Amazing album from this obscure band from Malaysia, The Strollers, recorded in 1973. Waiting Is… remains as one of the best psychedelic albums ever recorded in Asia: superb musicianship, top sound & production and original songs sung in perfect English. It ranges from full-blown heavy psych with killer organ, guitar & flute to amazing UK late '60s-styled pop-psych and some funky & proggy moments.

This album was unusual on several counts. For starters, it was a soundtrack (for Sam Peckinpah's movie of the same title), a first venture of its kind for Bob Dylan. For another, it was Dylan's first new LP in three years – he hadn't been heard from in any form other than the single "George Jackson," his appearance at the Bangladesh benefit concert in 1971, in all of that time…

With an exciting stage show and hard driving rock, the extensive use of funky organ, a strong guitar front line and powerhouse drumming, the Santana-influenced Titanic became one of the most popular touring bands of the early 70s with success in Germany, England and France. They also made a strong impression in America. The original lineup was formed by Kenny Aas playing the organ and bass, Janne Loseth in charge of the guitar and vocals, John Lorck as drummer and Kjell Asperud who added percussion and vocals. Their first real hit single, the Santana oriented "Sultana" almost peaked the UK charts reaching a surprising (for a foreign band not coming from USA) fifth position. But their recording career had started a year before with the self titled debut…

Formed by Mark Clarke and Jon Hiseman after the demise of jazz-rockers Colosseum. Their original vocalist, Paul Williams, had previously played with Zoot Money, John Mayall and Juicy Lucy. This line-up recorded 'Jon Hiseman's Tempest' and toured mostly on the continent and opened for Rory Gallagher in the U.S. Williams left in June 1973 followed by Holdsworth a month later. Holdsworth went on to play for Soft Machine and was later part of Level 42. In the interim Ollie Halsall was brought in on guitar, and their first BBC live performance captured the change in line-up with Williams, Holdsworth and Halsall performing together. Halsall went on to play with John Otway.
Tempest at the Reading Festival in August 1973 and recorded 'Living In Fear' before splitting in mid-1974. A year later Hiseman formed Colosseum II. Earlier, Mark Clarke was briefly in Uriah Heep.

Double Diamond is the sixth album by British jazz-rock group If and the second to be issued in the U.S. on the Metromedia Records label. With only Dick Morrissey left from the original band, the new line-up featured Fi Trench (keyboards) and Pete Arnesen (keyboards), Steve Rosenthal (guitar/lead vocals), Kurt Palomaki (bass) and Cliff Davies (drums)…

Double Diamond is the sixth album by British jazz-rock group If and the second to be issued in the U.S. on the Metromedia Records label. With only Dick Morrissey left from the original band, the new line-up featured Fi Trench (keyboards) and Pete Arnesen (keyboards), Steve Rosenthal (guitar/lead vocals), Kurt Palomaki (bass) and Cliff Davies (drums). It was recorded at The Manor recording studios shortly after Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, and released in 1973. In that same year, following the success of the group in Germany, as part of the This is … series, Brain Records (a division of Metronome) brought out a vinyl LP version of Double Diamond for distribution in Germany only, changing the title to This Is If. The track listing is identical in both cases. The original cover design, and possibly the title, is a reference to the beer brand of the same name.

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce a new official CD release of the album "Say Hello To The Band” by the British Progressive/Folk-Rock group Decameron. Formed in 1968 in Gloucestershire by John Coppin (Guitar, Vocals) and Dave Bell (Guitar, Vocals), by 1971 the band evolved into a quartet with the arrival of Al Fenn on Lead Guitar and Mandolin and Geoff March on Violin and Cello. The group signed to Vertigo records in 1973 and recorded their debut album with notable guests such as Timi Donald on Drums and B.J. Cole on Dobro. A unique fusion of Folk and Progressive influences, "Say Hello To The Band” has long been sought by collectors as a vinyl artefact. This new CD edition is re-mastered from the original tapes and adds both sides of Decameron’s first single as bonus tracks. This Esoteric Recordings reissue includes a booklet that fully restores all original album artwork and features a new essay.

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of an official re-mastered edition of the debut album by legendary Welsh rock band Sassafras, "Expecting Company". Formed in South Wales in 1970, the band signed to George Martin’s AIR Productions in 1972 with a line-up of Terry Bennett (Vocals), Dai Shell (Lead Guitar), Ralph Evans (Lead Guitar), Ricky John Holt (Bass) and Congo Jones (Drums). Utilising to great effect the twin lead guitar approach of Dai Shell and Ralph Evans, Sassafras released their debut album on Polydor Records in 1973. One of the great unsung rock albums of the early 1970s, "Expecting Company" has been newly re-mastered from the original master tapes and includes both sides of a rare single as bonus tracks. This Esoteric Recordings reissue restores the original album artwork and includes a new essay.

In some ways, 1973 was a little early for Rod Stewart to release a greatest-hits album, since he had only released four albums to that point. Nevertheless, Sing It Again Rod is a good collection, featuring most of the obvious choices from his first four records…

Forever and Ever is an album by Greek singer Demis Roussos. It was released in 1973 on Philips Records. A greatly popular album, it also topped the international albums charts in Germany, Netherlands and Norway and was number 2 in Austria.
Singer Demis Roussos, known for his dramatic, operatic vocal stylings, was born Artemios Ventouris Roussos in Alexandria, Egypt, on June 15, 1946, to Greek expatriate parents. In the early '60s, however, the family decided to return to their homeland, and once there, the young Roussos (who had studied trumpet and sung in the church choir in Egypt) began playing in local bands. One of these was Aphrodite's Child, which also featured Vangelis Papatanassiou and Lucas Sideras…

A totally unknown entity, that existed, made one album, and just as quickly disappeared! Lily were in fact not unlike label stablemates Nine Days Wonder and Message, almost like a hybrid of the two. But unlike those multi-national bands Lily were entirely German, and more offbeat in a bizarre Krautrocky sort of way, with oddly composed songs, strangely worded lyrics and such like. An unknown gem for the Bacillus collector.

Stomu Yamashta is a master percussionist who studied Jazz drumming at Berklee School of Jazz. In the 1970’s he recorded a string of innovative albums for Island records fusing his percussion talents with jazz, electronic and classical music. "Freedom Is Frightening" features a fine band, including Soft Machine bass guitarist Hugh Hopper and guitarist Gary Boyle. It was a fine achievement which propelled Yamashta to a wider audience which would eventually lead to his acclaimed Go albums featuring collaborators Steve Winwood, Michael Shrieve, Klaus Schulze. Never before released on CD, this Esoteric reissue has been re-mastered from the original master tapes and fully restores the original vinyl artwork and continues Esoteric's series of Yamashta’s work for Island Records.

Gentle Giant was reduced to a quintet on In a Glass House with the departure of elder brother Phil Shulman, but its sound is unchanged, and the group may actually be tighter without the presence of his saxophones…