Fraction - Moon Blood - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

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 album does, and even fewer records in the world that could be dubbed InchChristian RockInch 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 InchThe 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.Inch Amazingly the recording sessions for the album were recorded similarly on the fly, as Beach further states InchThe 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 Inchone takes.Inch We played, all five 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.InchThis 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 L