RAINDANCE

Over the four albums they recorded with Transatlantic, Gryphon's sound transformed from neo-medieval folk with touches of classically-inflected progressive rock to classically-inflected progressive rock with touches of neo-medieval folk. Raindance captures the end of that transformation, and finds them exploring a whimsical sound reminiscent of Camel's albums from the mid-to-late 1970s; I don't think many people regard Gryphon as a Canterbury band, but I could imagine them on the same bill as classic Caravan or Camel when Richard Sinclair was with them.

As with Midnight Mushrumps, it's the long track here which is the standout piece; (Ein Klein) Heldenleben is also the place where those medieval folk elements make themselves felt the most, being as it is a journey through every dimension of the band's sound. The album is perhaps a little overlooked compared to Red Queen To Gryphon Three - where Gryphon's blend of prog and medieval folk perhaps found its perfect balance point - but it doesn't deserve that, because it's a perfectly pleasant progressive rock album, albeit not one which progheads will find staggeringly original (though give Heldenleben a good listen and you may pick up on things you miss on a superficial hearing).