THE COLLECTORS

I picked this album up sometime in the 2010's and I'm absolutely fascinated that this could be the very first Prog album released in Canada. The band itself had it's beginnings in 1961 before changing it's name to THE COLLECTORS and releasing two studio albums in the late 60's this being the debut from 1968. But this is before the flood of Prog that came out of Quebec starting in 1970 and where 99% of all Prog from Canada comes from. British Columbia of all places and the other big surprise for me is that Bill Henderson is part of this band.

Back in the second half of the seventies I was trying to find my way musically being in my mid to late teens and one album I picked up was "Dreams, Dreams, Dreams" by a band called CHILLIWACK which is a city in British Columbia. One of my all time favourite songs "Fly By Night(In The Morning We Land)" is on that album and still played up here on Classic Rock radio stations to this day. Bill was the lead guitarist and vocalist for CHILLIWACK while on THE COLLECTORS he's lead guitar and backing vocals. The main singer here is very good, sounding like those male 60's vocals but man this guy can get theatrical to the point of yelling.

We get sax, flute and recorder from this 5 piece band plus three guests all on the shortest song "Lydia Purple" where they add piano, harpsichord, cello and vibes. Under 3 minutes but this is a catchy one that I like a lot. Uplifting and the harpsichord is a nice touch. "One Act Play" is overly dramatic and so sixties sounding. "Howard Christman's Older" is another track that recalls that 60's story telling to great affect. The opener "What Is Love" actually brought POPOL VUH to mind at one point before it all turns more passionate. Back to the more mellow sound to end it.

"She(Will Of The Wisp)" is a vocal track with some brief flute when the vocals step aside a couple of times. An urgent piece with bass and guitar, harmonies too. Then we get the side long suite to end it called "What Love" and man put on your seat belts people this is a ride and check out what the other reviewers say about this one. It's so impressive especially the theatrical vocals, and shouting "hell" back in '68 to emphasize the emotion was bold and done more than once.

A 4 star album on a number of fronts for me, this is a significant recording for a Canadian like myself.