Amber Route-Snail Headed Victrolas(1980)+Ghost Tracks(1983),MLPs,USA

California synthesist Walter Holland has commanded a sterling rep--at least in underground circles--for symphonic Teutonica that often comes across as an unholy merger of Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd. Amber Route, Holland's first band before he went solo, released two highly sought-after albums that have become something like cult objects among the electronic/space prog congnescenti. Relic, an offshoot of the Projekt label, has finally committed to the digital domain Amber Route's singular debut.Both Holland and multi-instrumentalist Richard Watson have created a series of perplexing, oddball works that resists easy categorization. Amber Route tilts the axis between organic rock and cosmic space freakout--to often jarring effect. The 16-minute epic "Asteroid Joroid," replete with the smell of burning synthesizers and sounds hijacked from a long-lost Cosmic Jokers session, most significantly reveals this upheaval. A welcome reissue, the disc has been impeccably remastered and boasts a sound that resurrects the group's vinyl-stuck sonic beasties.
These are very strange, very beautiful and very weird, inspired albums.. Unbelievable. It might take a couple of listens to click (or not). Part mid-Seventies Tangerine Dream (especially the last, long instrumental track), part mellower Hawkwind passages, part Gong, part their own unique sound. A shame they only made two records.

***************NEW LINK POSTED SEPTEMBER 2012***************

Get it here