MUSIC EMPORIUM

Music Emporium biography
Initially called The CAGE, this trippy West Coast psych band from the 60's were quite sophisticated for their time. They started off in 1968 when keyboardist Bill Cosby joined forces with guitarist Dave Padwin and two female musicians, namely bassist Carolyn Lee and drummer Dora Wahl. All four were either classically trained or seasoned club veterans, Cosby himself being a UCLA music major. Evolving smack in the middle of the flower power era, they played their blistering rockers and wispy melodies quite convincingly, borrowing from jazz, classical music, avant-garde and rock. On the psychedelic side, they were definitely more song oriented than, say, early PINK FLOYD; although they did pour a mean dose of organ on their self-titled LP, released in 1969. Unfortunately, a year later Cosby got drafted and the band broke up.

Their album is a fascinating testimony of a different time and place. Highly organ dominated, it has just about everything one would expect from a late 60's album: driving rhythms, heavy guitar riffs, trippy Farfisa organ and cool, groovy male/female vocals by Cosby and especially Lee who delivers her druggy, cosmic lyrics with style. Their solos are concise and they know how to lock into a groove without jamming aimlessly, as did so many bands of that era. They also know how to structure songs that best display their strengths although in retrospect, it is their softer tunes that seem to have aged better, especially those with a nice gothic/classical feel. The CD version, which was recorded from the master tapes, comprises five bonus tracks, all of them instrumental versions of songs from the LP.

Highly recommended to collectors of early psychedelia, particularly to fans of the band IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

: : : Lise (HIBOU), CANADA : : :

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