Here we have another set of long lost recordings from the vaults, this time from forgotten '70s band Kelakos, who were comprised of George Michael Kelakos Haberstroh (guitars, vocals), Mark Sisson (guitars), Lincoln Bloomfield (bass), and Carl Canedy (drums, vocals), the latter of whom many will remember as the drummer of The Rods as well as producer to bands such as Overkill, Anthrax, Possessed, and many other metal acts. This band released their first album Gone Are the Days in 1978, but quickly disappeared, seemingly forever. Now, with the release of Uncorked-Rare Tracks From a Vintage '70s Band, the music of Kelakos can be enjoyed by everyone who missed out on it the first time around.
If you can imagine a mix of Raspberries, Badfinger, Todd Rundgren, The James Gang, The Doobie Brothers, and Grand Funk Railroad, that's kind of what you get with Kelakos. At times, the band can deliver melodic, toe tappin' hard rock, as on "Boogie Bad Express", "Funky Day", and "Frostbite Fantasy", but they are also just as capable as writing a hook laden pop tune, like "Rachel" or "Gone Are the Days". The twin guitars of Haberstroh & Sisson are impressive throughout, so be on the lookout for some tasty licks and searing lead solos, especially from the leader, who at times sounds almost like the late, great Tommy Bolin. Funky hard rock & soul can be heard on "All You Need is a Ticket", and the ballads "How Did You Get So Crazy" and "Change Your Mind" show a penchant for lush melodies that make it seem that the band could have had some hit potential had all the stars aligned correctly. They even throw in a little jazz on "Lovin' So Fine" as well as sizzling blues /jazz-rock on "Follow Your Dream". This trip into jazzier waters fully culminates with "Persephone's Dream", a ripping jazz-fusion instrumental featuring wild lead guitar solos, complex grooves, and some guest keyboards from Chip Smith & Gary Cozad. You just have to stop and wonder what would have happened if the band had decided to do more in this direction...incredible stuff, and a must hear for fans of Return to Forever, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Frank Zappa, and The Dixie Dregs. Also recommended is the Allman Brothers Band inspired ""Till the Break of Day" and "Break of Day Coda", which again features some stellar guitar work, and the breezy "There's a Feeling" closes out this collection with some textured folk & blues elements not too far removed from CSN&Y, Doobie Brothers, and the Allmans.
Honestly, it's kind of puzzling that this band never made it, as the quality of the musicianship, the vocals, and most importantly the catchy nature of these songs are just so in line with what was popular with rock audiences back in the late '70s. Listening to these tunes now, it's not hard to imagine many of them finding a home on AM/FM rock radio in 1977. Production by the band is stellar, and the tracks were engineered by Tony Volante and Alex Periales, the latter later becoming THE producer for many thrash metal bands throughout the '80s and early '90s. This is definitely a nice little release for anyone into long lost '70s rock bands.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1) Boogie Bad Express
2) Funky Day
3) Gone Are the Days
4) Rachel
5) Frostbite Fantasy
6) All You Need is a Ticket
7) How Did You Get So Crazy
8) Lovin' So Fine
9) Change Your Mind
10) Follow Your Dream
11) Persephone's Dream
12) Till the Break of Day
13) Break of Day Coda
14) In the Sun
15) There's a Feeling
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