Customer Reviews

Definitive Collection

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Two discs,a total of 34 songs that showcase John DuCann's band just prior to joining up with Atomic Rooster.Honestly,some of these UK imports make certain U.S. releases look like a joke.Angel Air's packaging convinces you,the purchaser that you're getting something special,and you are.The best tracks on disc one are "The Day Of The Change",the rocking "Turns To Dust","The Reason","I Can't Stop The Song","When To Stop" and the irresistible "Let's All Watch The Sky Fall Down"(possibly the best cut of this entire compilation).Disc two is just as good,if not better.With tunes like another version of "The Reason","Keep Out 'Cos I'm Dying",the sinister-like sounding "Lonely Streets",the wailing "Sleep Like A Child" and a couple of semi-rough recorded live tracks,"Round House Blues" along with "Acidus".'Definitive...' is one of the better comp. CD's I've heard in sometime.I don't think I'm making an overstatement when I say that DuCann is quite a talented songwriter as well as performer.A true slice of psychedelic heaven with plenty of brilliant guitar work.Includes nifty twelve-page booklet where DuCann speaks of touring with Zeppelin and Sabbath back in the days long gone.Most highly recommended.

Although this band only recorded one album (issued here with outakes, live tracks, and singles on 2 discs), this is definitely no one-hit wonder. It's remarkable how creative the songs are on this album and how modern and fresh many of them sound considering it was recorded in 1969. Andromeda is by far one of the best hard-blues rock/psychedelic bands I've ever heard and believe me I've heard a lot. Although they have a tendency to jam and go over the top at times (and the couple of live tracks on cd2 don't sound that great), most of the songs are excellent and better than most of Cream's work with which they are often compared. From ballads to hard blues, this is definitely a collection worth buying for anyone who appreciates good, pre-'70's hard rock.

Andromeda is a spectacular band. Despite being a forgotten band from the late 60's, the most amazing thing upon first listen is just how GREAT the songs are. The band felt like they wanted to take the Hollies vocal style and combine it with some extremely heavy blues rock and psychedelic elements, and it works pretty darn well.

The vocal melodies are quite catchy and the guitar playing is always top notch, and the rhythm section sounds really cool when the band wants to jam out a little out (though most of the time Andromeda kept things relatively straight forward, there are some jamming sections on this collection).

I wish more people were aware of this great album. Just because it's not popular doesn't mean it's no good- that's absolutely NOT true in this case. Andromeda will be remembered for those lucky enough to listen to this collection of songs. There really aren't any weak moments. They probably would have become a classic band had they continued to stick around.

The end of the 60's in the UK must've been quite the time. So much great music hearalded the end of the 6's and the begining of the 7's.
In 1969 so many bands' drank from the same trough under the spell of some mystic adventurous Muse. "Who created what first"? becomes meaningless. ALL were under the influence.

ANDROMEDA were one of those bands. 'The Definitive Collection' is their 2 cd statement. Psychedelic, psyche, progressive, hard rock...the listener is taken on a musical journey sometimes etherial, sometimes unpolished and crude. Though this collection has it's production limitations it never gives up the ghost for commercial mediocrity.
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I hear influences of early MAN, CARAVAN, MC5, HAWKWIND, CREAM, SPIRIT, BLACK SABBATH and lots of proto-ATOMIC ROOSTER flexing. Every ANDROMEDA fan will hear their own associations and that's part of the fun with this band. Evoking shades of anything musically going on in 1969 that was relevant within its 34 tracks.
Those listeners with a special interest in those halcyon days of yore will be the most appreciative with this collection. ANDROMEDA does not falter here, setting their own standard of excellence against the upcomming 21st Century production values and scripted hype of what passes for music today.