLAN SHREIKING.PROBABLY THE BEST ROCK GUITARIST TO COME OUT OF AUSTRALIA FROM THAT ERA IS JOHN ROBINSON OF THE GROUP BLACKFEATHER,THE ONLY LP THE BAND RELEASED WITH HIM WAS CALLED AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS AND "Long Legged Lovely" IS 7:30 OF GUITAR VIRTUOSITY RANGING FROM A RIFFY INTRO TO A FAST SECTION TO A CLASSICAL PART AND BACK AGAIN,THE WHOLE LP IS FULL OF HIS ARRANGEMENTS WITH A STRING SECTION AND WAILING ROCK GUITAR,THE CD OF ATMOM IS PRINT SO GET THAT TO.IF YOU LIKE PROG ROCK AND THINK THAT ONLY THE BRITS WERE DOING IT GRAB THIS DISC YOU'LL BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED."