this is really as good as everyone says it is. can't recommend it enough. the small rarity reissue label from Switzerland RD Records has it out on vinyl. they contacted Susan Graubard and she had all the tapes that the New Age recorded for Warner Brothers but that nobody had ever heard since they were recorded. she hadn't even listened to them! she was on Pat Kilroy's album for Elektra (his debut is almost a New Age album in everything but name). it's really a public service to have this stuff available after all this time. unbelievably beautiful middle-eastern psych folk with all kinds of instruments popping up here and there. you'd have to read Susan's amazing liner-notes to understand how obsessed these guys were with learning how to play different folk instruments. the sound is great too! straight from reel-to-reel. not produced at all really. sounds live. crystal-clear.
anyway, if you dig Patrick Kilroy's Light Of Day album on Elektra then you will definitely love this. what a crazy beautiful voice he had. and there is no doubt that he would have made even more amazing music had he lived. (he died before these sessions were completed. although there was plenty of stellar stuff for a whole album) he was just getting started!
Cheers to Susan Graubard Archuletta for making this music public after so long! and cheers again for her highly informative notes/story about her life and the life of The New Age. Listening to the music and reading her story made me want to cry a couple of times. beauty on the page and beauty in the air at the same time. peace!
(i don't know about cd or domestic release planned. warner brothers! this country just doesn't know what it has when it has it.)
― scott seward, Thursday, 8 May 2008 21:05 (2 years ago) Permalink
Finally got around to listening to this and second everything you said.
― Elvis Telecom, Friday, 4 July 2008 17:47 (2 years ago) Permalink
THIS IS GREAT. it really freaked me out when i realized they were in the love-ins. if this had actually come out at the time they'd probably be mentioned in the same breath as incredible string band and shit, but AMERICAN. we could've won the eastern folkpsych arms race.
― GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 02:27 (2 years ago) Permalink
Yeah, this record is totally sweet. There are parts on it that make me think Tim Buckley. It's cool to see the flyers they have in the booklet, like shows with Basho, and Country Joe and stuff. Kind of awesome.
― ian, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 03:47 (2 years ago) Permalink
yeah, i really wonder if kilroy would've been as out as buckley got if he had lived long enough. first album's better than buckley's, at least.
― GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 07:25 (2 years ago) Permalink
Have you guys noticed that the inner sleeve for the New Age record is a little too big? I blame it for the scuffs on my copy, which should not be there given that I just bought the thing a few days ago. Totally annoying that there is now a short tic in one of the songs. Arrrgghhh.
― ian, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 18:53 (2 years ago) Permalink
i got it on cd. BONU$ TRACK$
― GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 01:07 (2 years ago) Permalink