MAY BLITZ - Puro clássico dos anos 70

May Blitz

Formada no começo de 1969 pelo então super baterista Tony Newman (da banda de Jeff Beck), que recrutou os jovens e desconhecidos canadenses James Black para a guitarra e Reid Hudson para o baixo (a primeira escolha havia sido Terry Poole do Bakerloo que chegou a tocar, mas caiu fora para tentar a sorte no rentável circuito dos músicos de estúdio), para sacudir a garotada no circuito de bares, colégios e boates da Inglaterra.
O sucesso foi imediato e descolaram um contrato com a poderosa e prestigiada Vertigo. Poucod epois, no começo do ano de 1970, estava pronto o primeiro e homônimo disco do power trio, o qual a imprensa britânica insistia em comparar com o Experience de Jimi Hendrix e ao Cream. Esse rótulo logo de cara custou uma tremenda pressão. Uma audição mais cuidadosa revelava um conjunto mais próximo, por exemplo, do Taste de Rory Gallagher e um poder de fogo sonoro volumoso e mais despojado. A banda tinha a fama de deixar os ouvidos badalando de quem os assistia nos shows e por isso em disco tentaram repetir a fórmula com uma fórmula de rock pesado, riffs estridentes, mais pitadas um tanto generosas de blues e do emergente rock progressivo da época.
Uma boa parte do repertório foi composta pensando no seu funcionamento no palco, mas assim mesmo apresenta arranjos inteligentes, canções elaboradas e um cuidado esperto com a engenharia de som. A figura principal é Newman e sua habilidade tanto para o jazz quanto para o hard rock, que fez de sua bateria a estrela dos dois únicos álbuns do May Blitz. James Black, escolhido a dedo por Newman, é bastante influenciado por Jeff Beck (da fase “Beck-Ola”) e se revelou um bom compositor, como prova faixas como a épica “Smoking the day away”, a tremenda “Dreaming” e em “Virgin waters”. “Squeet” e “Fire queen” são bons exemplos do metal de onde beberam figurões como Judas Priest, Iron Maiden e Motorhead. O disco vendeu o suficiente, apesar da comentada capa “freak”, para render o segundo. Puro clássico dos anos 70.

May Blitz [IMPORT]

May Blitz

Audio CD (July 4, 2005)
Original Release Date: 1970
Number of Discs: 1
Format: Import
Label: Repertoire
ASIN: B0002ADW2Q

May Blitz (alongside Rory Gallagher's Taste) were among the first of the newly formed hard rock power trios to take up the challenge of Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience; that is, making the biggest possible noise with the smallest available lineup, but never losing sight of melody and finesse while they did so. Certainly anyone catching their early live show was guaranteed to leave with their ears ringing but their brainbox humming, and the band's debut album was a seamless reiteration of their in-concert impact, all the way down to the extended riffing and miniature solos. May Blitz's strongest point, in terms of audience recognition, was drummer Tony Newman, and fans of the jazz-inflected style that he injected into the Jeff Beck Group certainly won't be disappointed by what they find here — indeed, with guitarist James Black beside him, it's not difficult to compare May Blitz to the Beck band's Beck-Ola, and find the better-known disc come up wanting every time. The epic "Smoking the Day Away" kicks things off in dynamic form, laying down the grinding, almost proto-metallic assault that was May Blitz's raison d'etre; later in the set, "Dreaming," "Virgin Waters," and "Squeet" all howl with a vengeance that might sound a little old-fashioned today, but was breathtakingly fresh at the time. Even better is "Fire Queen," which essentially blueprints the best parts of every metal act from Judas Priest to the Cult, except it doesn't hang around long enough to spoil the effect. Rather like May Blitz themselves, in fact.

Download.
Track Listings
1. Smoking the Day Away
2. I Don't Know?
3. Dreaming
4. Squeet
5. Tomorrow May Come
6. Fire Queen
7. Virgin Waters

The 2nd of May [IMPORT]

May Blitz

Audio CD (July 4, 2005)
Original Release Date: 1971
Number of Discs: 1
Format: Import
Label: Repertoire
ASIN: B00028G1VW

The second and final May Blitz album basically picked up where its predecessor left off, with the thunderous and foreboding "For Mad Men Only," and then bludgeoned on from there. Except, where May Blitz concentrated on weight, 2nd of May is more interested in mood and even mirth — "25th of December 1969" would be almost jovial, if the lyrics weren't so harsh, while the balladic "Just Thinking" closes the album with the sweetest of whispers. It's a tighter disc than its predecessor. Just two of the eight songs really top five minutes, as the band learned how to cram maximum impact into minimal space, and layered the virtuosity on from there. The helter-skelter blur of "Eight Mad Grim Nits" is as electrifying a guitar workout as you're likely to hear, with the axe panning wildly while the rhythm section soars like a steeplechase behind it; while "High Beech" takes the opposite tack entirely, a psychedelic dream that builds so gently that the effect is almost boleric. "Honey Coloured Time," too, has a gentle mood that puts one in mind of labelmates Black Sabbath's "Planet Caravan," as performed by the Full House era Fairport Convention. And, while a lengthy Tony Newman drum solo doesn't really repay repeat listens (well, not unless you like drum solos), still 2nd of May remains one of those albums that you will find yourself returning to again and again, while wishing May Blitz had held on long enough to cut a follow-up.

Download.
Track Listings
1. For Mad Men Only
2. Snakes and Ladders
3. The 25th of December 1969
4. "In Part"
5. 8 Mad Grim Nits
6. High Beech
7. Honey Coloured Time
8. Just Thinking - May Blitz, Black, James

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YouTube - May Blitz - Smoking The Day Away - [ Traduzir esta página ]
James Black - Lead Guitar & VocalsReid Hudson - Bass & VocalsTony Newman - Drums & percussion.www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTTn_ayt06o - 101k

YouTube - May Blitz - Squeet (1970) - [ Traduzir esta página ]
A cut from the self entitled album "may blitz" 1970 featuring James Black(vocals guitar), Reid Hudson(bass vocals), and Tony Newman(drums).www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-2jEk_wjUI - 86k

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