MANTIS 1973 Sweet Plum PROG PSYCH RARITY BENT WIND HEAR

$

70

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WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS…

MANTIS "Mantis"

Original 1973 LP on the Canadian SWEET PLUM label, STEREO MA 952

Cover:  VG++, some ringwear, writing on front, 2 "x"s on back

Vinyl:  Plays strong VG++, very nice

Big-time prog psych RARITY from Canada circa 1973 - no relation to the heavy metal band MANTIS who released several Roger Dean inspired LPs in the 80's.  These guys hailed from Montreal - well, 5 guys and a rather cute blonde girl, who actually contributes some of the WILDER tracks on this GREAT unheralded and, sadly, unreissued album.  The album as a whole is a nice pleasant bit of classic rock with quite a lot of synth work added but not enough to turn it into an ELP record or anything.  But when the lovely Christine Williams steps up to the mike, things REALLY take off, as on the excellent demented psycho blooz chugger "Fred," where she bleats and growls and shrieks across a backdrop of furious synth wigouts and a freakish bastardization of Bo Diddley blues.  At times Christine sounds AMAZINGLY like Debbie Harry, even though Debbie at the time was probably still in her bunny ears coming off her stint in folk pop band Wind in the Willows.  Unexpectedly, about halfway through the song, Christine lets loose a series of treated Yoko Ono bleats which are downright WICKED - I don't know WHO this chick was but surely she went on to bigger things, right?  Her other offering, and the album's genuine TOUR DE FORCE, is the nine-minute closer "Eyes of Fire," a moody doomy slab of Armageddon prog which sounds like Mantis's own "Epitaph," a King Crimson-like masterpiece of spookiness and pomposity that finds Christine singing "We are naked now" overtop a stomping doom-dripping backdrop and sounding even MORE like Debbie Harry, that is, if Blondie had found prog rock instead of new wave.  Midway it turns into a jazzy extended King Crimson LIZARD like break with synth and guitar solos before once again returning to the continent-smashing seriousness of the doomy prog vocal portion.  Of course, MANTIS isn't ALL Christine's show of course, her songs just SEEM wilder for some reason.  But if she's absent from "Hollywood Eyes," the band recovers with a galloping slice of glammy prog pop with an irresistible dancing piano hook, something that wouldn't have sounded out of place on one of the Spaceman and Stargirl type comps a few years back.  MANTIS never made another record, sadly, and the powers that reissue still haven't discovered it.  Which is odd considering its a great little record, they've got a pretty cool logo and a pretty expensive looking mirrored silver foil cover.  Guitarist Mark Bajona continues to play and recorded with Canadian psych legends BENT WIND over a decade ago.  As for the rest of the band, it's rumored Christine made out with them and then bit their heads off one by one, in true MANTIS fashion.  I can only hope she starts returning MY phone calls some day.

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  ALL DOMESTIC ORDERS REQUIRE DELIVERY CONFIRMATION, WHICH IS AN EXTRA 75 CENTS.  Air mail shipping to Canada starts at $10 US, each additional record $2 shipping.  Air mail shipping everywhere else in the world starts at $16 US, with each additional record only $3 shipping.  ALL FOREIGN ORDERS REQUIRE CERTIFICATE OF SHIPMENT, WHICH IS AN EXTRA $1.10.  I accept payments through Paypal.

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

And finally, I include delivery confirmation on all shipments inside the US.  This is my proof of shipment, and also helps us to track your package if it doesn’t arrive when it should.  I will email you within 2 days of shipment and give you the confirmation number at that time.  Insurance is always optional, but for larger orders, it’s highly recommended.   I DO NOW REQUIRE THAT ALL FOREIGN BUYERS PAY AN ADDITIONAL $1.10 FOR PROOF OF SHIPMENT.  IT'S A NOMINAL FEE AND THE CHEAPEST WAY FOR ME TO PROVE THAT I ACTUALLY SHIPPED YOUR PACKAGE AND DIDN'T JUST POCKET YOUR MONEY AND SKIP TOWN.  For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.