Steamhammer - MK II (Deras 2a Album UK 1969)

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280:- (24-Bit Limited Remaster Edition)

Not selling as many records as they had hoped, Steamhammer nevertheless became a top European open-air attraction, mainly due to their excellent live performance. For over two hours each night they would provide instrumental improvisations, exemplarised by the guitar work of Martin Pugh and the harmonica of Kieran White. In summer 1969, Martin Quittenton left the band, followed by drummer Michael Rushton. They were replaced by Steve Jolliffe (saxophone, flute) and Mick Bradley (drums).

Jollife's feel for precise arrangements and jazz influences especially inspired the recording of this second Mk II album. Going beyond the boundaries of traditional blues forms, the band members applied their musical creativity and imagination without the need for technical trickery.

The second version of the British combo Steamhammer released its first LP utilizing the talents of Steve Davy (bass), Martin Pugh (guitars), and Kieran White (vocals/guitar/harmonica/Jew's harp) from the original band as well as new recruits Steve Jolliffe (woodwind/brass/harpsichord/vocals) and Mick Bradley (drums). It was the blues that initially drove the combo on its debut long-player, Reflection (1969), likewise known as Junior's Wailing. This lineup adds more exploratory and intricate melodies, courtesy of the multi-instrumental talents and sonic sculpting of future Tangerine Dream member Jolliffe. While this version of the band would not remain past this album, its unique fusion would arguably peak on Mountains (1970), the follow-up to MK II (1969). There are definite shapes of things to come throughout this effort, thanks to the aggressive interaction of the new recruits. They immediately step up to the plate, providing a variety of interesting melodic and instrumental textures. These range from the full-speed gallop of Jolliffe's "Johnny Carl Morton" or the Baroque waltz "Turn Around" — both of which are punctuated by some prominent harpsichord interjections reminiscent of other U.K. progressive groups such as Family and Blossom Toes.

Pugh's guitar work is another of the band's conspicuous assets, as he is able to fluidly waft between the acoustic romanticism of the diminutive "Sunset Chase" to the bluesy and tongue-in-cheek "Contemporary Chick Con Song." The latter track includes a stretched-out instrumental jam that captures Pugh's criminally underrated electric fretwork. Steamhammer's various and seemingly disparate musical elements coalesce on the manic "6/8 for Amiran." They blend the complexities inherent in the time signature with a tightly executed and churning blues — much in the same way that early Jethro Tull was able to do on sides such as "Nothing Is Easy" or "For Our Mothers." The second side consists of a suite containing "Down Along the Grove," "Another Travelling Tune," and "Fran and Dee Take a Ride." This 16-plus minute epic allows Steamhammer to improvise and stretch out. The open structure makes room for the various musical styles to be thoroughly explored with more intricacy than a majority of the three- and four-minute tunes. The double lead electric guitars, courtesy of the song's co-authors, Pugh and White, blend well with Jolliffe's jazzy sax and flute improvisations. Enthusiasts are encouraged not only to seek this platter, but the Mountains (1970) follow-up as well.

01.Supposed to Be Free
02.Johnny Carl Morton
03.Sunset Chase
04.Contemporary Chick Con Song
05.Turn Around
06.6/8 for Amiran
07.Passing Through
08.Down Along the Grove
09.Another Travelling Tune
10.Fran and Dee Take a Ride

Steamhammer - Mountains (3e Albumet UK 1970)

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280:- (24-Bit Limited Remaster Edition)

Mountains was the third album of the British blues-rock band Steamhammer.

In summer 1970, Steamhammer recorded this album as a quartet, Kieran White (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Martin Pugh (guitar), Steve Davy (bass) and Mick Bradley (drums). These four musicians worked together as a team to provide a selection of high-quality white urban blues.

The live track, "Riding On The L&N", is one of the highlights of the Mountains album, which contains blues numbers combined with rock music. With the release of this album, Steamhammer began to be more noticed by the rock world.

STEAMHAMMER's 3rd release "Mountains" is just plain and simply one of those "full bodied brews" that the commercials always promised. This was STEAMHAMMER's strongest album (although the debut album is also quite amazing) and represents a great journey into a rather interesting world where progressive, blues and psychedelic genres meet. This five piece band play somewhere in the CREAM, GOLDEN EARRING, Peter Green school of music. One of the interesting aspects of this album is that fact that basically half the album was recorded live yet sounds dynamically like the studio album and goes on almost undetected. Perhaps though the aspect I appreciate the most in this recording is the standout instrument interplay with some fantastic guitar solos (aka SANTANA) and bass guitar that just wont stop.

01."I Wouldn't Have Thought"
02."Riding on the L&N" (Live)
03."Hold That Train"
04."Levinia"
05."Henry Lane"
06."Leader of the Ring"
07."Walking Down the Road"
08."Mountains"

Steamhammer - Speech (Deras Sista Album UK 1972)

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280:- (24-Bit Limited Remaster Edition)

Speech was the fourth and last album of the British blues-rock band Steamhammer.

In 1971, Kieran White and Steve Davy left Steamhammer, and Louis Cennamo (bass) joined the band. This lineup, together with session vocalist Garth Watt-Roy, recorded this album, which was released in 1972. It consisted of three long and mostly instrumental songs.

After Speech was recorded, Mick Bradley died of leukemia later in 1972. This led to the break-up of Steamhammer, so this was their last album.

Diverging from the typical power rock style on Speech, their fourth and final album, the band found themselves in a dilemma without their vocalist, who had left after the previous release, Mountains. This led to a radical development for the band. Instead of hiring a new singer, the rest of the group picked up the slack, and reduced the role of the vocals significantly, opting for a progressive jam style that was hugely innovative for its time. Guitarist Martin Pugh offers a crashing, furious style that mixes Jimmy Page with early Robert Fripp. When Pugh seeks passages of beauty and tranquility, he finds them with ease, but when he aims for intensity, watch out! He literally attacks the listener, pounding them with his mammoth, perfectly executed riffs. Meanwhile, bassist Louis Cennamo is so talented and innovative that he single-handedly brought the bow into rock music with his bowed bass intro to the album. Several years before Page would pick up the bow for "Kashmir," Cennamo uses the bowed bass as means to an end, not for simple effect.

Just as a normal bassist alone, masters within the genre owe their lifeblood to him. For he is able to play along with just about the toughest, most technical drumming around, that of drummer Mick Bradley, who is easily the most accomplished musician of the trio. To state that he is rock's greatest drummer is simply not enough. His energetic approach to the drum kit helped him become one of the first and only drummers in rock history, along with King Crimson's Michael Giles, to use polyrhythmic drumming, a style commonly used by jazz drummers. His dynamic performance on the primarily instrumental "For Against," which blows away John Bonham's "Moby Dick" and Ginger Baker's "Toad" in a heartbeat. On this album, there was a rumor that the band received some secret vocal and lyrical help from Yardbirds vocalist Keith Relf. Whether or not this is true remains a mystery, but what is fact, sadly, is that not long after this album Mick Bradley succumbed to Leukemia and passed away. This marked the end of Steamhammer, but the other two members forged on, forming a band called Armageddon. Speech is one of rock's finest and most creative hours, and one tends to wonder where Steamhammer could have gone from this point on had it not been for obscurity and sudden tragedy.

01. Penumbra - 22:41
02. Telegram - 11:59
03. For Against - 10:56