Country Rock Melting Permafrost - Claim

Today's offering is Heartsfield, who gigged strongly in support of the biggest acts of the time, released major-label albums, and yet remain just under the radar for most. The problem wasn't chops - these guys could play and sing almost anybody off the stage. The problem was lack of great songs. They wrote their own material, and it never, not even for the space of one song, rises above the level of "very good". Which is good enough, and not enough. Good enough for us to have some fun listening to the albums, not good enough for great.

We don't care, here on Th' Isle O' Foam©. Not everything has to be great all the time, and sometimes good enough is good enough. The great music looks after itself - it's albums like these that need a little encouragement.

Their first three albums in the comments. There's a fourth, and some related releases, which I don't gots.

Play "Who's In My Box?" With TV's Elizabeth Montgomery! - Dept.

"Can I be in your band?"

You'll know Elizabeth Montgomery from her role as Corabeth Godsey in TV's long-running series The Brady Bunch, but few know she's something of an authority on "psychedelic" rock, the teen craze that's sweeping the nation!

That's right! Luscious Liz owns over twenty "psychedelic" rock albums, and regularly "trips out" to their swingin' now sounds!

When I dropped by her "pad" on LA's happening Melrose Strip recently, she 'fessed up to wanting to appear in our popular Who's In My Box? feature. In fact, she already had someone in her box!

In an exciting upgrade from previous shows, we're asking you, Mr. John Q. Public of Lovely Your Area, to recognize who's in Ms. Montgomery's box by identifying the following lyric. So put your ear to her Magic Box and tell us who's in there! Are you ready already! Hoo boy!

"All is quiet in the make-believe of business and success, and you've decided you've got time to take a ride ..." 

Edit: No clear winner this time - JKC obviously knew but very sportingly left it for someone else to name - well done, Hermann! 71.8 Foampoints© added to your account! Link in comments.

Doctor Strangely Strange's Incredible Medicine Show Dept. - Part I

There's a corner of th' Isle O' Foam© given over to rainy weather, pixies, and magic mushrooms. There's a crackling wood fire in the grate, and spliffs are rolled on album covers in the firelight. Very likely a Clive's Original Band (C.O.B.) cover.

Their two albums capture the essence of Wyrd Acid Folk® before it was even a thing. Back then - another lifetime, another world - there was just music, not endless categories of sub-genres. And music was, for some, very nearly the most important thing in all the world. It could sound like Clive Palmer, or Carl Palmer, or Carl Wilson, or Wilson Picket. It was all good.

Maybe there's a corner of your island where you can still listen to stuff like this, where you can look up at the stars and feel like the universe is still mostly magical, in spite of our unceasing efforts to turn everything to shit (King Midas In Reverse).

Here's some Clive Palmer fo' yo' asses. The first Incredible String Band album, the first Famous Jug Band album, and the two C.O.B. albums. That mushroom is big enough for us all to sit under.

Jazz On A Summer's Day Dept.

Like, digsville!

Jimmy Giuffre, Third Streamer First Class and Foamfeatured© antecedently, teams up with fellow no-sweat reedsman Lee Konitz (check those eyeglasses!) for what will be the nicest album you've heard all your life, probably. At least for today.

Cooler than a Daiquiri in a frosted glass, sweeter than a summer breeze, this is music to ease the fever in your soul or the ache in your heart. 

This is the original nine-track release. Included as a FoamBonus© is Giuffre's rare The Four Brothers Sound, an interesting experiment in multi-tracking, but no masterpiece.

Slight Return Dept.

Not one of Ed Caraeff's finer moments.

Beachcombing. The Isle O'Foam© is the beachcomber's paradise. If you can remember when beaches were made of sand, and not plastic bottles, fast food packaging, nitrous oxide canisters, and the bloated corpses of poisoned marine life, you'll maybe remember the lost art of beachcombing. Walking along the beach, digging your toes in, finding small treasures. Here's what I found recently - not much to look at - that cover could be just about any late 'sixties band getting back to nature and gazing with eyes unclouded by cynicism at a bright Aquarian future - but I took it back to the gold-plated Airstream H.Q., dusted it off, and was very pleasantly surprised.

First, by the fact that it's from '71, when that Aquarian dream was already dead and buried. Second, by the powerhouse rhythm section, which is a freaking joy to hear. That's the first thing I listen for these days, and if the drummer and the bass player check the boxes I look at what else there is. Plenty - weirdly catchy songs that veer between hard rock and country. Stub-your-toe time changes, tough and agile lead guitar, and great lead vocals that never descend into that throaty blues-buster caricature. This is a real keeper, and as good as those striped pants on the cover promise.