The 2nd of May [Import]

May Blitz | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 16, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Akarma Italy
• ASIN: B00015YVIQ
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,452 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Japanese reissue packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible followup to their debut, February 5, 2005

By 

BENJAMIN MILER (Veneta, Oregon) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The 2nd of May (Audio CD)

I have felt that May Blitz was an often underappreciated hard rock/psych band. Although the band is thought of as British (since they were based there and recording for the British Vertigo label), it was only their drummer, Tony Newman who was British. Newman had previously been with the Jeff Beck Group (he appeared on Beck-Ola), and of Sounds Incorporated, which dated back to the days when the Beatles were still playing at places like the Star Club and The Cavern (the early 1960s). The other two guys, guitarist/vocalist James Black and bassist Reid Hudson were Canadians from Victoria, BC, and they were previously in a Canadian act called The Runabouts who were also known as the Missing Lynx (good name there, especially since the lynx is native to Canada). The two Canadian guys came to Britain, and from one source, it was James Black who founded May Blitz with two other guys, both ex-Bakerloo (a band that featured future Colosseum and Humble Pie guitarist Dave "Clem" Clempson), bassist Terry Poole and drummer Keither Baker. Before the band even got started on recording their debut, Poole and Baker left to be replaced by Hudson and Newman, which established May Blitz as we know them.

They signed to Vertigo and released their self-entitled debut in 1970. That album received an American release on the Paramount label. They then followed it with The 2nd of May the following year. But this one is harder to acquire on LP, since it apparently never received an American release on the Paramount label (or Vertigo, which finally had a liscence to operate in the States by '71). Well, this second album is a truly wonderful followup to their debut. Parts of this album is jazzier than before, showing the jazz influence of Tony Newman's drumming. But of course the bluesy psychedelic hard rock is still there, and in fact many of the songs are even heavier than on their debut. "For Mad Men Only" is a great example, bordering on heavy metal, with James Black giving us some heavy guitar work. "Snakes and Ladders" starts off almost Hendrix-like, with Hendrix-like vocals and repeating bass lines. Then the music changes gears to something heavier reminding me of how Black Sabbath (who happened to be recording for Vertigo as well) might have sounded like if they included psychedelic elements in their music. "The 25th of December, 1969" is a more mellow song with lyrics about Christmas, but don't worry, this isn't a Christmas carol, and in the middle is nice jazzy, psychedelic passage. "In Parts" is unique only for the fact it's the only time a May Blitz song ever had a flute. Starts off really nice with James Black's bluesy vocals, but the second half of this cut ends with a drum solo that lasts right until the end, which I find pointless, because usually you hear a conclusion with the original theme of the song after the drum solo, which didn't happen here. "8 Mad Grim Nits" is the band's only instrumental cut, and it's a really heavy and aggressive piece showing James Black's talent on the guitar. He add some strange sound effects as it progresses. "High Beech" is a pleasant psychedelic number with reverbed guitar and a mood not unlike "Tomorrow May Come" (from their debut), with a late '60s hippie vibe going on here. "Honey Coloured Time" is a mellow bluesy number where the band gets jazzy, not only with Tony Newman's drumming and use of vibes, but even the guitar work. "Just Thinking" is yet another psychedelic number complete with reverb guitar. This one starts off slowly and I love how it builds up to a wonderful psychedelic climax.

I own the 1994 German CD reissue on the Repertoire label (who reissued many great prog and psych albums), and the sound quality is simply amazing, for example, the acoustic guitars really comes clear on "High Beech".

Unfortunately The 2nd of May proved to be May Blitz's final album. The band broke up because of lack of success, while their labelmates Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep had became hugely successful (despite neither of them exactly the darling of rock critics). The two Canadian guys seemed to have dropped out of music altogether (one report stated they returned to Canada, and I'm guessing back to their day jobs), and Tony Newman went on to other things like Three Man Army, Boxer and an in-demand studio musician (has played with Marc Bolan, Chris Spedding, David Bowie, even Whitesnake). Aside from the drum solo on "In Parts", this is a truly excellent album for those who like that bluesy hard rock/psychedelic with some prog trappings.

5.0 out of 5 stars Get Blitzed!, November 6, 2009

By 

Aron D. Rush "missouri reb" (Cross Timbers, Mo usa) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 2nd of May (Audio CD)

Another great album from a year of great albums, 1971. This band is good, real good, and the songs are high quality,with good vocals.

This disc opens with a blast of fuzz driven power boogie, called For Mad Men Only, similar in style to the heavier versions of the oft covered Baby Please Don't Go. Following this, you have Snakes And Ladders. It starts out in a trippy funk and turns into heavy rock, with dark riffs and more fuzz. Great stuff! Then we get a mood swing. The 25th Of December 1969 starts off slow with someone feeling sorry for them self, all alone at Christmas. The music gets darker, and the song tells about places and people with real problems. It finishes up on a cheerful note with folks at a Christmas party, eating, drinking beer and hitting on a joint. Well written song with a lot of meaning. Cut #4, In Part, gets down to some flute enhanced prog rock, powered by the very fine drumming of Tony Newman (I loved this guy's work on Beck Ola). The drumming is perfect throughout the entire album, but Newman really gets the spotlight in this one.

Starting off side 2 of the original vinyl, 8 Mad Grim Nits is a killer jam, with guitarist James Black soloing all over the place on top of a heavy, jazzy groove provided by bassist Reid Hudson and the already praised Tony Newman. The music gets heavier as it goes, an unrelenting assault of rock pleasure. The mood changes again with High Beech, a mostly acoustic song with a spacey sound and feel, though it gets funky in places. Honey Colored Time is a dark vibed, slow tempo song that reminds me more than a bit of Scottish heavy psyche band, The Human Beast. The song gets jazzy for a bit, then returns to the opening music. Fine guitar work from Mr. Black towards the end. The album closes with a mellow, trippy number called Just Thinking. It gives me a mental picture of sitting on a deserted beach, the sun and your trip slowly disappearing.

As a whole, a very enjoyable musical journey, and one of my personal favorites. Nice gate fold mini-album with Repertoire Records usual high standards for sound and packaging. Get The 2nd Of May and get blitzed!

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars May Blitz - The Second of May, January 11, 2009

By 

Donald G. Kumpf (Peoria, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 2nd of May (Audio CD)

This CD is good, but not great. It's strange, It's the same line up but both the music and the words are not as good as the first (self titled)CD.
In fact the words are kind of cheesey. It's worth keeping however.