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dr wu23 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote dr wu23 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 25 2019 at 10:47
I have those Psych Paul listed above....I love the old Brit proto prog/prog  stuff....I would mention Cressida and Spring......2 bands I enjoy.




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 25 2019 at 11:04
By an incredible coincidence, Spring was the album I had lined up for review tomorrow, even though it's the wrong time of year for Spring. Smile
 
I'll have a listen to the Cressida album too, which is one I hadn't heard of before. Thanks for posting. Thumbs Up


Edited by Psychedelic Paul - October 28 2019 at 02:31
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote dr wu23 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 25 2019 at 11:59
A few I'm fond of....
Beggars Opera- Waters of Change
Fantasy- Paint A Picture
Greenslade-Bedside Manners
Rare Bird- As Your Mind...


btw..this is an interesting site list



Edited by dr wu23 - October 25 2019 at 12:02
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 25 2019 at 12:08
"Paint a Picture" by Fantasy is the wonderful 5-star album I reviewed earlier today. I have Rare Bird's "As Your Mind Flies By" on CD and I'll check out the other two albums you mentioned too. I'm sure I'll love them. That's an excellent underground rock list in the link which I've now added to my favourites. Thanks for the recommendations.  Thumbs Up 

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - October 25 2019 at 12:11
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 26 2019 at 05:42

SPRING - Spring (1971)

Album Review #8:-  5 stars  Spring were a six-piece English band from Leicester who sprang up in 1971 to release this superb self-titled album of stereophonic delights and they released a further album "Second Harvest in 1973 before just as quickly disappearing from the music scene.  The "Spring" album features three bonus tracks on the 1992 CD re-issue. This delightful album passed by virtually unnoticed at the time of its release but it's now getting the recognition it truly deserves thanks to ProgArchives and the Internet. The album features lush symphonic melodies and beautiful harmonic soundscapes and the band is unique in featuring no less than three Mellotron players in the line-up. This album will delight and enthral fans of the Moody Blues and will appeal to any fans of the symphonic, heavenly sound of the Mellotron generally.

The album opens in suitably dramatic style with "The Prisoner (Eight by Ten)". This is just a foretaste of the musical box of delights to come and Mellotron lovers will instantly recognise the similarities with the powerful, symphonic sound of the early Moody Blues from their "Nights in White Satin" era. The song features triumphal keyboard phrases coupled with the hauntingly-atmospheric sound of the Mellotron always present in the background. Song No. 2 "Grail" is an emotionally appealing and uplifting  tune with some lovely Mellotron melodies and warm and pleasant vocals. The song features some lush and dramatic Mellotron solos, again very reminiscent of the sound of the Moody Blues. Song 3 "Boats" is an interesting contrast in style with a late 1960's Folk-Rock sound featuring an acoustic and electric guitar and no Mellotron this time around. Song 4 "Shipwrecked Sailor" is a rockier number with the electric guitar at the forefront and with backing from the Mellotron. The song has a military-style marching rhythm to it with some strident trumpet sounds from the synth to close out the song. The opening song of Side Two "Golden Fleece" is guaranteed to delight the senses with vast symphonic soundscapes created by the lush sound of three Mellotrons played together. Song 6 "Inside Out" returns to a heavier rock sound, interlaced with some quieter melodic passages to keep the listener entertained before the song plays out in dramatic symphonic style. Song 7 "Song to Absent Friends (The Island)" is a beautiful and gentle ballad featuring solo electric piano and vocals. Finally, we come to the album closer "Gazing", another outstanding piece of music which brings a superb album to an end in magnificent and majestic fashion.

Spring is a beautifully-produced album which is an absolute joy and delight to listen to from beginning to end. This is sublime, lovingly-crafted music at its finest. The album is guaranteed to appeal  to Moody Blues fans and lovers of the Mellotron sound everywhere. A truly magnificent album of first-rate musicianship that deserves a treasured place in any music lover's collection.



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - November 02 2019 at 18:50
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote eliotclark Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 26 2019 at 15:37
Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Bachdenkel were a Birmingham band who released two albums, "Lemmings" (1970) and "Stalingrad" (1977). Their first album was a Prog-Rock masterpiece in my opinion.
 
Album Review #1:-  Despite the Germanic-sounding name, Bachdenkel were formed in Birmingham, England in the late 1960's. Their first album "Lemmings" (1970) was far superior to their later album "Stalingrad" (1977). Although "Lemmings" was recorded in 1970, the album wouldn't see release until 1973. The album was recorded at a time when the Psychedelic Rock era was merging into the Progressive Rock era, and this is very much reflected in the music contained within the album. "Lemmings" is a real treasure of the era for Psychedelic and Progressive Rock lovers alike.
 


thanks for this thread. I'm looking forward checking out what other people, and yourself, post.

EDIT: And spammy links removed. (dx)


Edited by DamoXt7942 - October 27 2019 at 04:13
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 26 2019 at 15:48
Thanks! I'm planning to review the Cressida album tomorrow that DrWu23 kindly posted on here for me to listen to.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 27 2019 at 06:20

CRESSIDA - Cressida (1970)

Album Review #9:- 5 stars  Cressida are a group of five accomplished musicians who got together in London in the late 1960's to form a band. The band  initially called themselves "Charge" before changing their name to Cressida. They released their self-titled debut album in 1970 and a further album "Asylum" followed in 1971 shortly after the break-up of the band. The "Cressida" album is full to the brim with complex changes of time signature, soaring emotional vocals, impressive Hammond organ virtuosity and wild guitar solos. The album contains 12 diverse songs, ranging from short Jazzy numbers, melancholy ballads, and all-out symphonic masterpieces. The melancholic singer sounds remarkably  similar to  Justin Hayward in places and the album is guaranteed to appeal especially to fans of the Moody Blues and any collectors of classic Symphonic Prog generally.

The album opens impressively with  "To Play Your Little Game", featuring plaintive vocals and a beautiful organ solo before launching into some fast-paced Jazz-Rock played  in an unusual time signature. "Winter is Coming Again" is a pleasant sounding melody, featuring a wild psychedelic guitar and Hammond organ solo in the middle section.  "Time or Bed" opens with an acoustic guitar before transposing into another up-tempo Jazz-Rock number in an irregular time signature. The title track "Cressida" is probably the most Jazzy track on the album with an upbeat Jazzy 5/4 time signature. "Home And Where I Long To Be" is a beautifully complex song, and ranks as one of the most impressive numbers on the album with it's sudden changes of tempo, soaring vocals and virtuoso Hammond organ and guitar accompaniment. The song is very much in the style of the Moody Blues and would deserve pride of place on any of their albums. "Depression" is a very fast-paced song, very reminiscent of one of the Moody Blues rockier numbers. Side Two of the album opens in similarly impressive style with the jaunty song "One of a Group" with the sound of the Hammond organ very much at the forefront and featuring a brief fuzzy guitar solo with a few Jazzy piano motifs included for good measure. The eighth song on the album "Lights on My Mind" is an up-tempo rocker with some bright and breezy Hammond organ playing and another far-out fuzzy guitar solo. "The Only Earthman In Town" begins with a haunting refrain and launches into some dextrous and intricately fast-paced organ-playing. Track 10 "Spring '69" is a gentle melody featuring a solo acoustic guitar which blends in nicely in between the orchestral and Jazzier numbers. The penultimate song on the album "Down Down" opens with a beautiful organ solo and features the haunting sound of the Mellotron. The song has several interesting changes of pace throughout and includes a Jazzy interlude. The album concludes in full grandiose splendour with "Tomorrow is a Whole New Day", a song very much in the symphonic style of the Moody Blues classic "Night in White Satin".

This is a superb album  of musical virtuosity featuring a very talented group of musicians. The album should delight Symphonic Prog lover's everywhere,  It should also appeal to any aficionados of early Jazz-Rock with special appeal to fans of Justin Hayward and the Moody Blues symphonic sound. It's no exaggeration to say this album is a masterpiece and it deserves repeated listening to fully appreciate the beautifully complex nature of the twelve well-crafted songs. There's an abundance of melancholy melodies, fast-paced Jazz-Rock songs and grand masterpieces of symphonic virtuosity to entertain and enthral the listener in equal measure and it's an essential album for any classic Symphonic Prog collection.



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - October 28 2019 at 02:32
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 27 2019 at 06:27
Originally posted by dr wu23 dr wu23 wrote:

I have those Psych Paul listed above....I love the old Brit proto prog/prog  stuff....I would mention Cressida and Spring......2 bands I enjoy.

 
Thanks for those two superb album recommendations. I absolutely loved both of those albums by Spring and Cressida, as you can probably tell from the glowing 5-star reviews I gave both albums. Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 28 2019 at 11:25

KHAN - Space Shanty

1. Space Shanty

 
2. Stranded
 
 
3. Mixed Up Man of the Mountains
 
 
4. Driving to Amsterdam
 
 
5. Stargazers
 
 
6. Hollow Stone
 

Album Review #10:- 5 stars  Khan were a short-lived Canterbury Scene band who got together to record one outstanding  album "Space Shanty"  in 1972 before breaking up shortly afterwards. The band featured guitar legend and singer Steve Hillage, who later went on to success with Gong as well as having an illustrious solo career following the release of his first album "Fish Rising" in 1975. On keyboards was Dave Stewart (not to be confused with guitarist Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics), a distinguished keyboard player who was a member of the Jazz-Rock bands,  Egg,  Hatfield and the North, National Health, and Bruford, at various times during his long career. He also played together with Steve Hillage on the Arzachel (Uriel) album in 1969. Dave Stewart later worked with Barbara Gaskin (formerly a member of Prog-Folk band  Spirogyra) and they teamed up to achieve single success in 1981 with "It's My Party {And I'll Cry If I Want To). The bass player on Khan's "Space Shanty" album was Nick Greenwood, a member of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, and on drums was Pip Pyle, a talented drummer who went on to be a member of the Canterbury Scene bands,  Gong, Hatfield and the North and National Health. The "Space Shanty" album contains six long epic pieces of diverse music  of between 5 and 10 minutes duration, consisting primarily of a heavy prog, hard-rocking  sound, interspersed with some quirky Jazz-Rock passages and  quieter melodic moments, Khan sound like a heavier version of Caravan in places, and all the better for it too. "Space Shanty" is a very gratifying album to listen to as a whole and warrants repeated listening to truly appreciate the musical delights on offer here. The 2005 CD reissue of the album contained two bonus tracks.

"Space Shanty"  opens in spectacular style with the title track, a song of awe-inspiring power and versatility, demonstrating the musical prowess of the four talented musicians to the fullest extent. This is Prog-Rock at its absolute best: heavy and loud and proud and displaying breath-taking musical virtuosity, guaranteed to leave the listener enthralled and astounded at the same time. Next is "Stranded", a beautifully melodic song which warms the heart with its lush harmonics and emotionally charged vocals. The song features an intricate, instrumental Jazz-Rock break to delight and entertain the listener. This memorable song represents another perfect demonstration of the musical virtuosity of these four amazingly talented musicians. Song No, 3 "Mixed Up Man of the Mountains" continues the album in similar epic and dramatic style, with a powerful Hard Rock sound combining well together with some complex Jazz-Rock sequences. Side Two opens with the longest song on the album "Driving To Amsterdam", a 9-minute-long song which displays its Canterbury Scene credentials to the fullest extent, with a heavy "Caravan-esque" Jazz-Rock sound and featuring some masterly guitar riffs and keyboard virtuosity from the combined talents of Steve Hillage and Dave Stewart. The penultimate song "Stargazers" is another heavy Jazz-Rock number with some interesting changes of time signature and dramatic changes of pace. "Hollow Stone" brings this memorable album to a suitably impressive close with emotionally wrought vocals and a spectacularly heavy and powerful sound, very reminiscent of some of Uriah Heep's epic songs.

The "Space Shanty" album is a classic which has stood the test of time, and still sounds as fresh and original today as it did at the time of its release way back in 1972. Thanks to ProgArchives and YouTube, this album is now receiving the acclaim and recognition it truly deserves. "Space Shanty" will delight and astound Progressive Rock lovers everywhere with its awesome power and virtuosity. It's an absolutely essential album for any discerning collector of classic early 1970's Prog-Rock.



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - October 28 2019 at 14:06
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 01 2019 at 04:56
AGINCOURT - Fly Away (1970)
 
 
Album Review #11:- 4 stars AGINCOURT were a trio consisting of multi-instrumentalists and singers, John Ferdinando and Peter Howell alongside female vocalist Lee Menelaus. Ferdinando and Howell worked on several Psych-Folk albums together, although "Fly Away" (1970) was the only album released under the Agincourt name. The trio later recorded the album "A Game for All Who Know" under the name of Ithaca in 1973. The first release from Ferdinando & Howell was "Alice Through the Looking Glass" back in 1969 followed shortly after by "Tomorrow Come Someday" in the same year. In 1974 they released another album together under the pseudonym of "Friends" for their final musical partnership. Peter Howell later worked for the BBC Radiophonic Workshop - famous for the Doctor Who TV theme - during the 1970's and he went on to record a couple of New Age albums, "Legend" (1984) and "Aquarius Rising" (1991) on the New World Music label.

Right from the lovely opening of this album with "When I Awoke" you know you're in for a real treat. This is beautifully crafted English Folk music that even your granny could listen to and enjoy in her rocking chair. The song opens with a gently tinkling piano followed by acoustic guitar, but it's when you hear the charming and delightful vocals of Lee Menelaus for the first time that you realise this album is something very special indeed. Her voice will fill you with love and passion and a longing for days gone by, when talented musicians and singers were getting together to make albums like this full of marvellous Psych-Folk songs to treasure for all time. All three singers are featured together in perfect harmony in the next song "Though I May Be Dreaming" which conjures up images of an English country garden on a gorgeous summer's day. There are more pleasant harmonies to be heard on Song No. 3 "Get Together" which features a nice long Psych-Folk electric guitar break. "Joy in the Finding" is a very pleasant and uplifting instrumental which romps along in cheerful style with a flute featured prominently at the forefront, in the style of Jethro Tull in one of their more laid back moments. Next comes "Going Home", another lovely song which sounds like the epitome of quintessentially English Folk with beautiful harmonies and a very-pleasant electric guitar. "All My Life" is a slower number which again features those lushly rich harmonies alongside a gentle piano and guitar. "Mirabella" closes out Side One of the album in fine style with the lovely sound of Lee Menelaus on lead vocals once again. Ferdinando & Howell take the vocal leads for the Side Two opener "Take Me There" - another pleasantly-gentle relaxing number to while away a lazy Sunday afternoon in the English sunshine. There are more harmonic delights to be heard in the next song "Lisa", with the three singers uniting to create beautiful music together. "Dawn" opens with the sound of a haunting flute. It's another jaunty and upbeat number with more lovely harmonies from the three charming singers. "Barn Owl Blues" is a bluesy number as the title of the song implies, featuring a "vocalise" performance without any actual lyrics, in the style of "Prologue" by Annie Haslam of Renaissance. "Kind Sir" is the penultimate song on this superb album, featuring those beautiful three-part harmonies again, which are in delightful abundance on this charming Psych-Folk album. The 13th and final song "Through the Eyes of a Lifetime" is a 3-part song which opens with a spoken-word introduction in a charming English accent. It's the longest song on the album at over 5 minutes in duration and closes the album in marvellous style with the gentle sound of the piano and acoustic guitar with those Oh-So-Beautiful vocal harmonies again.

This is a charmingly beautiful English Psych-Folk album to delight the senses and leave one feeling in a cheerful and ebullient mood. The "Fly Away" album conjures up bucolic images of a pastoral idyll. The album is full to the brim with lovely harmonies and first-class musicianship which will take you right back to that wonderful never-to be-repeated musical era of the late 1960's and early 70's . It's thoroughly recommended for lovers of classic English Psych-Folk at its finest.



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - November 14 2019 at 14:59
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 02 2019 at 18:41
ILLUSION - Out of the Blue
 
1. Isadora
 
 
2. Roads To Freedom
 
 
3. Beautiful Country
 
 
4. Solo Flight
 
 
5. Everywhere You Go
 
 
6. Face of Yesterday
 
 
7. Candles Are Burning
 
Album Review #12:- 5 stars Illusion were an English band whose line-up was mainly a reunion of the original members of the band Renaissance from their first two albums, Renaissance (1969) and Illusion (1971). The original Renaissance line-up consisted of Jane Relf (vocals), Keith Relf (electric guitar and vocals), John Hawken (piano, synthesisers, Hammond organ & Mellotron), Louis Cennamo (bass guitar) & Jim McCarty (drums). Jane Relf, Jim McCarty, John Hawken and Louis Cennamo all featured again on this Illusion "Out of the Blue" album. Jim McCarty and Keith Relf were former members of The Yardbirds. Sadly, Keith Relf (brother of Jane Relf) was killed in a tragic accident in 1976 shortly before he was due to have played on this album when he was electrocuted by his electric guitar at the tender age of 33. John Knightsbridge was brought in as a replacement for Keith Relf on guitar. The superb "Out of the Blue" album was the first Illusion album featuring the reconstituted original Renaissance line-up. They followed it up swiftly with a good second album, self-titled "Illusion" (1978). A rare third album "Enchanted Caress" was intended for release in 1979 but it wouldn't see the light of day until 1990. An equally rare fourth album "Through the Fire" followed in 2001, which was released under the band name of Renaissance Illusion. For fans of Jane Relf, there's also a special 2-CD collectors edition available of all her work with Renaissance, Illusion and the New Age band Stairway, titled "Jane's Renaissance - The Complete Jane Relf Collection 1969-1995", which includes a rare radio ad she recorded for Findus fish fingers!

The sound of Illusion's "Out of the Blue" album is as quintessentially English as a game of cricket with a cream tea and a scone on a pleasant English summer's day. The album opens in magnificent style with "Isadora", a beautiful, yet hauntingly- atmospheric 7-minute-long song of love. Jim McCarty is on lead vocals with Jane Relf providing sweet harmonies on backing vocals. There are some lovely long classical motifs from classically-trained pianist John Hawken and the song features a nice electric guitar break in the middle section. The song concludes in fine style as the vocal harmonies and gentle piano drift away into the distance in the fade-out. The second song "Roads To Freedom" is a bright and breezy up-tempo number with the melodious honeyed voice of Jane Relf on lead vocals. There's some charming classical-style piano playing again from John Hawken on this lively and uplifting song with Jim McCarty harmonising beautifully with Jane Relf as the song plays out. The next song "Beautiful Country" is a real highlight of the album. This lovely song features these charming lyrics:- "Beautiful country, Your mountains of heaven, Your glistening rivers a twisting away, Beautiful givers of summer's white kisses, Boldly for winter we want you to stay, I well lay me down upon the soft solid ground of this land." ........ It's an enchantingly beautiful melody which leaves one feeling spellbound and captivated with delight. There are Jane Relf's marvellous vocals at the forefront with the haunting sound of the tinkling piano and the ghostly Mellotron in the background. This is gorgeous music to drift away to at night underneath the bedcovers with the lights turned down low, where you can forget your cares and worries for a brief time. In complete contrast, the next song on the album "Solo Flight" is a real fast-paced rocker featuring Jim McCarty on vocals. In fact, the contrasting styles of the album are part of what gives the album its lasting appeal. Side Two opens with "Everywhere You Go", a bright and lively up-tempo song with the adorable voice of Jane Relf on lead vocals again and featuring superb piano accompaniment and orchestration. "Face of Yesterday" opens with a classical solo piano piece in the style of J.S. Bach. The song is another stunningly beautiful melody, full of charming English splendour, as Jane Relf carries you away to a warm and pleasant place with a voice as sweet as sugar. The album concludes in suitably exuberant and lively fashion with the 7-minute-long all-out rocker, "Candles Are Burning". The song features a grand finale with a full orchestra and choir to round off this superb album in grand and spectacular style.

An essential album for fans of early-era Renaissance which has stood the test of time.



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - November 04 2019 at 09:01
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2019 at 04:44

Album Review #13:-4 stars TOMORROW were a London-based one-album band who released this self-titled album of English psychedelia in 1968. The
album is best-known for featuring Steve Howe who later went on to achieve great success with YES and ASIA. The album also
features Keith West on vocals, who had a big hit with "Excerpt from A Teenage Opera (Grocer Jack)" in 1967. The album
represents a nice slice of English Psychedelic Rock at its finest. The original album contained 11 songs of relatively-short duration
with a 1999 reissue of the album including 12 bonus songs. The Beatle-esque "Tomorrow" album features four stand-out songs which will linger longer in the memory:- "My White Bicycle", "Shy Boy", "Revolution", and a very good cover version of "Strawberry Fields Forever". This is the kind of flower-power album you might have listened to in the late 1960's whilst strolling gaily down Carnaby Street in London, wearing a brightly-coloured, wide-lapelled suit, a kipper tie, flared trousers, platform boots, and maybe even some flowers in your hair, San Francisco style, 

The album gets off to a flying start with  the hard-rocking opening song "My White Bicycle", which was later covered by the British
Hard Rock band Nazareth in the mid-1970's. "Colonel Brown" is a nice piece of English whimsy with an upbeat sound which
bounds along joyfully. "Real Life Permanent Dream" is the most psychedelic-sounding song on the album, as the title implies,
featuring a fast-paced  Indian sitar which is very reminiscent of The Beatles "Revolver" period. "Shy Boy" is an enjoyable well-known song of
the era with an uplifting beat. The song was later covered by the English band Kippington Lodge in 1969. "Revolution" is another psychedelic song very
much in the style of The Beatles. It's a different song to the Beatles number but still has the same revolutionary fervour to it. "The Incredible Journey of Timothy Chase" continues in similar fashion with jangling psychedelic guitars and a sitar. The charmingly-titled "Auntie Mary's Dress Shop" is another Beatle-esque number which wears its English
psychedelic colours with pride. Next up is an excellent cover version of "Strawberry Fields Forever" which is very true to the
original Beatles version. "Three Jolly Little Dwarfs" is another uptempo number which romps along merrily in marvellous
psychedelic style with the sound of the sitar very much at the forefront. "Now Your Time Has Come" is the longest song on the
album at nearly five minutes long where Steve Howe is given free rein to demonstrate his early prowess with the electric guitar, 
playing some wonderfully acid guitar licks. The album concludes in true psychedelic style with "Hallucinations", an
uplifting song featuring atmospheric in-and-out phasing, twinned with some masterly Steve Howe guitar riffs. It's the perfect
album closer to a classic psychedelic album of its time.

"Tomorrow" is a very English-sounding psychedelic album of Proto-Prog which will appeal greatly to fans of the late-1960's
Beatles era sound. The album will also be of interest to YES fans who'd like to hear guitar legend Steve Howe back in his early pre-YES-terdays.



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - November 03 2019 at 09:34
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 04 2019 at 11:04

Album Review #14:- 5 stars THE GODS featured an impressive line-up of musicians. First and foremost, there was keyboard wizard Ken Hensley, the powerhouse and driving force behind Uriah Heep. And then there was legendary guitarist Mick Taylor, a member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967-69) and the Rolling Stones (1969-1974). Lee Kerslake played on drums, who later went on to achieve success in Uriah Heep with Ken Hensley. Greg Lake, of Emerson, Lake & Palmer fame, was also a member of THE GODS for a brief time. The line-up for this first album "Genesis" consisted of:-  John Glascock  (bass, vocals); Ken Hensley  (keyboards, guitar, percussion, vocals); Joe Konas  (guitar, vocals) & Lee Kerslake  (drums). THE GODS released a second album in 1970 "To Samuel a Son" before disbanding. As might be expected from a band led by keyboard maestro Ken Hensley, the "Genesis" album is a keyboard driven Heavy Prog album of impressive driving power, very much in the style of early Uriah Heep. If this was a Uriah Heep album, then it would surely rank as one of their finest albums. There were four bonus tracks included in the 1994 CD reissue of the album.

This album ROCKS!! "Genesis" is an album that's meant to be played LOUD and proud, so fasten your seatbelts, lock up your daughters, and prepare to hear some impressive keyboard histrionics from Mr. Ken Hensley! Music maestro please! The album opens in powerful take-no-prisoners style with "Towards the Skies", with the heavy keyboard sound of Ken Hensley very much at the forefront. The singer has a powerful emotional urgency to his voice and there's some wild guitar riffs thrown in to the mix too, All in all, it's a magnificently powerful album opener which really means business and hits you for six with its raw power, The listener is given a bit of a breather with the slower-paced "Candles Getting Shorter", although the song still maintains the band's heavy rock credentials. Just when you thought it was safe to lie back and relax though, "You're My Life" hits you with its pounding drum rhythm and freaky guitar breaks with the vocalist going hell-for-leather and giving the song everything he's got and more besides, very much in the style of David Byron of Uriah Heep. And if you thought that was good, you ain't heard nothing yet (to paraphrase Mr. Bachman, Mr. Turner & Mr. Overdrive), because along comes "Looking Glass", a real highlight of the album with soaring vocals and the keyboard-heavy sound that Uriah Heep fans have grown to know and love. The impressive singer really reaches those HIGH notes on this song, without the aid of helium,  and you really have to hear it to believe it! Next up is "Misleading Colours",  a heavy bluesy number of impressive power. Side Two opens with "Radio Show", an all-out rocker to get the feet tapping and set the heart pumping.  If you heard this for the first time in the late 1960's, you might even have been inclined to do some head-banging before head-banging had even been invented. "Plastic Horizon" is Song No. 8 which sounds like one of Uriah Heep's slower-paced numbers, although no less impressive, especially for Uriah Heep fans who will surely love it. Next up comes "Farthing Man" a bright and breezy upbeat Pop song,  which is undoubtedly the least-heavy song on the album. It's the kind of catchy late 1960's Pop song that might have done well in the charts, had it been released as a single. The penultimate song "I Never Know" is the longest song on the album at over 5 minutes long. It's a moody and atmospheric number where Ken Hensley and guitar player Joe Konas are given the chance to stretch their musical muscles with some truly outstanding keyboard and guitar motifs, not to mention the singer, who always puts all of his emotion into every song on this outstanding album. As might be expected from an album of such impressive majestic power, the closing song of the album "Time and Eternity" is another powerhouse performance from the combined might of four very accomplished musicians at the top of their game.

This impressively powerful and awe-inspiring keyboard-driven album will appeal especially to fans of early Uriah Heep. The "Genesis" album gives a superb foretaste of the powerhouse keyboard-driven sound still to come from Ken Hensley, who would go on to  delight fans during his legendary Uriah Heep years. If you're looking for the Best of British late-1960's Proto-Prog, then look no further. "Genesis" is an outstanding album for Heavy Prog fans everywhere!



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - November 04 2019 at 14:07
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 05 2019 at 09:07
MAGNA CARTA - Lord of the Ages (title track with lyrics)
 
Album Review #15:- 4 stars MAGNA CARTA's long and illustrious career spans six decades, from the release of their first self-titled album in 1969 through to their most recent album "The Fields of Eden" in 2015. Chris Simpson is the principal songwriter and the main driving force behind the band. There have been many line-up changes over the years with Chris Simpson always there at the helm as the mainstay of the group. Guitarist Davey Johnson featured in an early line-up of the band, who later went on to achieve great success with Elton John. Linda Taylor joined the line-up in the mid-1980's and she later went on to marry Chris Simpson in 1990. MAGNA CARTA's best-known song is "Highway To Spain", released as a single from their "Midnight Blue" album in 1982. Three albums preceded the release of "Lord of the Ages" (1973). These were:- Magna Carta (Aka Times of Change) (1969); Seasons (1970): & Songs from Wasties Orchard (1971). "Lord of the Ages" is the "proggiest" of all of MAGNA CARTA's albums and represented a pinnacle of their career. The stunning 10-minute-long title track with the spoken voice introduction is the real highlight of the album. The principal three-piece line-up for the "Lord of the Ages" album consisted of:- Chris Simpson (guitar, vocals); Glenn Stuart (vocals, spoken word); & Stan Gordon (guitar, vocals), with a number of session musicians providing back-up. The only thing missing from the album is a sweet-voiced female vocalist, which would have given the album five-star masterpiece status. The fantasy artwork on the album cover was designed by Roger Dean, who famously produced album covers for YES, ASIA & URIAH HEEP, amongst others.

This charming album is as English as a game of croquet with strawberries and cream on an English summer's day. The opening song "Wish It Was" sets the scene where the wistful singer paints a picture of an old man longing plaintively for lost love in these heartfelt lyrics:- "I'll find an old man lonely, In the autumn of his years, I'll find a young girl hoping, To lose herself in love, And to both I'd give a rainbow, For neither side can make it on their own, Young and old come together." Beautiful! The second song "Two Old Friends" is a sad refrain that wears its English heart on its sleeve and opens with these words:- "Two old friends of mine, I saw them only yesterday, They where there, But I got the feeling, They had gone away, And I was alone, Killing time, A stranger in the silence of their company." It's a gentle yet emotional song that really tugs at the heartstrings. Now comes the piece-de-resistance of the album, the title track "Lord of the Ages". This epic 10-minute-song opens beautifully in a long spoken word introduction in a charming cut-glass English accent. This magnificent song conjures up crystal-clear images of fantasy castles filled with goblins, elves, unicorns, and other such mythical beings. The songs opens in magical style with these words:- "Lord of the ages rode one night, Out through the gateways of time, Astride a great charger, In a cloak of white samite, He flew on the air, Like a storm, Dark was the night, For he gathered the stars in his hand, To light a path through the sky, While the hooves of his charger, Made comets of fire, Bewitching all eyes, Beheld them, Lord of the ages, Nobody knows, Whether he goes." It's a bewitching song of phantasmagorical splendour, designed to transport you to a magical place during 10 minutes of sublime delight, including a wild acid guitar break. The album continues with the quaintly titled "Isn't It Funny (And a Little Bit Strange)", which ambles along nicely and features these silly and whimsical lyrics:- "I asked a coalman just for a laugh, How many times did he take a bath, As many times said he, as the bath takes me, Isn't it funny, and not a little bit strange, Like a biscuit on a plane, going south to the sun." It's a silly little song that delights in its English frivolity. We now come to Song No. 5 on the album, "Song of Evening" a very pleasant ballad with a countrified slide guitar sound, which opens with these lovely lyrics in the chorus:- "Then the song of the evening comes in, gentle harmony and lingers 'til the closing of the day, Just a song of evening flows on, Like some tumbling river, and like a river, flows away." It's another lyrical song guaranteed to charm and delight the listener in equal measure. The next song "Father John" is a heartfelt plea to a parish priest, which opens with a beautiful rare female vocal lead. The only pity is that the unknown female vocalist wasn't featured more on this superb album, which could have elevated the album to a five-star classic. The penultimate song "That Was Yesterday" features the nostalgic vocalist imploringly wishing for times gone by with these appealing words:- "Hopes and schemes, Like old men's dreams, Some have gone astray, The world could never change you said, But that was yesterday." A song with a powerful message that times don't always change for the better, which will resonate with many listeners. The final song "Falkland Grene" is a traditional acoustic Folk ballad, which was recorded way back when people still thought the Falkland Islands were somewhere just off the coast of Scotland, long before they were put on the world map in 1982.

This is timeless English Folk music with charming lyrics that wouldn't have sounded out of place at the signing of the original Magna Carta treaty in 1215. This marvellous album is truly the "Lord of the Ages" that will linger in the memory for a long time to come and is sure to garner new fans of classic Prog-Folk in the decades ahead.



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - November 05 2019 at 09:14
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 07 2019 at 12:21
Album Review #16:- 4 stars RAMASES (real name Kimberley Barrington Frost) adopted his name after claiming to have been visited by the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses sometime during a car journey near his home in Sheffield, England. He began dressing and behaving in an eccentric manner, wearing silk robes and shaving his head, in the style of the Hare Krishna religious sect. He recorded his sublime "Space Hymns" (1971) album at Strawberry Hill Studios at Stockport near Manchester with his wife Dorothy (who he renamed Selket), together with the musicians Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman, Kevin Godley and Lol Crème, who famously went on to form the Pop/Rock band 10cc, although this religiously-inspired album is far removed from anything 10cc ever recorded.  Renowned album cover artist Roger Dean designed the spacey album cover. A second album "Glass Top Coffin" followed in 1975 which failed to achieve commercial success. Tragically, Kimberley Barrington Frost took his own life in 1976 in a fit of depression, aged 42, which makes this marvellous legacy of music he left behind all the more poignant in its appeal.

"Space Hymns" - The final frontier! Prepare to blast off into orbit with an out-of-this-world collection of 11 devotional space- themed songs where Ramases boldly (or baldly!) goes where no album has gone before. The countdown has begun..... Five!.....Four!.....Three!.....Two!.....One!.....We have lift-off!..... Launching us into orbit in spectacular style on this 11-stage rocket is "Life Child", which opens in suitably atmospheric style with some spacey sound effects. The spaced-out song takes us on a wild acid guitar trip, where the singer tells us with a religiously-inspired passion for the environment that..... "The sun is fading from Your city, Life Child, From where I stand it ain't so pretty, Life Child, I see Your sun is going down, I see Your wreckage on the ground, Life Child, Your seas are full of poisoned water, Life Child......" Taking us through the stratosphere and up into orbit comes "Hello Mister", which sounds like a devotional Hare Krishna chant, with the title words of the song chanted seemingly ad finitum, although that's no bad thing. Achieving orbit now, and along comes Space Hymn No. 3, "And the Whole World", another Hare Krishna inspired song with the pleasant harmonies blending nicely with the gentle sound of the acoustic instruments. You can almost picture the singers gathered half-naked around a campfire at night with their eyes pointed towards the heavens. "Quasar One" continues our journey around the Earth in similar devotional style with much chanting and featuring a whole jamboree of acoustic instruments. "You're The Only One Joe" follows next, where the only lyrics are the song title repeated endlessly for 2 minutes, which does become rather repetitive and you're left wondering who on Earth Joe is. The next song "Earth People" features a beautiful female vocal lead and represents one of the highlights of the album. It's a delightful song to listen to at night with the lights turned down low where you can be carried away into a higher orbit, or failing that, you can drift off to sleep and have pleasant dreams of drifting through endless space with the magnificent Earth down below. The next song "Molecular Delusion" is probably the most religious-inspired of all of the Space Hymns on the album. It's an acid-tinged song George Harrison might have recorded during one of his more meditative moments after visiting the Indian guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Next up is "Balloon", where the singer imploringly sings "Don't burst your bubble, or you're in trouble." which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but who cares, because it's a fun lyric and a great song. The intriguingly titled "Dying Swan Year 2000" is a short little a capella album filler before "Jesus Come Back", an unapologetically devotional song that wears its religious heart on its sleeve with these words, "Have you got fears for the future, my friend Jesus, Jesus come back". It's *almost* enough to turn a confirmed atheist into a devout follower of Jesus. Who needs Jehovah's Witnesses knocking at their door when there's devotional music as good as this to inspire you!? Finally, we return to Earth with "Journey To The Inside" to close out the album. It's a weird 6-minute-long, drug-induced acid trip, which is nothing less than you'd expect from a religiously-inspired album drenched in psychedelic colours.

If you want to get all religious without going to church and fancy listening to some gentle and devotional Prog-Folk songs with a sprinkle of psychedelic flower-power, then this is the album for you. The album will have special appeal if you like the idea of dancing naked around a tree under a star-filled moonlit sky with some flowers in your hair. "Space Hymns" features enchanting harmonies and various acoustic delights designed to transport you to musical heaven on Earth.



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - November 13 2019 at 16:50
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 13 2019 at 11:00
Album Review #17:- 4 stars ROOM were an obscure five-piece, British Jazz-Rock outfit who released this one amazing album and then promptly disappeared without trace when their plane vanished off the radar. The female lead singer (Jane Kevern) sings in a bluesy style with the accomplished musicians providing a solid bluesy Jazz-Rock feel to the music. This long-forgotten gem should appeal to fans of Big Brother & the Holding Company and Stone the Crows. Having done the pre-flight checks, It's time to take a seat inside the plane now and prepare for take-off. Chocks Away!

Buckle up tightly because it's going to be a bumpy ride. "Pre-Flight" opens with the title track, a 9-minute long barnstormer of a song, with many dramatic changes of pace with Jane Kevern's bluesy vocals sounding smoothly appealing. It's probably the Jazziest of all of the Jazz-Rock songs on the album with complex changes of time signature and with a lively brass section. The song plays out in style with some heavy guitar riffs. Reaching altitude, we now come to the second song on the album, "Where Did I Go Wrong", an out-and-out traditional heavy Blues-Rock number. Jane Kevern imploringly asks "Where Did I Go Wrong" but she certainly didn't go wrong with this song. It's flying high at 35,000ft in the jet stream of great British blues. At cruising speed now, we come to "No Warmth in My Life", a powerful rollicking number that rocks along at impressive speed, before taking an unexpected Jazz break midway through the song. Continuing our flight, we come to "Big John Blues" - a typical early 1970's Blues- Rock song. No surprise there. Jane Kevern gives it all she's got and more besides in this lively number. "Andromeda" maintains the impressive speed with an up-tempo and uplifting number. If you were left feeling blue after the last song, then this is the song to lift up your spirits into the stratosphere again. Warning! The next song begins with an air raid siren, so prepare for "War", a political song with a strong anti-war message, not to mention another great Jazz/Rock number to keep the feet tapping and the heart pounding with its dynamic ever-changing rhythm. Coming in to land now, we have the final song and highlight of the album, "Cemetery Junction", an eight and a half minute powerhouse of a song which closes the album in triumphal and grandiose style, featuring dramatic tolling bells, Jazz-Rock flourishes, classical motifs, and a heavy pounding electric guitar steamrollering its way through to the end of the song. This song has it all. A magnificent finale to a superb album.

If you have Room in your record/CD collection for some stimulating bluesy Jazz-Rock from the early 1970's, then fasten your seat belts and prepare for take-off with "Pre-Flight", because this is the album for you. You won't be disappointed.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 13 2019 at 14:30
BLUE GUITAR - Bonus track from the "Blue Jays" album
 
Album Review #18:-5 stars "Blue Jays" is a Moody Blues album in all but name. After the release of the Moody Blues "Seventh Sojourn" album in 1972, their record company Decca were clamouring for another album. The five Moodies couldn't come to an agreement on the next album, so the two frontmen of the Moody Blues, Justin Hayward & John Lodge, set out on their own to record the "Blue Jays" album with producer Tony Clarke at the helm. The end result would turn out to be a symphonic masterpiece on a par with the Moody Blues classically-inspired "Days of Future Passed" (1967) album, which featured the anthemic "Nights in White Satin". The original "Blue Jays" album released in 1975 didn't contain the magnificent song "Blue Guitar", which was released as a single around the same time as the album. This omission was later rectified when "Blue Guitar" was added to the album in the 1987 re-issue and again on the 2004 remastered CD. All of the songs on the album were written by Justin Hayward & John Lodge.

"This Morning" opens this magnificent album in true Moody Blues style with sweeping symphonic soundscapes and the familiar heartfelt tones of Justin Hayward, as he imploringly sings, "As the dawn is breaking on your future my child, Is there none of your love alive?, If every door you open closes on me, I don't know if I can survive." The production and orchestration on this opening song is just superb. It's a masterly demonstration of the art of the producer and it sets the tone for the album as a whole, where you know you're in for a real symphonic treat. "Remember Me (My Friend)" is another magnificently orchestrated ballad with Justin Hayward's beseeching words asking, "I am your friend, You must remember me, I'm the one who saw through the world's disguise, Took away its cloak and made it hide from me, Remember me?" The lovely harmonies and sweeping orchestration are just awesome, with the trademark sound of Justin Hayward's superb guitar always there to remind you that this is really a Moody Blues album. The pace slows down a bit for the next song "My Brother", a gentle ballad with those Oh-So-Beautiful harmonies at the forefront again and masterly orchestration from producer Tony Clarke. who also produced all of the Moody Blues albums between 1967 and 1979. Continuing this magic carpet ride on a symphony of sound is "You", a romantic song of love gone sour with these words from balladeer Justin Hayward, "You don't even know my name, Time was when you would take the love you've given all away, Take a part of me, You don't even walk my road, Can't find where you turned, Looked away and you were gone." ..... These are the kind of melancholy heart-wrenching songs that have become Justin Hayward's trademark speciality and his beseeching voice always has that urgent emotional appeal that never fails to tug at the heartstrings. "Nights Winters Years" rounds off Side One in magnificent style. It's a fully orchestrated symphonic epic in the style of "Nights in White Satin", only more so. If you haven't been transported to a magical place before now, then this song will take you there. Prepare to be amazed by this epic production of dynamic proportions! Side Two opens with the most up-tempo rocker on the album, the uplifting "Saved by the Music", although the song does have its quiet reflective moments too. "I Dreamed Last Night" follows next. This sweeping symphonic masterpiece is another emotional rollercoaster ride, guaranteed to tug at the heartstrings with its tale of lost love, where Justin Hayward opens the song with these imploring words, "Oh, I dreamed last night, I was hearing, hearing your voice, And the things that you said, Well, they left me, left me no choice." There aren't many singers of Justin Hayward's calibre who are capable of pouring so much emotion into a bittersweet romantic ballad. "Who Are You Now" is a nice gentle acoustic guitar-driven ballad with the ever- present lush orchestration from Moody Blues producer Tony Clarke. You'd have to be as emotionless as Mr. Spock in Star Trek not to be touched by the powerful emotional appeal in all of the heartfelt songs on this wonderful album. If you're in the mood for some full-blown classically inspired symphonic music, then "Maybe" this next song is for you. Just lie back and let this beautiful music carry you away to an ocean of harmonic serenity. This is the music that dreams are made of. Finally, we come to the album closer, "When We Wake Up" which seems an appropriate title, bearing in mind coming to the end of this album is like waking from a beautiful dream. As you'd expect from two-fifths of the Moody Blues, this is a full-on symphonic masterpiece of lush orchestration with everything but the kitchen sink thrown into the mix.

This is truly an outstanding album which reaches the parts that other albums fail to reach. "Blue Jays" is an album that's guaranteed to linger longer in the memory with its timeless romantic ballads with everlasting appeal for generations to come. If you're a hopeless romantic, or just hopeless at romance, then this is the album for you. An absolute must-have album for any fans of the Moody Blues. In comparison with other Moody Blues albums, this solo endeavour from Justin Hayward & John Lodge ranks as one of their finest albums. This album is a master-class in production technique and represents one of the pinnacles of classic 1970's Symphonic Rock.



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - November 13 2019 at 16:56
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 14 2019 at 12:46
AFFINITY - Affinity (1970)
 
Album Review #19:-4 stars AFFINITY were a Jazz-Rock quintet led by vocalist Linda Hoyle. The group formed in Brighton on the south coast of England in 1965. Their one and only studio album, eponymously titled "Affinity" was released in 1970 just before the band broke up and went their different ways. There were two bonus tracks included in the 1993 CD reissue of the album and eight bonus tracks on the 2002 re-mastered album. Four compilation CD's of early material were released in the early 2000's.

The album opens in bright and lively style with "I Am and So Are You", an intriguingly-titled song with these cryptic lyrics, "I am a singer of songs, A writer of wrongs, A dreamer of sighs, A hater of lies, so are you, And so are you."..... I am liking this song, and so will you. The song romps along in traditional 4/4 time with a solid brass section in accompaniment. Now get on board for, "Night Flight". It's the second-longest song on the albim, running at over 7 minutes long. It features these enigmatic lyrics, "My window looks out onto night and darkness comes, And birds in flight without a sound, Night is strange, My spirit floats out into space on silver wings, And joins the birds without a sound." ..... The song has a very melancholic and laid-back opening before bursting into life with impressive energy and vigour. Linda Hoyle's emotional vocals carry the song along on a flight of fancy with a powerful instrumental Jazz break halfway through the song, featuring some nifty finger-work on the Hammond organ. This stimulating number is sure to keep the listener entertained with it's constant changes of tempo and impressive vocals. Next comes "I Wonder If I'll Care As Much", a cover version of a little-known Everly Brothers song. This emotionally appealing, beautiful ballad really tugs at the heartstrings when Linda Hoyle passionately sings, "Last night I've cried myself to sleep, For the one that made me weep, I've dried my eyes to greet the day, I wonder why I had to pay." ..... It's often the saddest songs that are the best, and that's certainly the case here, and it represents one of the highlights of the album. After the sadness comes "Mr. Joy", a bluesy song to close out Side One with the refrain, "Mr Joy, He's a toy, You can wind him up, And he'll do anything you want him too." They're not exactly earth-shattering lyrics but Linda Hoyle sounds like she's really enjoying herself in this song with her breathless gasps and moans towards the end. It makes you wonder who or what "Mr Joy" actually is. The mind boggles...... And so, on to Side Two as we flip the album over and begin with "Three Sisters", a brassy up-tempo Jazz-Rock number to set those feet tapping and get the drinks flowing. Just try not to spill any though while your dancing along to this bright and lively number. There's a change of pace now with the next song, "Coconut Grove", a gently laid-back acoustic cover version of the well-known Lovin' Spoonful song. You can lie back and put your feet up on the veranda and sip on a pina colada to really get into the spirit of this warmly melodic song. Now for the grand finale, a pulsating powerhouse performance of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower", which was of course made famous by Jimi Hendrix. This tremendous song has the unstoppable power of a runaway train and it's the perfect way to close out the album. This is eleven and a half minutes of raw power and sheer delight, so prepare to be amazed!

If you have an Affinity for some stimulating early-1970's British Jazz-Rock, then this is the album for you.



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - November 14 2019 at 14:45
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 14 2019 at 14:37
BREAD LOVE & DREAMS - Amaryllis (1971)
 
Album Review #20:- 4 stars BREAD, LOVE & DREAMS were a Scottish Prog_Folk band who were discovered by a Decca records talent scout at the Edinburgh Festival in 1968. They went on to record three albums, "Bread, Love & Dreams" (1969), the mysteriously-titled "The Strange Tale of Captain Shannon and the Hunchback from Gigha" (1970), and this album "Amaryllis" in 1971. This final album is the "proggiest" and arguably the best of their three albums. Angie Rew & David McNiven were the two principal vocalists and players on the "Amaryllis" album, with three guest musicians brought in for the studio recording session, including two members of Pentangle.

"Amaryllis" opens in full bloom with "Out of the Darkness and into the Light", Part 1 of the Amaryllis suite which occupies the whole of Side One of the album. It's a mysterious-sounding song, loaded with a good dose of acid guitar flower-power. There are some lovely Folky harmonies between Angie Rew & David McNiven in this opening song, which gives an indication that this is a rather special album to be treasured forever. Part 2 of the Amaryllis trilogy is "Zoroaster's Prophecy", an 11-minute long religiously-inspired epic in the form of a suite. It's a real highlight of the album with several songs blending together into one long piece. It's a song of mystery and imagination with the lyrics weaving a tale of ancient Folklore. Closing out Side One is the third and final part of the Amaryllis suite, "LIght". This song is simply beautiful with those gorgeous male & female vocal harmonies blending perfectly together again. If this song doesn't move you with it's powerful emotional appeal, then maybe you need to check for a pulse, but for the rest of us, just lie back and enjoy, and let this romantic song bring some "Light" into your life. Side Two opens with "Time's the Thief", a pleasant acoustic guitar-driven, Folky ballad in the style of Fairport Convention. Song No. 5 "My Stair-Cupboard" isn't the most inspiring of song titles, but it's a lovely acoustic ballad in the Folk tradition of Fotheringay and Pentangle. Next comes "Brother John", a mournful and low-key song, although none the worse for that. Just turn the lights down low late at night and let Angie Rew's lovely voice carry you away on a magical ride into dreamland. The final song on the album, "Circle of Night" is a traditional Folky number where you can almost picture the singers gathered around a campfire with their hands joined together for a flower-power sing-along.

This is classic Prog-Folk at its beautiful best. "Amaryllis" is a long-forgotten album treasure that's now getting some of the recognition it truly deserves through the wonders of ProgArchives, YouTube and the Internet.



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - November 14 2019 at 14:51
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