Clark Hutchinson-Retribution (1970)

Here we have another one of those fantastic cult bands that barely made it in the rock world, but left behind some of the best albums of the 70s. Founded in the late 60s by multi-instrumentalists Andy Clark and Mick Hutchinson, who recorded the album “A=MH²” as a duo, they played every instrument from organ and guitars to bass, percussion, wind instruments, and keyboards. This first album was clearly influenced by Eastern and exotic compositions with a hard rock foundation. After this album, the band expanded with two new members: bassist Steve Amazing and drummer Del Coverley. With this lineup, they recorded their second album, “Retribution”, a whirlwind of lysergic and heavy blues rock with heart-wrenching vocals and breathtaking, incredibly powerful guitars. Tracks like the heavy blues anthem “Free To Be Stoned”, the somber and melancholic “Best Suit”, the rhythm and blues number “After Hours”, and the furious “Death, The Lover” make up a brutal album of the best heavy blues of the 1970s. A year later came their third album, “Gestalt”, showcasing a more conventional and predictable, but equally powerful, blues rock sound. Later, they released their fourth and final album, “Blues”, featuring tracks from their early years that had never before been officially released.