Fiends & Angels

Martha Velez | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 1969
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Wounded Bird Records
• ASIN: B0015I2Q0S
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,541 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Martha Velez only issued five albums in her recording career of the 1960s & 1970s. But she has a cult fan following and her albums feature a host of guest musicians. Recorded in 1969, Fiends & Angels is making its worldwide CD debut & features Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Brian Auger, Christine McVie, Jim Capaldi, Mitch Mitchell and the list goes on. Wounded Bird.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fiends and Angels, July 16, 2008

By 

Stuart Jefferson (San Diego,Ca) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fiends & Angels (Audio CD)

38 minutes approximately. Good warm sound. Having bought this album back in the days of vinyl,I was surprised to see it on cd. Originally I purchased this on the strength of the back-up band. How could you go wrong with Clapton,Webb(of Chicken Shack)and Kossoff on guitar? Add to that Jack Bruce on bass,Brian Auger on organ,Christine McVie on keyboards,Jim Capaldi(Traffic)and Mitch Mitchell on drums,plus the rhythm section from Chicken Shack,the great Duster Bennett on harmonica,and the cream of session horn players at the time-it added up,hopefully,to some good music. I was not disappointed.

Combining several originals with a number of well-known tracks made this a great if unknown album. Velez's voice is similar to Bonnie Bramlett(of Delaney and Bonnie)with just a touch of Julie Driscoll. As was mentioned previously,the sound is straight out of the late sixties-a slight blending of instruments and voice that makes for a good,naturally warm sound. This is an advantage,for Velez's voice could easily sound harsh and cold in a digitally stark remastered version. As expected,the quality of the backing band is great and helps place this album above the average run of the mill release. On various tracks its easy to hear which guitarist is playing,and while there are no long solos,the arrangements are just fine.

It's a shame this album was not more well-known upon it's release,but with so many other albums,by so many great groups during this era,Velez's album was here and gone. Hopefully,it's release on cd may rectify this oversight-because this album is a prime example of the music recorded in an era of much great music. It's good to hear it again,and isn't that the mark of good music?

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting piece of rock history, September 23, 2008

By 

E. P. Eckart "music fan" (SLC, UT, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fiends & Angels (Audio CD)

This album (I use that term because of my still having the vinyl) is most interesting because of all the famous folk who performed on it. A few more should be noted: Spit James, Keef Hartley, Gary Thain, Mick Weaver and Chris Mercer (all of the vastly underappreciated Keef Hartley Band); Chris Wood, John Almond, Richard Hayward, Stan Webb, the list goes on and on. It was even rumored that Jimi Hendrix was on it (not true). The instruments are pretty well recorded and the artists can be picked out easily, though Velez herself said that she thought it sounded "a little rough". Perhaps that adds some edge to the recording. Unfortunately, contrary to the other reviewers, I find it hard to listen to in entirety because Martha's voice is just too shrill for my liking. Still it is an intriguing vignette of rock history and the great well of outstanding talent that was knocking around London at the time.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars forgotten classic brought back to life., October 28, 2008

By 

Gary Brunner "old hippie from Cincy" (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fiends & Angels (Audio CD)

I own an original Vinyl (DJ Demo actually) of this incredible album, given to me by the Decca/Sire record company Rep' when I was a teenager working in a Record store. I played it for my buddies who were equally wowed, so much so that we talked the Hot Rock Venue in town back then(Ludlow Garage) into bringing Martha to town. She and her Band were great. Shortly thereafter she just kinda' dissappeared. Too bad, what a powerful Voice, she shoulda' been something Big. Glad to see it on a CD finally.