Customer Reviews

Ramatam

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is actually an excellent record, lying somewhere on a line between Iron Butterfly's Metamorphosis and Edgar Winter Group's We Only Come Out At Night. In other words it's an intelligent, varied, well-played, melodic example of 70's rock. But it sounds like it was remastered off a cassette tape. I have a fairly high end sound system and have really enjoyed the much improved upgrades many CDs have been receiving recently, but this sounds like it was done on the cheap by someone with no ear for music. I also have a CD of Poco's Cantamos, another '70s favourite, on the Wounded Bird label. It sounds terrible too, so I assume the label is at fault. Plus there are no liner notes and no extra tracks. My old, worn vinyl copies of both of these albums sound better than the CDs. If audio quality is a concern I suggest you avoid these CDs and look out for the vinyl.

Just went out and got this because of course my Licorice Pizza was worn down to the grooves. This was a rare album when it hit back in the day, I mean you had the great Mitch Mitchell on drums and everyone knows where he is from. Then Mike Pinera from "Blues Image" of the song 'Ride Captain Ride' and then with "Iron Butterfly" Russ Smith on Bass and Tommy Sullivan on Keyboard and Reeds who does in fact also has a good rock voice. The catcher here though is April Lawton who came out of know where and plays a great guitar, some rumors back in the day were that she was a Jimi Hendrix protege and she does stand out here. I mean come on now, do you think Mitch Mitchell and Mike Pinera would just let anyone front the lead guitarist position in thier band? April did one more album under the Ramatam name and then just drifted away, if there is anyone that knows where she is or what happened to her please write me. I have tried for many years to get in touch with her and she has always remained a mystery? This is truely a collectors find and I myself am glad that it was finally put on CD.

I e-mailed the label a couple years ago and asked them to release this LP on CD. I was very happy to here that they did and purchased it when it became available. I am a big MM fan and this was one of the few post-Hendrix recordings with him on drums. I seen them live in the 70's and they were good. This could have been something real big but the sound production is real bad. I don't remember the LP sounding this bad but it's been a long time since I heard it. I hope another label can do this LP better someday soon and I too have wondered what happen to April Lawton.

ok,this one at last,but when will "In April Came The Dawning Of The Red Suns"?that's the Ramatam album with April's greatest guitar work.and where is she?in all these years i have found one clue.in Science Digest,Feb,April(of course),May and October of 1982 there are articles where she does AMAZING artwork.just stunning stuff.that's all i've ever found,but it makes sense,she did paint that les paul of hers.

RAMATAM WAS A PRETTY GOOD BUT SHORT LIVED (ESPECIALLY IN THIS INCARNATION) ROCK BAND FROM THE EARLY 70'S THAT FEATURED MIKE PINERA FROM IRON BUTTERFLY AND BLUES IMAGE, MITCH MITCHELL FROM THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERICE ON DRUMS, AND LEAD GUITAR WAS PLAYED BY APRIL LAWTON, THE FIRST FEMALE LEAD GUITARIST IN A ROCK BAND THAT I CAN REMEMBER. SHE'S REALLY GOOD. WHISKY HILL, WAYSO, & STRANGE PLACE ARE THE BEST CUTS ON THIS ALBUM. I SAW THEM LIVE A THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC IN NYC WHEN THEY WERE TOURING, AROUND 1973. GOOD SOUNDS FROM THE PAST.

If you want to know more about April, there is a write up in the september 2008 issue of Guitar Player. She sadly passed away on Thanksgiving day in 2006 at age 58.

I remember hearing April Lawton when I was young and was amazed by her talent. I later met Mike Pinera and just recently reconnected with him and hope to find out about April Lawton.. She is a Mentor for so many...L7, Lunachicks, White Trash Debutantes, Courtney Love to name a few..

I remember when this came out and as a guitar player myself, I was highly intrigued with the names involved on this project. My initial impression of April Lawton was to hang up my guitar and forget the whole thing (she is/was a damn good guitar player). Afterwords I realized that this album is quite an embarrasment. Their next release, the more acoustic In April Came the Dawning of the Red Suns is a MUCH better effort.

THIS ALBUM HAS IT ALL, APRIL LAWTON WAS/STILL IS ONE OF THE GREATEST GUITAR PLAYERS OF ALL TIME! HER GUITAR WORK ON THIS ALBUM IS SECOND TO NONE, IN FACT THE GROUP WAS SO FAR AHEAD OF MUSIC FOR THAT TIME PERIOD ONLY NOW HAS TIME CAUGHT UP... ENJOY!

If you like the sounds of the late 60's or early 70's, this one is for you, great musicians at their best, you will like it!