MAINSTREAM

For many years I thought Quiet Sun was a spinoff of Roxy Music and Matching Mole, but in reality this group predated those groups having formed in 1970. But then they broke up before anything was recorded with Phil Manzanera going on to Roxy Music and Bill MacCormick to Matching Mole. Dave Jarrett was (and still is) an unknown to me, I know little of him, and Charles Hayward was later in This Heat. By 1975 Quiet Sun reunited likely because Phil made it big with Roxy Music, and Bill in Matching Mole, while obviously nowhere as commercially successful as Roxy Music, had their devoted fans thanks to Robert Wyatt devotees and fans of the Canterbury scene in general.

Mainstream was their only album, released on Island's HELP budget subsidiary (has that black label with the pink "i", a throwback to the 1969-'70 pink label but in reverse) and it's pretty ironic to name it mainstream as it's not particularly mainstream. It's a Canterbury album, think of a more rock-edge Hatfield & the North at times and that's what you get, hard-edged guitar playing from Phil Manzanera, and Dave Jarrett providing organ and electric piano. Eno provides some electronic treatment, I think I hear a little on "Mummy was an Asteroid, Daddy was a Non-Stick Kitchen Utensil" (humorous title that could have easily been on a Hatfield & the North album). "Bargain Classic", and "Mummy Was an Asteroid" shows the more rocking side of the band, while "R.F.D." is dominated by rather dreamy sounding electric piano which is pretty common in the Canterbury scene. "Rongwrong" is full of great arrangements but my least favorite piece on the album as there are vocals demonstrating Charles Hayward is a drummer, vocals not exactly his strong point. Luckily they are sparse but this is one album that would get the full five stars if it were 100% instrumental, or perhaps Eno sings on "Rongwrong", because while he isn't the greatest singer, I had no trouble hearing his voice. Regardless this album is a classic and really deserved to be heard!