FRACTION/Moon Blood-1971 bleakly heavy savage psych-Doors
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 2:43 pm
FRACTION-Moon Blood 1971
The LP with the red cellophane cover...and printed inner sleeve.
Fraction, with vocalist Jim Beach bearing an uncanny resemblance to Jim Morrison (although he was singing on Sunset Strip long before Morrison took to the stage), were often compared favourably with the Doors, although their quasi-religious message would probably not have found favour with the recently-departed Morrison. Indeed, this rather fine record was once famously described as the album the Doors probably wished they’d made!
Underpinned by guitarist Don Swanson’s superb Ritchie Blackmore-style guitar work, this is an album full of beautiful psychedelia, acid and hard rock, at once emblematic of the era but not dated by its association. The five original compositions are consistently of the highest quality and the contribution of Beach’s Morrison-esque vocals places a stamp of originality on the recording that endures from beginning to end. A truly excellent album
-the rare music shop.com
Full album play---play it loud!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX0FelPu-tA
The 101 strangest records on Spotify: Fraction – Moon Blood
They were, ostensibly, a Christian rock band, but Fraction explored the downtuned darkness of Black Sabbath
The Guardian.com
A few short years ago, if you had wanted to listen to this record you would have had to buy a poor quality bootleg or spend upwards of £1,000 for one of the 200 copies that comprised the entire original 1971 pressing. LA-based Fraction were, in theory, a Christian-rock band, but, at times they sound like some seriously deranged and dangerous people. Tapping the same wave of down-tuned, bleakly heavy, savage comedown psych that informed contemporaries like Black Sabbath and the Stooges, Fraction were a working-class group who would rehearse and record early in the morning before going to their day jobs. Thanks to that dedication there is a spacious sort of loneliness at the heart of the noise they make.
The five songs that made up the original album were recorded live in a single three-hour session with no FX and no overdubs – Come Out of Her is positively demonic (and includes a neat little two-bar breakbeat at 2:03). Singer Jim Beach's ragged growl has been likened to Jim Morrison, but there's a desperation and anxiety present here that the handsome, wealthy son of a senior navy officer never had, while guitarist Don Swanson pushes the wah-wah and fuzz to the limit.
Moon Blood is a brilliantly odd record, a snapshot of a time where Jesus-freak hippies could still remember what it felt like to have some angry toxins flooding through your brain. Naturally, the band never got anywhere and for decades barely anyone, bar the most obsessed, got to hear them. Until, happily, now.
-the guardian
.....................................
Heavy Psych mega monster of the best quality imaginable. This is a $2000 mega rarity. It's been said to be the album The Doors had wished they had recorded, and we who know the story behind the band say this is the most unlikely christian band ever (Yes you read correctly they were a christian band).
If you take The Doors and a way wasted beyond belief Jim Morrisson sounding vocalist and some heavy duty amplification and a dark eerie vibe of say Iron Butterfly or Black Sabbaths debut you will be close to what this monster is all about. All songs are keepers and now it's been reissued so many times that even you can afford it (no need for those hissing C90 tapes anymore) Have another blast of the highest calibre. Peace out daddio!
-heavypsychman blog
[8D]
from -- MexicanSummer.com
At long last, the FIRST fully authorized reissue of the psychedelic hard rock private press to end them all – Moonblood.
There are very few albums in the psych/punk/hard rock/private presses strata that garner the sort of universal awe and accolades that Fraction’s almighty Moonblood LP does, and even fewer records in the world that could be dubbed ‘Christian Rock’ incur such fierce devotion. Indeed some records just meteorically lift themselves out any genre tag with brilliance and sheer defiance–and Moonblood is surely one of them.
Based in LA, Fraction was a ragged collection of working-class musicians–the line-up was ringleader Jim Beach–vocals; Don Swanson–lead guitar, Curt Swanson–drums, Victor Hemme–bass, and Robert Meinel–rhythm guitar. Beach himself describes those early days: “The guys met through various acquaintances that we had in LA. All of us had been in bands before, but were seeking something with more teeth. We had a small studio in an industrial complex in North Hollywood and started practicing sometimes as early as 4:30 AM. We all had day jobs, so we did what we could.” Amazingly the recording sessions for the album were recorded similarly on the fly, as Beach further states: “The Moonblood recording took place at Whitney’s Studio in Glendale, CA, early in 1971. On a strict budget, these songs were recorded in less than three hours””all of them “one takes.” We played, all 5 of us, simultaneously– there were no studio effects, no overdubbing or any additional sound effects added. Basically what you hear is considered ‘old school’ recording.”
This workmanlike description in no way prepares one for the pure tortured genius the session wrought. Particularly noteworthy is Beach’s vocals””as commonly stated, the spirit of Jim Morrison is conjured in his deep baritone, which gives way to unparalleled pained howls, at times bathed in delay which trails into the abyss. Fascinatingly enough, Beach cites the much punker Love as his fave LA band over the Doors, and also gives influence-nods to proto-everything rockers The Yardbirds and to Dylan, whose dark word tapestries surely inspired Beach’s lyrics (though lines from The Doors’ “L’America”; pop up on the LP) Whatever the case, the man clearly has a vision, as even the stark sleeve concept is Beach’s own.
Equally as integral to the Fraction sound is lead guitarist Don Swanson””his blown-out fuzz riffs set a template for what is now commonly known as “stoner rock”; or “acid punk,”; and his solos consist of jagged, wah-wah-ed shards of notes, with his amplifier clearly pushed to the limit. Beach says: “Don’s guitar was always my driving force and he did everything he could to keep it over the top. You’d never know that (his sound) was coming from an old, broken down Esquire. Don kept it alive!”; The other members contributions shouldn’t be underappreciated though– drummer Curt Swanson keeps things at a constant simmer, and then boils over when the whole band launches into snarling glory. The band and LP as a whole equals something indescribably intense from start to finish””comparisons to the Detroit late 60s high-energy bands like The Stooges and MC5 abound, as well as the sort of late 60s damaged spirit lurking in biker clubs and disgruntled Vietnam vets. The song cycle on side 1 of the LP in particular cuts to the emotional core, with severely charged dark lyrics like “Extend your thumbs and burn the darkness out of her.”
The LP with the red cellophane cover...and printed inner sleeve.
Fraction, with vocalist Jim Beach bearing an uncanny resemblance to Jim Morrison (although he was singing on Sunset Strip long before Morrison took to the stage), were often compared favourably with the Doors, although their quasi-religious message would probably not have found favour with the recently-departed Morrison. Indeed, this rather fine record was once famously described as the album the Doors probably wished they’d made!
Underpinned by guitarist Don Swanson’s superb Ritchie Blackmore-style guitar work, this is an album full of beautiful psychedelia, acid and hard rock, at once emblematic of the era but not dated by its association. The five original compositions are consistently of the highest quality and the contribution of Beach’s Morrison-esque vocals places a stamp of originality on the recording that endures from beginning to end. A truly excellent album
-the rare music shop.com
Full album play---play it loud!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX0FelPu-tA
The 101 strangest records on Spotify: Fraction – Moon Blood
They were, ostensibly, a Christian rock band, but Fraction explored the downtuned darkness of Black Sabbath
The Guardian.com
A few short years ago, if you had wanted to listen to this record you would have had to buy a poor quality bootleg or spend upwards of £1,000 for one of the 200 copies that comprised the entire original 1971 pressing. LA-based Fraction were, in theory, a Christian-rock band, but, at times they sound like some seriously deranged and dangerous people. Tapping the same wave of down-tuned, bleakly heavy, savage comedown psych that informed contemporaries like Black Sabbath and the Stooges, Fraction were a working-class group who would rehearse and record early in the morning before going to their day jobs. Thanks to that dedication there is a spacious sort of loneliness at the heart of the noise they make.
The five songs that made up the original album were recorded live in a single three-hour session with no FX and no overdubs – Come Out of Her is positively demonic (and includes a neat little two-bar breakbeat at 2:03). Singer Jim Beach's ragged growl has been likened to Jim Morrison, but there's a desperation and anxiety present here that the handsome, wealthy son of a senior navy officer never had, while guitarist Don Swanson pushes the wah-wah and fuzz to the limit.
Moon Blood is a brilliantly odd record, a snapshot of a time where Jesus-freak hippies could still remember what it felt like to have some angry toxins flooding through your brain. Naturally, the band never got anywhere and for decades barely anyone, bar the most obsessed, got to hear them. Until, happily, now.
-the guardian
.....................................
Heavy Psych mega monster of the best quality imaginable. This is a $2000 mega rarity. It's been said to be the album The Doors had wished they had recorded, and we who know the story behind the band say this is the most unlikely christian band ever (Yes you read correctly they were a christian band).
If you take The Doors and a way wasted beyond belief Jim Morrisson sounding vocalist and some heavy duty amplification and a dark eerie vibe of say Iron Butterfly or Black Sabbaths debut you will be close to what this monster is all about. All songs are keepers and now it's been reissued so many times that even you can afford it (no need for those hissing C90 tapes anymore) Have another blast of the highest calibre. Peace out daddio!
-heavypsychman blog
[8D]
from -- MexicanSummer.com
At long last, the FIRST fully authorized reissue of the psychedelic hard rock private press to end them all – Moonblood.
There are very few albums in the psych/punk/hard rock/private presses strata that garner the sort of universal awe and accolades that Fraction’s almighty Moonblood LP does, and even fewer records in the world that could be dubbed ‘Christian Rock’ incur such fierce devotion. Indeed some records just meteorically lift themselves out any genre tag with brilliance and sheer defiance–and Moonblood is surely one of them.
Based in LA, Fraction was a ragged collection of working-class musicians–the line-up was ringleader Jim Beach–vocals; Don Swanson–lead guitar, Curt Swanson–drums, Victor Hemme–bass, and Robert Meinel–rhythm guitar. Beach himself describes those early days: “The guys met through various acquaintances that we had in LA. All of us had been in bands before, but were seeking something with more teeth. We had a small studio in an industrial complex in North Hollywood and started practicing sometimes as early as 4:30 AM. We all had day jobs, so we did what we could.” Amazingly the recording sessions for the album were recorded similarly on the fly, as Beach further states: “The Moonblood recording took place at Whitney’s Studio in Glendale, CA, early in 1971. On a strict budget, these songs were recorded in less than three hours””all of them “one takes.” We played, all 5 of us, simultaneously– there were no studio effects, no overdubbing or any additional sound effects added. Basically what you hear is considered ‘old school’ recording.”
This workmanlike description in no way prepares one for the pure tortured genius the session wrought. Particularly noteworthy is Beach’s vocals””as commonly stated, the spirit of Jim Morrison is conjured in his deep baritone, which gives way to unparalleled pained howls, at times bathed in delay which trails into the abyss. Fascinatingly enough, Beach cites the much punker Love as his fave LA band over the Doors, and also gives influence-nods to proto-everything rockers The Yardbirds and to Dylan, whose dark word tapestries surely inspired Beach’s lyrics (though lines from The Doors’ “L’America”; pop up on the LP) Whatever the case, the man clearly has a vision, as even the stark sleeve concept is Beach’s own.
Equally as integral to the Fraction sound is lead guitarist Don Swanson””his blown-out fuzz riffs set a template for what is now commonly known as “stoner rock”; or “acid punk,”; and his solos consist of jagged, wah-wah-ed shards of notes, with his amplifier clearly pushed to the limit. Beach says: “Don’s guitar was always my driving force and he did everything he could to keep it over the top. You’d never know that (his sound) was coming from an old, broken down Esquire. Don kept it alive!”; The other members contributions shouldn’t be underappreciated though– drummer Curt Swanson keeps things at a constant simmer, and then boils over when the whole band launches into snarling glory. The band and LP as a whole equals something indescribably intense from start to finish””comparisons to the Detroit late 60s high-energy bands like The Stooges and MC5 abound, as well as the sort of late 60s damaged spirit lurking in biker clubs and disgruntled Vietnam vets. The song cycle on side 1 of the LP in particular cuts to the emotional core, with severely charged dark lyrics like “Extend your thumbs and burn the darkness out of her.”