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PANAMA LIMITED

INDIAN SUMMER

Released 1970 on HARVEST
Reviewed by ROCKPROF, Oct 2007ce

After the release of Panama Limiteds Jug Band eponymous lp Liz Hanns left the band and the music changed somewhat from the traditional raggedy jug blues along with a shortening of the band name. The first lp isnt that bad, its just tradtional blues. Liz Hanns vocals are kind of enjoyable though adding something quirky but the lps strongest point is its ultraviolet blue green photo negative on a traintrack psych sleeve with Granada TV 69 typeface.
‘Indian Summer’ has a character all of its own,it has more of a prog experimental blues side which lazily could be compared to Beefheart with Dennis Parkers vocals,but Dens influences must of run a bit deeper than that into blues purist-dom.The beautiful Anne Matthews was the new recruit playing vocals,harpsichord and percussion and adds some top baroque prog with doomy harpsichord on ‘Darkness Brings’.

From the first track we get some great vocalmontagezip at the start of ‘Moonshine’ before descending in some lazy drunk blues.

‘give me moonshine,just let me die’

This is one of a few lps where I can enjoy the banjo (apart from The Monks) as its provides colour and goes a bit raga in parts when the band jam out the codaaaaaaa. Subtle use of fuzz and wah- bass join the quirky blues.

‘Dangle Wild’ with its plod bass and Cale type violin drone is another stand out with the blues banshee wail from Anne Matthews,superb stuff.

The only let down is the last track with its playful pub blues comedy nonsense but this can be forgiven as each the other nine tracks are fucken great ORGANIC psych prog.

Trying to get this lp (on vinyl) is a pain though as its only been reissued once in the early 90s and the originals are very rare.Hopefully it will be released again?OOO KNOWS.