FOOLS MEETING

It is a tiny lapse to link Fool's Meating just with cantenbury scene, though on the grounds of artists playing there, it's quite understandable. I think that progressive 60-s' jazz/blues would be a much better categorization for this one.

DELIVERY has quite unique sound and oringinal style but if you have something against not- so-well-produced-carage-sounds, then this one is not for you. Even though you wouldn't like the songs, the record is enjoyable enough because of Carol Grimes's beautifully frenzied rasp voice (caused by eating gravel - as mentioned on the sleeve). The reason why Fool's Meating eventually became neverheard undergound record lies propably on those sudden epileptic free-jazz outbursts that their saxo-player sometimes has; for example in the middle of "Blind To Your Light". But I think every prog-lover has already adjusted to those pratfalls - some even like these things.

As mentioned, if sound quality is a big issue for you, then avoid this one. The whole thing of DELIVERY is based on shabbiness, not only in terms of sound quality, but also in terms of their inactivity to try to prove their playing skills. It's a kind of joke: "Mirerable Man" needs miserable sounds and miserable players (though you know these guys/girls are not so miserable). There are many reasons for why Fool's Meating deserves to be valued as essential masterpiece of progressive music and why it lies on my Top 5, but propably the most important reason lies one that moody shabbiness in their songs. "Miserable Man" really feels miserable. And that has been only connection with cantenbury scene that I have found there - that paradoxically melancholy joy of life which CARAVAN sometimes has ("life's too short to be sad..."). Fool's Meating is a good record if you don't already know why blues is named as being blue and together with its creative compositions and Carol Grimes's adorably frenzy voice, well, I can give only 5 stars, though I'd love to give even more.