A SONG FOR ME

I think the Family is one of the most underrated group here in progarchives and generally in forums of prog fans. The reasons why Family is underrated are:

1) Family's music is full of american roots-rock influences.

2) The singer is too much cumbersome.

3) The music of the group is guitar-oriented and keyboards are not preminent.

4) Family prefers more short art rock songs than suites or long and odd songs.

In a word: Family's music is visceral art rock, not cerebral or classical prog rock. Family's music touch more your lung (and heart) than your brain. Anyway, this music touches you in a surprising way, full of strength and intelligence.

Except their last album, Family's discography includes only great Lp or masterpiece. There are no falls.

"A Song for Me" is not a masterpiece but a very good album, It's hard rock and folk oriented, with an excellent mix of acoustic and electric guitar, plus violin and flute, and over all there is the Chapman' voice, wonderful, rough, or tender, ore amusing, or angry. Chapman is one of the greatest singer in the whole rock history (not only in prog history). In this album Chapman sings without any inibition (in the firsts two album his vocal performancee sometimes are not at their best, if we consider his enormous capability).

The songs.

1) "Drowned in Wine". Great hard-folk song. Electric and acoustic guitar, flute, voice: magic. Vote 8,5. 2) "Some Poor Souls". Short acoustic folk song. Delicious. Vote 7,5. 3) "Love is a sleeper". Great song of classic rock with vibes. 7,5/8. 4) "Stop For the Traffic". Not bad but anonymous rock song. Vote 6,5. 5) "Wheels". Another great hard folk song. Excellent work of guitarist Whytney. Vote 8+.

End of side A.

6) "Song for Sinking Lovers". This song is more folk and violin oriented than others and in the beginning is lazy but before ending has got the climax in instrumental sequence. Vote 8. 7) and 8) are two closed short songs (Hey - Let It Rock; The Cat and The Rat), the first with vibes, the second of classic rock. This moment is the easier of the album. Vote 7+. 9) "93's O.K. J" is an instrumental, and very strange folk song, with optim melody and improvisations. Vote 7+. 10) "A Song for Me". Maybe the longer song of the Family. It's a jam of hard rock, maybe too long and repetitive because the songs goes around the same musical chord. But there are good moment of power rock, and avanguard sounds with the violin; the song give you power. Vote 7,5/8.

The production is good, the sound is homogenic, the alternance between empty space, or calm melody, and pieces of hard rock and shouted voice makes a good effect.

Medium Quality: 7,64 Vote: 8,5 Four stars. Listen to, and re-listen to Family music!

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