(Classic Rock, Psychedelic, Folk-Rock, Acid Folk) Tony, Caro and John - Blue Clouds [WEB Release] (recorded 1972-77) - 2012, MP3, 320 kbps

Tony, Caro and John, a folk-rock trio, recorded the extremely rare "All on the First Day" album in 1972. The threesome took much of their inspiration from the Incredible String Band's eclectic strain of psychedelic folk, although songwriter and singer Tony Doré's compositions had a sound and voice of their own. The All Music Guide[1] writes of the trio “Tony, Caro and John were also wont to embellish their basic male-female vocal harmonies, and one electric guitar-one-acoustic-guitar-bass lineup, with weird touches of hippie psychedelia in the occasional electronic effects, tinkling percussion, flageolet (a type of small flute), wah-wah, and violin….. Slightly sardonic but cheerfully playful, and with strong tunes effectively blending major and minor modes, they're more approachable for listeners with conventional rock and pop tastes than the Incredible String Band, or Incredible String Band-like bands of the period, such as Forest and Dr. Strangely Strange”.
Band History
Multi-instrumentalist Tony Doré and bassist John Clark were childhood friends in Derby, England, and played together on both the rock and folk circuit. After university they reunited in 1970, when John came to London to join Tony and Caroline (Caro), who had played university folk clubs together. "All on the First Day" was made in 1972 with almost no budget and primitive equipment, recorded on Clark's 2-track; they could overdub in mono only by re-recording the backing track at the same time. They self-pressed the LP in an edition of only 100 copies, with the home-grown nature of the product emphasized by individually spray-painted covers.
Expanding the band lineup with Simon Burrett on lead guitar, Jonny Owen on Harmonica and Rod Jones on keyboards, Tony, Caro and John continued on the college circuit for a little while under the name "Forever and Ever" but the gigging stopped in the late seventies, when families and careers took precedence. The band continued to jam together, and to record in Clark’s by now, multi-track studio.
Then in 2001, Tony Doré was contacted by Shadoks Music in Germany, when it transpired that there was an underground following for the "All on the First Day" album, and copies were changing hands for substantial sums of money. The band agreed that Shadoks could produce a limited release of vinyl albums from the original master, and at the same time release the album on CD. The release included five bonus tracks recorded around the time of "All on the First Day". Almost simultaneously the band released some of the studio tracks recorded since "All on the First Day", as the limited edition CD-R album "Retrospect" under the "Forever and Ever" band name. This can be obtained from the "Forever and Ever" website (see below). Sadly, bassist John Clark died in 2005.
Following the wider release of the band’s material, one of Doré’s compositions “The Snowdon Song” was covered by the successful indie duo Beach House, on their eponymously titled 2006 debut album. Although given a different title (Lovelier Girl), Beach House do not dispute authorship of the song.[2]
Current Activity
Now living in Texas, Tony continues to write songs, and between 2006 and 2010 recorded 13 new tracks which were finalized in 2010 in Rod Jones’ studio in France. This collection, "Fall Away Like Leaves" by Tony Doré and Friends, was released digitally in 2011 by Gaarden Records of Baltimore. Gaarden have also reissued "All on the First Day" as limited editions on green and maroon vinyl and are planning a digital release of rare Tony, Caro and John outtakes and live tracks.

Смешивая пасторальный фолк и нежную психоделию, группа создала собственную манеру исполнения, что в те времена было достаточно смело. Ради ухода от налогов альбом был отпечатан в числе всего 99 копий, но он поставил групу в ряд фолк-экспериментаторов вроде The Incredible String Band и Pearls Before Swine. Тони и Джон Каро были одержимы скорее музыкой, чем успехом в чартах. Альбом звучит спокойно, без всяких украшений. Обращает на себя внимание нежная флейта в “Bye Bye I Love You”, прифузованная гитара на открывающем альбом треке “Forever and Ever”. Акустическая гитара и эхо-вокал в “Sally Free and Easy” немного напоминают “Blues Run the Game” Фрэнка. Альбом дает крен в композиции “Where the Elephants Go to Die” с электронными трелями и апокалиптической лирикой; строки вроде "вот откуда произрастает Апокалипсис" резко контрастируют со сдержанной народной лирикой и показывают, что группа ищет собственный путь..." Упомянутые группы The Incredible String Band и Pearls Before Swine заслуживают особого меломанского внимания. Те, кто с ними не знаком, получат массу удовольствия и пищу для музыкальных размышлений

TONY CARO & JOHN are
Tony Doré (tray back right), Caroline Doré (cover)and John Clark (tray back left).
All voices and instruments by TONY CARO & JOHN,
except:
SIMON BURRETT:
lead guitar and harmony vocal on “Forever and Ever,”
lead guitar on “Ton Ton Macoutes,” “There Are No
Greater Heroes,” and “The Road to Avalon”
JONNY OWEN:
harmonica and backing vocal on “Ton Ton Macoutes,”
jew’s harp and backing vocal on “There Are No Greater
Heroes,” and backing vocal on “The Road to Avalon”
JULIE DORÉ:
backing vocal on “Forever and Ever,” “There Are
No Greater Heroes,” and “The Road to Avalon”
ROD JONES:
keyboard on “Ton Ton Macoutes”
All songs written by Tony Doré, except
“Sally Free and Easy” (Cyril Tawney), and “Pretty Saro” (Traditional).