You missed this: Achim Reichel & Machines - Echo (1972)

AtomicCrimsonRush wrote: Logan wrote: AtomicCrimsonRush wrote: Saperlipopette! wrote: AtomicCrimsonRush wrote: 496 This Heat Deceit  added - looks great! replaced the Live Magma - they have plenty on the list anyway... But but that's one of the few, unique live albums here that matter.  Don't worry its not the one called 'Live Magma' - that is too imp-ortant - it was one of the other ones... from 1981.  Retrospektïẁ I-II Magma   That Retropektiw I-II is one of the most important Magma releases, imo. I know but I have to get rid of some live albums... and i already have about 10 Magma albums in the list... any suggestions from that year or the next? Retrospektiw has 2 songs on it  1. Theusz Hamtaahk (36:05)  2. Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh (40:04) 3 collaborators reviewed it highly on 4 stars. and about 6 others gave it 5 star reviews. Not bad but not a lot of notice taken of it.

I think that a 4.60 rating with 60 ratings is impressive.  It's the highest rated Magma album at PA (excluding a DVD).  It's interesting that you single out collab reviews since it is a non-collab review of that album by Song of Copper that expresses the feelings I've had twoards it the most.  In 2007, it was about my favourite album of all.  At rateyourmusic, it is the highest rated Magma album (not the most ratings, but the highest average of those who did rate it) -- at least it's the highest rated outside of compilations and bootlegs.

It's been a  very important album to me, and one I've recommended to magma noobs.  From discussion in the fora, i know others who have felt the same.  I have heard that version of Theusz Hamtahhk to be the definitive version, and it was the first time it was done in quite that form (yes, those themes play in Wurdah Itah, but I consider this different enough to be worthy of note).  I thought Thuesz Hamtaahk the greatest thing Magma had done, and a Magma 101 track, and I have read it called the definitive version.  I know people who think that album has one of the greatest versions of MDK, surpassing the studio album and other lives.  It's not my favourite live version, but at one time it was.  It's not an album I have returned too much over the last four to five years, I must admit, and I would say that the later Theusz Hamtaahk Trilogie album is the better one to own (3 CDs of music).

But, I didn't mean to imply that you should remove another album.  I get the impression you haven't heard the album, and would rather you include it because YOU think it special enough for your list.  There are many more albums from the 80s that I would sooner recommend for your list as I think variety very important, and you do have lots of Magma ones listed already (it would make my Magma top ten list).

Since you asked, though, if that were my list, I would remove Saga's World's Apart from 1981.  Thinking that an essential prog album is really pushing it for me.  Since you seem to care a lot about collab reviews, look how many reviews rate it lowly.  To me that is a prog-related album that I think more arena rock/ AOR than progressive rock.

Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - January 08 2012 at 19:02

Thanks for all suggestions 0":  If I can i will adjust the list - I want the list to include the very best of prog so have no problems changing it at the moment to get it as good as i can possible get it. 

1970- continued

#58

IN ROCK

Deep Purple

 

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

All killer no filler - Deep Purple rock like no others in 1970!

An incredible triumphant album, 'In Rock' is stone cold heavy metal in its earliest incarnation. When you put this into context, that metal was in its infancy, Metallica were in diapers and Dream Theater were nothing but a dream, Deep Purple were THE definitive progenitors of heavy prog. What a bold, brave album is here with one of the most astonishing vocal performances by the incomparable Gillan. In fact each band member became legends in their own right especially the guitar god Blackmore who absolutely burns it up on each track.

'Speed King' has become a well covered song by all manner of artists and for good reason, it seriously kicks. The very first thing one hears is a ramming organ that builds up with guitar crescendos then it stops and we get that iconic screaming vocal "Good golly said little Miss Molly...". The fantastic thing about the track is all the affectionate references to classic 50s rock such as 'Tutti Frutti', 'Lucille', 'Let's have a Party', 'Saturday Night', 'Hard Headed Woman' and even the 'House of Blue Light' get a mention, which later became a title for a DP album of course. The killer riff is well known in metal and the lead break and organ tradeoff is dynamic and masterfully executed. A dynamite song that drives the hammer in the flower power coffin.

'Bloodsucker' features another brain searing riff where Blackmore shows his incredible skill. Gillan keeps screaming at the top of his lungs, "Agh! No No No No!" The glorious bassline by Glover is relentless and driving. The birth of head banging may well be contained in this song alone, and prog metal in the way it changes time sig and stops and starts with the shimmering organ. Ian Lord was a master and this is the magician at his peak until the next track....

'Child In Time' is a masterpiece. It builds up with quiet patient tempo, threatening to explode. Explode, it does, in the freakout instrumental section where guitar and keys break into fractured organ riffs and angular guitar playing. It is sheer bliss listening to these magicians at their craft, weaving their spell of magic around the soundscape. Fret melting hammer offs and lavish organ flourishes are epically performed. It is wonderful how the song does not just rely on the musicianship to launch it into the stratosphere, but rather there is a virtuoso performance by Gillan with his high octave range that would haunt him in later years when he could not perform to this range again. The band would perform this track thousands of time live and the version on “Made In Japan” is even better than this. Joe Satriani has performed a superb version on his cover album, demonstrating how influential this is. It returns after the instrumental break to the quiet melancholy section, until it blasts off at the end in an eargasmic paroxysm of light and dark shades of metal mayhem. It is like death has come to the track and it is crying out for mercy.

Side two is not as good but what an act to follow, though there are still great tracks. 'Flight of the Rat' is a rocker that is popular among fans, but not as well known as the other tracks. The standout performance on this is the drumming metrical patterns of Paice, who is as good as he can get. He actually performs a drum solo in this track. There are many diversions on the song, very proggy and very heavy.

'Into the Fire' is a medium paced rocker with aggressive vocals. It is the weakest song on the album, though by no means a throwaway. There are some brutal riffs on this and Lord continues to impress on keyboards. 'Living Wreck' features a lot of staccato stabbing Hammond sounds from Lord that blast up and down the scales. The vocal pipes of Gillan are more restrained on this but he has a great octave range and uses it to perfection. 'Hard Lovin' Man' is the last track that is a highlight of side 2 with a frenetic intro and angular guitar riffing from Blackmore. The band go into full flight crunching out the riffs and solos in turn, they were so professional and tight it is astonishing.

It could be over if you only have the vinyl but the remastered Anniversary CD has a bonus. A CD full of edits, remixes, unreleased and unedited versions and of course a stack of studio chatting. The duel 'Black Night' versions are welcome, as it is always great to hear those indelible riffs, and the 'Unedited Roger Glover Remix' is compelling listening. The remix of 'Speed King' and 'Flight of the Rat' are there for the diehard fans but you will desire the original versions. The piano version of 'Speed King' is fascinating as is the instrumental, 'Jam Stew'. The unreleased 'Cry Free' is a curio if nothing else.

It is brilliant that this has been unleashed from the vaults at last and it makes the album an even greater experience completing its masterpiece status. “Machine Head” and “Fireball” are excellent albums too, but of the big three “In Rock” is lord and master over all.

 

#59

High Tide
High Tide

A review by Mellotron Storm:

In my opinion this is a huge improvement over their debut.They have added acoustic guitar, organ and piano, also the bass now stands out, perhaps due to the much clearer sound, as the production is much better.This is a short record though, with 3 songs that are 8 1/2 minutes, 9 1/2 minutes and 14 1/2 minutes in length.This is a much more progressive offering as well when compared to "Sea Shanties".

"Blackman Cries Again" has some good lyrics that are sung in an almost mechanical way.They're good, as violin and guitar melodies tastefully play. Actually the last 6 minutes of the song are pure instrumental music. "The Joke" opens with some nice intricate guitar work, as violin joins in. The song stops 2 1/2 minutes in and restarts with guitar, vocals and organ. I really like this section. A good guitar melody follows with some throbbing bass lines 6 minutes in. The violin is back 7 1/2 minutes in to end the song.

"Saneonymous" sounds like the DIXIE DREGS for 4 minutes until it stops and restarts with acoustic guitar and some powerful pipe organ. Then we get some vocals 5 minutes in with some mournful violin.  Another change 7 minutes in as we are treated to a guitar/violin melody. 10 1/2 minutes in it changes again to a wonderful mellow passage to end the song. Short but sweet you could say, and well deserving of 4 stars.

A review by Sean Trane:

High Tide's second eponymous album is a big step forward, mostly due to a better sound but also to the much greater place allowed for instrumental forrays into improvisations. However, I find the album a bit short even if the shorter track is 8,5 mins!!! Compensated by a stunning artwork, it is a seminal proto-prog or proto-prog-metal album.

If the opener does not spark any enthusiam into me, however The Joke is anything but one. The lenghty interplay between Simon House's violin and Tony Hill's hysteric guitar lines/riffs/heroic solos is very amusing and induce a short trance reinforced by a very subtile raga music influence. But clearly the centerpiece of the album is the 14 min+ Sanenonymous with an extensive soloing, great interplay and great virtuosity. The palette of sound is also enriched by KBs although they stay discreet and are not dominant.

One of those albums that could've been a cornerstone had it gotten a bigger public notice. High Tide will not really disband but will not record more albums until the mid-80's. Only Simon House will be in public domain with contributions to Third Ear band and latter Hawkwind - a band that shares a few similarities with High Tide. Prefer this album to the rather sloppy debut.

#60

UFO
Guru Guru

A review by Sean Trane:

Now here is one album every parent must've loathed back then, especially if their kids were playing it. I can imagine the insults and other epithets thrown (such as noisy drivel or useless sonic nuisance) at this album from the pop critics to the music industry in general. And to think that the next one would even have buttocks as an artwork would've confirmed them in their opinions, but let's face it this album was a complete and utter revolution for many more adventurous music fans. The group started as the Guru Guru Groove (the amazing Mani Neumeier on drums and the spirit of the double Guru, and Uli Trepte on the inventive bass) in 68 as a trio of free jazz and read texts. By early 70's, their text-reader had gone and after many tryouts, the incredibly experimental axeman Ax Genrich was chosen and a few months later they recorded this aptly titled album, UFO, released on the legendary Ohr (Ear in English) label. Graced with a "flying saucer" the album warned us of more intelligent and advanced life and that this album would help us getting ready to meet it. And in some ways, this album does make you see life from a different point of view, and most likely from a better vantage point.

It may appear to today's progheads that early Guru albums might just be jams sessions, but even if that were true, the sheer fact that this music was recorded and released back then, showed how much the group only cared about its own music without paying attention to chart success. Some might consider this a useless and worthless pile of rehearsal tapes (I've heard this opinion a few times from "music buffs"), but nothing could be further from the truth.

What we have in this album is one of the earliest examples of space rock, kosmische muzieke, wild psychedelia and an essential base to the Krautrock scene, even if it is not the most representative. Based on the live jams of Jimi Hendrix, a lot of Guru's music just soars on ahead often reaching mayhem and redefining chaos. Indeed Stone In and the fabulous Girl Call (it sounds like she's not calling but orgasming really) are coming almost straight out from Hendrix's realm (thinking of Hear That Train Coming on the Rainbow Bridges soundtrack, here). Their mainly instrumental rock exudes energy, sounding sometimes like a three guitar Floyd (Saucerful-era) fusing the tracks together (have to pay attention when the next Dalai Lama track starts) in an intense and sometimes improvised dirty lo-fi rock.

The second side of the wax shows a different Guru with a definitively more spacey, spooky ambient guitar feedbacks (Genrich was obviously not afraid of blowing amp bulbs, and must've had loads of spare strings) where spaceships are boarding up, travelling through black holes and shooting asteroids out of their trajectory. While the title track may appear a bit lengthy and will not really stand numerous listens, this track is absolutely fascinating because mostly made of one guitar and its amplifier. The closing LSD March is another freak out most likely depicting the world where a certain Syd never really came back from. Neumeier's drumming shines throughout the album.

Not necessarily better than it's follow-up, UFO is one hell of an album that gets the ever-essential title of historically and musically important and influential. Clearly this is the kind of album that either met marvelled disbelief and implacable attraction, or complete misunderstanding and utter repulsion. For this proghead, and even if it has not aged that well, obviously the first option was the good one.#61

Affinity
Affinity

A review by Warthur:

A pleasant enough showcase for the organ skills of Lynton Naiff - especially in the cover of 'All Along the Watchtower', which seems as though it's going to follow the Dylan version fairly loyally before his wild soloing appears - the sole "Affinity" album is a nice enough early Vertigo release which many prog fans will enjoy. It's an especially good pick if you like some jazz and very light psych touches in your prog mixture, though even then it's only good, not great.

In particular, I found that singer Linda Hoyle's vocals just aren't very interesting - it sounds like she's trying to be a fusion answer to Janis Joplin or Grace Slick at points, and she doesn't quite manage it. Anna Meek from fellow Vertigo act Catapilla succeeds much better, to my mind - and to be honest, I find Catapilla (or even Valentyne Suite-era Colosseum) to be a better example of organ-driven early jazz-prog than Affinity. Still, if you're into this particular seam of prog - one left comparatively abandoned after the early 1970s and seems to have been the sole purview of the Vertigo label - the Affinity's only album is worth a listen. But it's probably not quite worth digging out a super-expensive vinyl copy.

A review by Sean Trane:

Highly recommended by collectioners around the world before Repertoire Records released it on CD, this prog-blues record is the only real release from the band and not a bad one really. I would've loved this had I discovered it in the 70's but I only like it as I found out in the mid-90's. Why would twenty years make a difference? Well for one I am twenty years older and my musical progression made me forget a bit about blues and although I still love the bluesy rock albums that I discovered at the time (souvenirs from my youth), I have not the fond memories/nostalgia linked to it for this one. This is still a fine album well worth the discovery, as there are lots to please the 70's addict.

#62

Gracious!
Gracious

A review by Mellotron Storm:

This is GRACIOUS' debut from 1970. It's funny reading the lead guitarists' thoughts in the liner notes which were from 1995. He says he hated the name GRACIOUS as their band name and still does. Considering they were once called SATAN'S DISCIPLES I guess GRACIOUS does seem a little tame (haha). This band is often associated with other bands who use lots of mellotron and certainly the follow-up to this is loaded with it, the debut though doesn't actually have much mellotron on it.

"Introduction" opens with drums then everyone joins in including the vocalist.This is a catchy mid-paced tune. "Heaven" opens with organ and drums then it settles into a pastoral mood with mellotron. It's slowly building then a change before 3 1/2 minutes as strummed guitar and a lightweight soundscape take over. Vocals a minute later. Intricate guitar before 6 minutes then it picks up before 7 minutes with the guitar out front.

"Hell" opens with experimental sounds then it kicks in around 2 minutes. No real melody until around 3 1/2 minutes. This sounds great. It settles 5 minutes in with piano and vocals then it turns into a Ragtime mode a minute later. A change after 7 minutes to a more intense sound.

"Fugue In D Minor" is classical sounding throughout and I don't really like it. "The Dream" is the 17 minute closing track. This one is interesting to say the least. The guitar comes out firing then it calms right down with piano. Vocals 2 minutes in and they are laid back. The sound gets more intense once the vocals stop 2 1/2 minutes in. Guitar comes to the fore then keyboards. Spoken words before 7 minutes then he starts singing. Things get a little strange after 9 minutes. It kicks back in instrumentally a minute later. I like when he says "I'm going to walk right over to him and put him on the floor". Funny section. The music kicks back in before 15 minutes. A good album all things considering.

#63

Egg
Egg

A review by Warthur:

Egg surely weren't planning to become Nice/ELP soundalikes - take Uriel (the band Egg is the successor to), remove Steve Hillage, and bam!, you get your bass/drums/organ lineup as the inevitable result. Maybe it's just the Bach cover and the prominence given to Dave Stewart's organ playing that makes people compare the group to Emerson's two big bands from the era, though I would personally stress that Stewart is in no way an Emerson soundalike - his playing is less forceful and aggressive, and also less inclined towards empty showing-off (unlike many ELP albums. There's no goofy novelty track here - the lyrics might sometimes be silly, but the music is always serious business). A solid debut from Egg, even if it is a bit of a Dave Stewart showcase.

 

A review by Mellotron Storm:

Proto-Prog is one of my least favourite genres, and I mention that because the vocals and organ on a few of these tracks sound like your typical Proto-Prog band (if there is such a thing). Honestly though I wish they hadn't used vocals on this album, especially when he really tries to sing with some passion, it's cringe-worthy. The Classical music sections are also not the kind of music I usually like, but those are hit and miss for me. Now that's only part of the story here of course. I love when they seem to jam and also the experimental passages.

The first bonus track "Fourth Movement" is for me the best track by far, we even get some fuzzed out organ. It's not a good thing though when a bonus track is your favourite song off the album. So a mixed bag for me and certainly not nearly as good as "Polite Force" or "The Civil Surface", both of which will follow this debut. The song I like the least is "While Growing My Hair". The vocals ruin it for me. It really reminds me of a bad THE DOORS song.

"I Will Be Absorbed" is the only track with vocals I really like. Mainly because he sings in a reserved manner. I like the way the keyboards seem to echo. "Fogue In D Minor" is an instrumental with prominent bass and organ. "They Laughed When I Sat Down At The Piano..." is led by piano before experimental sounds come in. "The Song Of McGillicudie..." is uptempo with vocals,organ and drums standing out. The best parts are when he's not singing. Great sound 3 1/2 minutes in.

"Boilik" is a short experimental piece. "First Movement" is where Stewart really shines. "Second Movement" is dominated by the drums until the organ comes to the fore later on. It sounds amazing after 5 1/2 minutes. "Blane" is fairly experimental. "Third Movement" opens with floating organ as drums join in. Again it's the bonus track "Fourth Movement" that steals the show for me. The fuzz organ and bass solo are killer.  3.5 stars. Interesting to hear this but I really feel they improved in pretty much every area on the two records that will follow.

#64

Quatermass 
Quatermass

A review by Mellotron Storm:

I like this more than I thought I would. I've always had trouble with Proto-Prog albums and while this is listed under Heavy-Prog it is one of the early ones as it was released in 1970. QUATERMASS were a trio with the focus on the Hammond organ. No guitar here but bass and drums round out the sound. These three guys were previously in a band called EPISODE SIX with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover who would of course go on to join DEEP PURPLE. It was actually right after these two guys left that they changed their name to QUATERMASS.

"Entropy" is an organ filled intro track. "Black Sheep In The Family" is a catchy tune with the organ and vocals standing out. Not a fan of this one. "Post War Saturday Echo" opens with drums and organ before these blues styled vocals take over with bass after a minute. It kicks in before 3 1/2 minutes. Piano a minute later as it settles. It kicks back in after 5 1/2 minutes as the tempo continues to change.

"Good Lord Knows" builds and then settles when the vocals come in. Lots of strings in this one. Very majestic, I like it. "Up On The Ground" features some nasty organ early. Best part of the album. Vocals a minute in. It settles after 3 minutes with more killer organ. A top three track for me. "Gemni" is catchy with piano, vocals and drums standing out. Not a fan. It settles with organ then it kicks in again as contrasts continue. Lots of organ after 3 1/2 minutes. Not a fan when the vocals return.

"Make Up Your Mind" is better. Just a great sounding tune really. Even the vocals sound much better. A top three for sure. "Laughing Tackle" features a string orchestra and is one of the highlights as well. It blends into the short final piece called "Entropy". 3.5 stars. It's very much a mixed bag for me, but this is at times quite impressive. Good album.

#65

Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin

 

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

“Hammer of the gods!”

Another excellent Zeppelin album that resides comfortably as one of the all time greatest albums in rock history. It is still proto prog not quite living up to essential to the genre but it is nevertheless a vital component of rock history. The album cover was a trippy psychedelic multi faceted art romp. As you spun the wheel the images changed and none of it made sense unless you were stoned. The super foursome were already legendary by the time this third release found its way into stores. I guess fans were wanting more killer riffs and blues heavy rock with acoustic moments and Plant's blazing vocals. On this album Led Zeppelin certainly delivered all that and more.

The opener is brilliant proto metal with a driving riff and freak out Plant screams. The lyrics were always engrained in my consciousness and are unforgettable, focussing on the Nordic adventures of rampaging Vikings preparing for Valhalla as they release their souls into the void, well that was my take on it. The lyrical phrases were perfect for the song; "Come from the land of the ice and snow.. hammer of the gods...... Valhalla I am coming.. whispered tales of war, a howling come, the tides of warm, we are your overlords.. " Perhaps Manowar took a leaf out of this songbook as it encompasses the exact content of their 80s metal. Of course Zeppelin were way ahead of their time but the influence of this song is insurmountable. ‘Immigrant Song’ would perhaps be the all time favourite Zeppelin song for many and all this in a paltry 2 minutes and 25 seconds.

After this short sharp blast, ‘Friends’ is quite a breath of fresh air. The focus on acoustics and dark orchestration is really unsettling. The middle Eastern modality was akin to what The Beatles were doing on their “Sgt Pepper” opus.

The boisterous guitars and Plant roaring are a feature of ‘Celebration Day’. The Zep were masters of slow moody blues and the stunning ‘Since I've Been Loving You’ is mind bending. Page is a man possessed on guitar with mega string bends and sweeps, he literally makes his guitar cry. The emotion poured out is augmented by pulsating basslines and slow drum patters.

‘That's the Way It Is’ features more acoustic and horns to augment the melancholy flavour. Plant sounds reflective, rather like he is speaking to a lost generation; "all the fish that lay in dirty water dying, have they got you hypnotised, yesterday I saw you kissing tiny flowers, But all that lives is born to die, And so I say to you that nothing really matters, And all you do is stand and cry."

‘Bron-Y-Aur Stomp’ is another fan favourite but I had to remind myself of what this sounded like as it was a less memorable track for me. It breezes along with manic folk slide acoustics on steel guitar and foot tapping percussion that sounds characteristically like a live festival, indeed it really is raw and sounds unfinished which is part of the whole illusion. It conjures up images of a traditional Welsh dance troupe out among the trees celebrating at a festival. A representation of hippy freedom.

‘Hats off to Roy Harper’ is another raw Delta swamp bluesy thing that has dominant scratchy steel guitar with Page sounding Like he is playing with a beer bottle up and down the strings. Plant breezes in with the voice of power, "shake 'em on down", and his voice warbles processed and it may even represent a drug induced state. Obviously the band did entice the drug culture and this is the type of song they would revel in under the influence.

The album has a heavy reliance on acoustic and folkish nuances. It ventures into some parodic dark humour with songs such as ‘Gallows Pole’. This one reminds me of what Iron Maiden did on ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’, "cos at 5 o'clock they take me to the Gallows Pole, the sands of time for me are running low." In comparison, Zeppelin are rather restrained but still must have had an impact on metal giants of the 80s.

So here is the fourth excellent Led Zeppelin album in a row. When will they reach masterpiece status as they are certainly worthy. The following fourth album put all things to rest. 

A review by dreadpirateroberts:

 

Always amusing to read biographies and articles that talk about the distress fans and critics went through when hearing this album for the first time. III was obviously a big shift, and after the pummelling of the classic ‘Immigrant Song' it's reasonable that fans would expect to hear more of II as the album went on.

What a surprise instead. Bands either branch out or stagnate, and one of those choices should be infinitely more satisfying to the listener than the other. If you're reading this as a fan, you won't need me to tell you what they did. So all the backlash must have been baffling to the band, as apparent in a quote from a Cameron Crowe interview with Page: "When the third LP came out and got its reviews, Crosby, Stills and Nash had just formed. That LP had just come out and because acoustic guitars had come to the forefront all of a sudden: LED ZEPPELIN GO ACOUSTIC! I thought, Christ, where are their heads and ears? There were three acoustic songs on the first album and two on the second."

And all that 'acoustic' is supported by a lot of electric guitar, with album and career highlight, 'Since I've Been Loving You,' 'Immigrant Song,' the creepy 'Celebration Day' and 'Out on the Tiles,' not to mention 'Tangerine' with some rare pedal steel guitar.

From the moody 'Friends' to the exceptional build-up that is 'Gallow's Pole,' III is full of shining moments that are as subtle as the wallop that comes from the electric songs. The sensitive delivery from Plant in 'That's the Way' or the clap and sing-a-long of 'Bron-Y-Aur Stomp' are all outstanding examples of Page on the acoustic guitar, and despite Bonham's enthusiasm, his ability to add to a song without dominating it.

This album foreshadows IV beautifully, and with hindsight it is clear that their next album had every chance of pulling everything they'd already tried together into a stunning work. Four stars here. 

#66

Uriah Heep
Uriah Heep

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

This debut for massive organ and guitar riffing giants Uriah Heep is the same as "Very 'Eavy and Very 'Umble" apart from one track which is 'Bird of Prey', marginally better than 'Lucy Blues'. The US front cover is just as nasty but I prefer this artwork than the cobwebbed freak on "VEVU". David Byron is a fantastic presence on this debut from massive Uriah Heep legends. One has to admire the sheer ferocity of the music with stabbing staccato blasts from Ken Hensley's organ and Mick Box's soaring lead guitar finesse. The rhythm machine of Paul Newton's bass and Ollie Olsson's percussion completed the sound. This is the album that unleashed the awesome power of the Heep.

It begins brilliantly with the crunching chords of 'Gypsy'. The way this hammers along with a blitzkrieg or grinding keyboards is a delight. Byron's vibrato compete beautifully with the distorted guitars and there is an amazing instrumental break. The brilliant unbeatable killer riff and hammering organ are incredible. Hensley's organ is aggressive, banging down massive chords, runs and fast frenetic sweeps. All the time the guitar is hypnotic with its two note metal distortion. It suddenly stops and a small sound of shimmering organ can be heard. Then it builds back to the monster riff and then Box has a turn. The lead break is cut short with another verse. Byron is sensational on vocals and the riff continues as he finishes the song off. An absolute masterpiece song ends with a bass, guitar, organ and drum frenzy freak out. The music sounds as though it has been put through a meat grinder. This is proto metal at its best.

Next is 'Walking In Your Shadow' with some heavy riffing from Box followed by acoustic beauty on 'Come Away Melinda'. 'Bird of Prey' is rawer than the version that appears on "Salisbury" but still very good, and 'Dreammare' returns to the heavy prog vibe. Perhaps the proggiest moments are found on the very weird 'Wake Up (Set Your Sights)', but this certainly is not the best that Heep could produce. That was yet to come, but as a debut for a new band, this was an album full of stellar tracks and worth seeking out, whether you get this, the US version or the UK, Heep stamped their authority as heavy hard driving rock never to be ignored.

 

#67 (live)

Five Bridges Suite
The Nice

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

The symphony orchestra dominates but The Nice knew how to make incredible music to massage the ears.

The name of this release is a reference to the five bridges of the city, encompassing the River Tyne. This curio begins with a bombastic massive orchestra sounding more like the soundtrack to the latest fantasy flick then anything else. The brass, strings and woodwind are perfectly balanced with dramatic temperance and beauty. The lovely flute passages are dreamy and whimsical; the violins are sweeping and emotional; the brass is vibrant and heavy; together a foundation is created to usher in The Nice's blazing 70s sounds. Welcome to "Five Bridges Suite", an amalgamation of 70s psych merged with symphony orchestra, led by Joseph Edger in October 10, 1969 written for the Newcastle Arts Festival.

Eventually, the Hammond infiltrates and the first song begins; sounding like ELP at its most manic. The vocals of Lee Jackson are raw but somehow work better than a smoother vocal because the musaic is smooth enough. Emerson is incredible on Hammond as usual and his earlier performances are always exciting. He is a dominant force and extrememly creative. The band are so tight and technical and with that majestic symphonic score it is little wonder this album peaks at the top of the all time greatest albums for The Nice. Later in the epic opening tracks, Emerson tinkles away on his grand piano and the music gets dreamier, with strings caressing the sound. The time sig is ever changing and intricate.

It is really the "Pictures of an Exhibition" album for The Nice, Emerson taking full control of the direction of the band. The tracks blend together but the shining lights are the awesome bass and Hammond trade offs and the sections where the sax comes in with the orchestra in full support. The 5 Bridges suite is a fantastic track especially the section 'Finale 5th Bridge' with some frenetic trumpet and glorious happy organ.

The late great Brian Davison is sensational on this live performance and an important asset to the sound. He really shines on 'Intermezzo, 'Karelia Suite'' it sounds a little like the driving beat of 'America' or 'Rondo' in places but has its own distinct feel; one of The Nice's better compositions. Jackson's pulsing bass is a real treat and the brass section is grandiose.

Emerson's solo near the end is very ELP sounding with robotic fluctuations and experimental squelches, low crunches and perhaps devoid of a knife in the keys but very similar distortion feeling quite disconcerting after the lush orchestrations. The closing section is bombastic and a pomp rock finale.

The rest of the album is a hodge podge of ideas where some work and some don't but it is never less than engaging, if at times a little pretentious. The honky tonk cover of Bob Dylan's 'Country Pie', merging with the hilarious happy Hammond of 'Brandenburger concerto', and 'One Of Those People', the idiot brother of 'Are you Ready, Eddy', are maddening fillers. However, the rest of the album, especially the opening suite, is more than enough reason to get hold of this and treat your ears to a feast of The Nice at their absolute best and most daring.

Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - February 07 2012 at 05:18

1971 - continued

Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - February 07 2012 at 05:10

1971 - continued

#96

Collage
Le Orme

A review by Finnforest:

A cake only half baked

"Collage" was Orme's contribution to the beginning of the serious RPI wave to come over the next several years. Their first album was more psych-pop flavored and less sophisticated. Here they raised the stakes significantly after being exposed to progressive rock and realizing the direction things were heading. Some feel "Collage" is the first RPI album although there were certainly many other quality recordings from this period that share the distinction. By '71 there were fine albums out there by Mucchio, Giganti, Jacula, Buon Vecchio Charlie, Panna Fredda, and New Trolls to name a few. Orme's was perhaps the most polished in some ways but I'm not sure it's necessarily better than the others. They do get the distinction of being the first of the "Big 3" to get a decent album out which is probably why many consider this the first. Comparing their development to their English counterparts "Collage" is somewhere in the realm of "Time and a Word/Yes Album" and "Trespass" but not nearly as good as "Fragile" or "Nursery Cryme."

The middle of "Collage" is the most memorable to me beginning with the gorgeous ‘Sguardo verso il cielo.’ Such a majestic keyboard opening leading to those legendary vocals of Aldo. He is one of the warmest, smoothest, and most romantic of the Italian vocalists which is saying a lot. He blends a somewhat melancholic feeling with a sweetness that is very comforting. His tone simply relaxes the listener, perhaps too much for those RPI fans who feel Orme is a bit "safe" for their taste. Towards the end the acoustic guitars come in with heavenly melody, but the problem here is that the track peeters out too soon, before it can reach fruition. In that sense Yes were further ahead with things like ‘Starship Trooper’ certainly feeling complete to me. So Orme's songwriting was one step behind but the performance certainly was not. The album sounds fantastic and the great keys and wondrous vocals are supported by a tight, crisp rhythm section. That track is surrounded by the two longer jams which feature good organ and bass exploration and which rock convincingly, ‘Evasione’ even featuring a very spacey "Doors" vibe. "Collage" shows tons of promise and will please fans of the early RPI movement, but never for a second does it feel like anything beyond 3.0 stars to this RPI nut.

A review by Mellotron Storm:

There's no way I could give this album less than 4 stars. These guys are painted white to look like those classic white sculptures which, like the building behind them, all bring to mind that which is of the highest standard and quality. I wonder if these guys back then would have considered that their music one day would be thought of as being classic too. "Collage" while being a really good song is actually one of my least favourites. I like the way it starts with the organ leading the way. Drums and bass come in as we get a nice full sound before a minute. Piano joins in too. A calm arrives 2 minutes in as we get some harpsichord. The full sound is back after 3 minutes. Horns before 4 minutes. "Era Inverno" opens with acoustic guitar as Aldo's vocals come in. The organ and drums are outstanding in this one! Especially 3 minutes in. Vocals are back before 4 1/2 minutes. Great track.

"Cemento Armato" opens with vocals as piano comes in. Organ, bass and drums eventually take over. They just seem to jam until the vocals return 5 1/2 minutes in. Nice. Check out the piano after 6 minutes. Organ runs follow. Another fantastic tune. "Sguardo Verso Il Cielo" opens with drums and organ. Vocals come in quickly. The tempo picks up after 2 minutes as drums and organ lead the way. Vocals are back before 3 minutes. Acoustic guitar and reserved vocals follow. Nice. It then kicks back in.

"Evasione Totale" is experimental for the first 1 1/2 minutes with no real melody. Then a laid back drum/organ melody arrives. It feels jazzy to me. The tempo picks up 3 minutes in until it becomes experimental again 4 minutes in. Powerful organ 5 1/2 minutes in as we get a melody again 6 minutes in.

"Immagini" opens with organ. Vocals follow and take over before a minute. The organ is back as it takes turns with the vocals. It's ok. "Morte Di Un Flore" features those wonderful vocals and acoustic guitar to open. Organ before a minute then piano. Drums and a fuller sound 1 1/2 minutes in. Love the ending. This is why I love Italian music. It seems like it's been a long time since I've heard classic seventies Italian. This one is highly recommended.

#97

Islands
King Crimson

A review by  AtomicCrimsonRush:

King Crimson's "Islands" was an album sandwiched in between "Lizard" and "Lark's Tongues In Aspic", both excellent examples of eclectic prog with the band at their best. "Islands" did not have a huge impact on many Crimsonites mainly due to the very ambient and dreamy atmosphere that pervades the album. It has none of the dissonant atonal jazz spasms of previous albums. King Crimson are always capable of incredible musicianship and there are passages of brilliance on the album as always. The highlights are undoubtedly parts of 'Formentera Lady', 'Sailor's Tale' and 'Ladies of the Road', despite the bombastic approach to the lyrics, based on the exploits of the roadies. These tracks have wound up on compilations over the years and have rather catchy melodies and some very good musicianship.

Certainly “Islands” challenges listeners with tepid diluted soft music that never builds into anything dynamic or innovative. The music is well-played, though not the wild erratic style that listeners may be used to with excellent musicality. Due to the pleasant virtuoso musicianship, "Islands" deserves recognition.

A review by Sean Trane:

The promised desert Island??

Island is a bit of a special album in the first chapter of the Crimson story, as it is only the second album that received any promotion by a touring band, as both Poseidon and Lizard simply had no touring line-up. With the previously-unknown Burrell singer, then later also bassist, and drummer Wallace (also contributing to vocals) as newcomers, only the immovable Fripp and reed player Mel Collins along with Sinfield remained from Lizard. The album came with another impressive (did someone say stellar??) gatefold artwork, the album sold less than previous, but profited from extensive touring and a lot posthumous live will be of this line-up and the repertoire was mainly song that appeared on this album.

Starting on the cool descending Formatera Lady, with a bunch of good songs but never leaving a real lasting impression, Island is a low-key album that glides along smoothly, if you'll accept for the now-aged effect-laden guitar solo in Letters, which sticks out sorely a bit on the opening side. On the flipside, only Song For A Seagull is a notably different, built and played as a classic piece, and this song will impress Spanish cineaste Bigas Luna to use it all throughout his film Son De Mar (I from the sea), an excellent and sexy movie.

Much more accessible than Lizard, Islands is the last "Mk 1" studio album, Crimson toured some 18 months almost constantly, before breaking up, and Fripp signifying goodbye to lyricist/lightman/illustrator Peter Sinfield and keeping the Crimson moniker to continue his musical forays.

#98

Faust
Faust

A review by Mellotron Storm:

I would say this is the most experimental record I have ever heard. It is filled with strange electronic sounds and weird spoken vocals. I really believe that the band had the attitude that anything goes, and so they became very inventive and imaginative in the studio and came up with an album that defied description. For this alone they deserve a lofty place in the realm of Krautrock.

Only three long tracks on this their 1971 debut. "Why Don't You Eat Carrots" opens with some THE BEATLES and ROLLING STONES references before strange sounds come in. Get used to it. Piano arrives followed by a drum led melody. Vocals with trumpet, drums and spacey sounds 5 minutes in. This is silly and strange. It stops 7 minutes in as odd spacey sounds come and go. We then hear parts of a conversation as the previous melody comes back briefly along with some other sounds.

"Meadow Meal" opens with some freaky sounds that are sometimes loud. This is beyond bizarre. Vocals come in that have an echo and speak out words and sentences. Hey we get some music before 3 1/2 minutes in, and it's very good. More spoken words 5 minutes in. Thunder and rain only can be heard as we listen to a storm for a while with no music. Very cool. Organ after 6 minutes to end it.

"Miss Fortune" was recorded live, and it's a side long suite. It builds with drums, guitar and spacey sounds. This is incredible! Bass lines are good 4 minutes in and the scorching guitar is even better. It all stops 5 minutes in as vocal sounds, piano, cymbals and spacey sounds come and go. We get a calm then drums and piano start a melody 9 1/2 minutes in with some weird sounds sprinkled in. A calm follows as a new section comes in with odd vocals and piano. Next up are sounds that are like hearing someone scraping a blackboard with their nails. More weird vocals make me cringe. Acoustic guitar 15 1/2 minutes in with words that are spoken by two members of the group. One says a word, then the other says the next word and so on. Do you know how annoying this (Haha). Absolutely insane!

#99

Led Zeppelin IV

Led Zeppelin

 

A review by  AtomicCrimsonRush: 

Stairway to Zeppelin's cult status

Led Zeppelin's harvest album, Runes, Four Symbols, the Zoso album, the fourth Led Zeppelin album, whatever you want to call it, is the pinnacle of success for the legends of proto metal. “LZ4” actually surpassed everything the band had done before and was never surpassed by the foursome. It seemed on the making of this album that all the planets were aligned as perfection resulted. The album often sits proudly at the top of top 100 lists, some calling it the best album ever made. It certainly is a masterpiece on every level. Musically the album is flawless, the band are simply outstanding on every track, Plant's vocals are influential and have become iconic on this album, and it boasts one of the all time greatest songs ever written.

Side one has been critically acclaimed as being the most perfect side one in history. All of these accolades are true in many ways, it is impossible to speculate as to how this album impacted a generation, but it did. The songs became part of the hippy drug induced consciousness and even still stand the test of time today in comparison to recent albums. The album is timeless and speaks on many levels.

‘Black Dog’ begins with a strange guitar effect underplayed and soft, almost ignored. Then Plant powers out "Hey, hey, mama, said the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove." This is followed by a progressive slice of guitar riffing that measures it's own time sig, almost improv style. The trade off between Plant's acapella and Page's riffing machine hand are trademarks of Zeppelin. There is a crazed lead break with heavy blues influences and the pummeling drums of Bonham. One cannot forget the impact of Jones on bass either, the four are locked in battle and the winner is rock.

As if on cue the song ‘Rock and Roll’ cranks through the speakers almost destroying them. "Been a long time since I rock and rolled" Plant screams and Page answers with driving hammering riffs. The effect is a blitzkrieg of smashing axes and uncompromised noise levels. This was not one for the parents and teens would have loved turning this up to 11. As a live staple the song opens many concerts for good reason as it gets one in the mood to bang head.

Things settle with a heavy laden acoustic flavour with the mystical ‘Battle of Evermore’. "The Queen of light took her bow, And then she turned to go, The prince of peace embraced the gloom, And walked the night alone, Oh, dance in the dark of night, Sing to the morning light." Plant sings with reflective haunting clarity. The enchanting land of Mordor seems to beckon through the music as we hear Paganistic phrases such as "the dark lords rise in force tonight" and the "angels of avalon waiting for the eastern glow", and of course it was thematic content like this that garnered the cult following of the group that still exists. The high harmonies of multi layered Plantisms is a nice touch creating atmospheres of dark forests and full moons. The band were always edgy and full of mystique, even to the point where they remained anonymous in the media and on album covers. This album has a striking gatefold with a sorcerer wielding a magical lamp on a stairway, perhaps showing the way to unwary travellers.

The song ‘Stairway to Heaven’ may be the most discussed song in rock history, and still remains as enigmatic as ever. The song is very controversial, with its satanic references hidden beneath the words, apparently Page wrote it with a spirit guide and was guided to pen the words subconsciously in a trance. Whether this is true is up for objection but it certainly is a powerful song. ‘Stairway To Heaven’ is a landmark of classic rock. The single sky rocketed them to success. The song has been played live everytime the band appeared and in fact in the reunion for live aid the song was arguably the highlight of the entire event. It is a long song and yet radios worldwide still continue to play it. It has been parodied and indeed the cliche is that music stores will put up signs to the effect that there is not to be any playing of ‘Stairway to Heaven’. The intro is the most performed guitar part and really is a 12 string piece of beauty. The main reason ‘Stairway to Heaven’ captivates is due to the well known spell binding lyrics about finding a way to heaven, but "there are two paths you can go by, in the long run there's still time to change the road you're on." During the 80s many evangelists panned the song for this message stating it was poisonous to think there are two paths to heaven. Then there was the infamous backwards masking of the song, when you would hear phrases such as "here's to my sweet Satan, no other made a path for it makes me sad, whose power is Satan."Suffice it to say the song caused quite a stir in evangelical circles, and I have never forgotten this, especially due to the Message against Rock video that found its way into many churches, and now youtube has many clips with the backmasking. It is downright creepy and of course Zeppelin members deny everything, although Page admitted a high interest in the occult and even resided in the quarters of renowned satanist Alexander Crowley. The song also became legendary in Australia on a special event called 'Stairways to Heaven' where over 20 artists performed live their own version of ‘Stairway to Heaven’, many parodying the song with the likes of Rolf Harris and there is also a folk and pirate version on the telecast. The song means many things to different people; it sounds sugar sweet and uplifting, yet has dark overtones of losing the soul. The song has been played to death on radio but never loses its power, love it or hate it.

Side two.

It is hard to beat the first side but there is still an excellent array of tracks that are replenished with delicious guitar augmentations by Page. The intensity of the music is startling, with songs such as ‘Misty Mountain Hop’. The layered harmonies of Plant is outstanding. "Walkin in the park just the other day, baby, What do you, what do you think I saw? Crowds of people sitting on the grass with flowers in their hair said, Hey, boy, do you wanna score?" The content was a 70s by product that would speak to the flower power generation but remains endearing and perhaps historically important today. The lyrics are about finding freedom in the same way as woodstock provided sanctuary for a time, and points a middle finger towards authority; "I didn't notice but it had got very dark and I was really, really out of my mind, Just then a policeman stepped up to me and asked us said, Please, hey, would we care to all get in line, get in line". The escapism that was sought in this era was also encapsulated in the movie "Song Remains the Same" with shots of Plant spending time with his flower child in the woods near the lake.

‘Four Sticks’ steers towards heavy repetitive rhythm and blues, with a hypnotic riff. Plant improvises on his performance; "oh baby, the river's red, oh baby, in my head, there's a funny feeling going on, I don't think I can hold out long". The repeating riff is fine but one may consider this to be a low point of the album if there is one. The African polyrhythms and estranged musical shapes at the end are certainly an ear opener and legend has it is played by Bonham with four sticks.

Next is the quiet and beautiful ‘Going to California’. The dream of freedom from the social cocoon to embrace flowers in the hair and living in the woods is captured here. Plant is indelible here; "Took my chances on a big jet plane, Never let them tell you that they're all the same, the sea was red and the sky was grey, wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today, the mountains and the canyons started to tremble and shake, as the children of the sun began to awake." The acoustics are folk induced throughout and it feels like a distant memory or a dream with dream imagery and ethereal vocals, especially the soaring section; "Seems that the wrath of the gods, got a punch on the nose and it started to flow, I think I might be sinking." The Pagan content is really as timeless as the album, and it runs as a thread in every song and from album to album.

Last song is a fan favourite, ‘When the Levee Breaks’. It is a hybrid of blues, swamp rock and folk. The harmonica is a powerful statement that leads the way with a driving AOR signature. The harmonica sounds like a lonesome train whistle on a dark stormy night, and there is a decidedly dark atmosphere. It settles mid way through into a melodic slide guitar dominated section. Plant is terrific singing bluesy melancholy phrases such as, "Lord, mean old levee taught me to weep and moan, Got what it takes to make a mountain man leave his home." The atmosphere generated is once again commanding with a prevailing sense of being transported to another land. Only Zeppelin were able to do this at the time, a trend so ferociously original for a rock band.

So in the end the album is a landmark and its impact cannot be overstated. A lot of the songs have ended up on compilations. No matter how one drinks in this fountain, one thing for sure, an album with this much impact on music will never be repeated. If one only wants to own a single Led Zeppelin non compilation album, this is the one, and it is the proggiest album too primarily due to the lengthy jamming and the immortal ‘Stairway to Heaven’.

A review by dreadpirateroberts:

IV is the album where they are 'on' with pretty much every song.

Impossible for me to avoid treading the same ground in this review that many others already have, so I won't apologise for doing so now.

Not many albums achieve a status whereby even just a passing knowledge of it's contents are pretty much expected of people interested in rock. Led Zeppelin's fourth does so in style. Each song is wonderfully-executed, and at the very least, comes off as both forward-thinking for its time, and enjoyable for someone discovering it for the first time.

Is it progressive? At times, certainly. "The Battle of Evermore' (which is the standout for me) is one where Robert is spurred on to new heights by guest vocalist Sandy Denny, and 'Stairway' along with 'Four Sticks' all have strong progressive touches, along with the layered blues of the meaty closer, 'When the Levee Breaks.'

But perhaps more important to how progressive this album is, might be the way Jimmy Page produced and composed, always looking to fill-out and 'thicken' the sound of a band that was a four-piece. And not in a 'wall of sound way' but his extensive use of overdubbing to layer sounds (not new in itself by any means) is probably one of the defining features of Led Zeppelin. Obviously he used the layer-upon-layer approach more in later albums, but it's undeniable of most of the songs here too. Page used the studio like an extra instrument or element, adding it to the Led Zeppelin sound. In that sense, he was one of the most influential artists in regard to progressive thinking about how rock could be captured in a studio setting.

There isn't a track that I dislike on the album, although I grow tired of some quicker than others. I always found ‘Misty Mountain Hop' and 'Rock and Roll' were the first I wanted to skip if I was sitting down for a listen, and after around ten years of skipping 'Stairway' I do sometimes let it play through. 'Going to California' is often dismissed as just west coast hippy folk, but as I don't mind a bit of that, no complaints there either. In fact, it's the song I've actually put on mixed tapes (along with 'Ramble On') more than twice over the years.

Five stars for me, in terms of production, composition, influence and cohesion. A classic.

#100

Camembert Electrique
Gong

A review by  AtomicCrimsonRush:

A psychedelic tapestry of hyper weirdness and acid fuelled needlepoint of space rock, Gong's seminal "Camembert Electrique" appeared in the weird year of 1971, the same year of the concentrated bizarreness of the likes of Can, Magma, and Faust but that was Krautrock, this is Canterbury and it's the oddest Canterbury one may encounter. The band are unpigeonholeable, but its voraciously psychedelic. Gong were “more than travelling Felini-esque circus, more than avant-garde musicians, more than cosmic clowns, or space rocking infidels, they were on another planet altogether”, it reads on the album liner notes. The line up changed more than Daevid Allen's brain patterns, but he stuck with them despite a revolving door policy of members. On this album we have Christian Tritsch on twangers and bass, Didier Malherbe on sassy sax and floating flute, Gilli Smyth the space whisperer sexpot, Pip Pyle on boom booms, Daevid Allen on Daevid Allen's stuff (vocals, guitars, bass, crazy sounds), Eddy Louiss on keys, Constantin Simonovitch on a phased piano.

After a creepy radio frequency subsonic intro the guitar riff locks in and the lyrics begin; "You can kill my father, You can kill my son, You can kill my children, With a gun, You can kill my family, My family tree, You can kill my body, baby, You can kill my body, baby, But you can't kill me." The opening song features quite simple lyrics, strange as you can get beyond the limit, and repetitious guitar riffs with psych prog freak out effects.

Next, a spacey sound emanates followed by an estranged vocal ala The Residents. "I've been stoned before In Saint John's Wood crematorium I fell down with boredom Knee deep in the snow..." This clandestine piece is seamlessly followed by the equally surreptitious, 'Mister Long Shanks/O Mother/I Am Your Fantasy'. The lyrics are bizarre; "I am your knee, A name shouted at the railway station, The voice that calls you, The candle drips your name, I am your fantasy."

'Dynamite' rocks out and grabs the attention, though not the high point of the album. This is followed by a wonderful event. Gilli Smyth's space whispering moans. Smyth makes these albums stimulating such as on the Radio Gnome trilogy. On 'I Am Your Animal' she whispers with a crazed combative style, forcing a listener to take notice, "I am your animal watching your head, I have been following you, Walking behind you.” This militant confrontational song will turn many away but it makes a nice diversion. In the early 70s era of hallucinatory acid rock, Smyth was the quintessential Queen of queer quacked prog.

The next amusing medley is 'Wet Cheese Delirium/Squeezing Sponges Over Policemen's Heads/Fohat Digs Holes In Space' and this is a delightful indulgence. Strange, non conventional perhaps demented music played with dexterous style. 'Fohat Digs Holes...' is a great track and perhaps a taster of the best to come on Gong's Radio Gnome Invisible Trilogy. The space rock is out of this universe, featuring one of the great mental instrumentals for Allen and co with blistering lyrics; "Well, mirror, mirror on the wall, Who's the biggest fool of all, Hallucinating freedom calls, What's freedom babe? You don't know!" 

'And You Tried So Hard' is an oddball selection, more like The Byrds sound than anything Gongified; "Must be a way For you to make the big time, You gotta lay The lady at the right time, There'll come a day For drinkin' all the sky wine, You only say You're waiting for the right time, There'll come a time Just try and try against..." The vocal style is rather conventional, almost like The Zombies, Them, or Troggs; perhaps a combination of these with The Byrds music. Smyth's soft vocals chime in, "I am not free I am not free, A hand flutters in my brain, Silken cords trembling into the waterfall, Where the wise brown frog Gives princely advice, But not to you or I." 

The order turns to more frenetic chaos with some delightful sax on 'Tropical Fish/ Selene'. The lyrics are once again off the wall: "Well shady lady what's your problem, Trying to buy a brand new husband? All I want to know is what happened To your latest ancient wisdom? She seems like a typical witch to me, She seems like a tropical fish to me, But you can't kid me it's like that back in Sydney." Strange interludes of free form jazzed up sax and keys add an ethereal ambience. The space witch whispers in hushed tones, "Spirit of the moon, My mind is made of you, Tell me what to do". It is a remarkable atmosphere no other band could achieve, though many have tried.

The last track is another quick fix that used to run into the groove on the vinyl album ad infinitum. So ends the classic Gong. It needs to be heard in its entirety to get full value, along with the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy. 

#101

In Hearing Of Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster

A review by  AtomicCrimsonRush:

“In Hearing Of Atomic Rooster” is another classic offering from heavy prog pioneers Atomic Rooster and features some of the best in the band's repertoire. It begins with the pounding riff-heavy 'Breakthrough' and it is one of the highlights of the album.

'Break the Ice' is also a great rocker and features well-executed heavy guitar riffs. One of the best instrumentals is featured in the form of 'A Spoonful of Bromide' and it features shimmering Hammond that stabs along with menace complimented by a killer guitar riff. 'Black Snake' is quintessential Rooster, a live staple for the band and one of their most well known. The ominous vocals build and the music is as dark as the band gets. 'Head in the Sky' is definitely worthy of mention too with a memorable riff and doomy lyrics.

The bonus tracks are excellent featuring the U.S. Version of 'Devil's Answer' always a fan favourite, and some BBC Concert versions of 'Breakthrough' and 'Spoonful of Bromide'. Overall, this album is one of the best from AR and indeed a great example of early 70s prog.

A review by Sean Trane:

This is one of my all-time faves. The power and climates on this slice of vinyl always fascinated me as this is among the very first albums I listened to and I still do almost every two months or so. This is the only Rooster album to have the same cover (Roger Dean) on both side of the Atlantic. The line-up of the previous album was augmented with the fantastic singer Pete French - from Leafhound and future-Cactus (along with some members of Vanilla Fudge) - but this line-up will not last as this album was not yet finished that they had broken up, leaving Crane to finish up.

Most of the CD versions of this album come with their superb single Devil's Answer, but again almost every track is a real gem but Breakthrough and Black Snake are the stand- outs. The only minor fault I could point out is the lack of a real bassist Crane is filling that out ala Manzarek (foot pedals) but this is less so blatant than their previous album. Definitely a bedside album but the Spoonful of Bromide will help you get a hard-on instead of helping your pulse rate go down. 

#102

Fool's Mate
Peter Hammill

A review by Warthur:

Recorded in just over a week, this is a grab-bag of early Hammill solo material - a series of songs composed during the early Van der Graaf Generator days which tend to be too simple and/or short for consideration for the group's own albums. It's therefore a bit less serious than subsequent solo albums produced by Hammill, in periods when his solo albums were his major creative outlet, and the opening ‘Imperial Zeppelin’ makes that clear, from the goofy lyrics to the VdGG-gets-happy music to the a capella portion at the end.

This isn't to say that the material here is necessarily lightweight; Hammill's lyrical skills are as adept as ever, and several songs stand out as true gems. ‘Happy’ is a perfect slice of late-60s psychedelic pop, ‘Vision’ has stayed in Hammill's solo set for ages, and ‘Viking’ - co-written with VdGG co-founder Chris Judge-Smith - seems to allude to ‘Refugees’ from “The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other”, both musically and lyrically with its allusions to some far-away West.

Ultimately, if you wanted an album to really get the measure of Hammill's solo work, this isn't the one to get, but if you want a slightly jumbled collection of early Hammill compositions in a sunnier and more approachable vein than most of his musical output, this is the one to get. It's probably the happiest album the man's ever done. 

#103

Second Album
Curved Air

A review by Mellotron Storm:

For many CURVED AIR fans this is their favourite. I still much prefer "Air Cut" but maybe it's because that's their most mellotron laden album plus it was the first record I heard from them. "Second Album" would change the lives of everyone in this band when "Back Street Luv" became a hit in the UK. Suddenly they were getting TV appearances and their concerts became full of screaming fans. Monkman with his VCS3 synth is quite inventive here while Way on his violin always impresses. Sonja though is the focus with her fantastic vocals. The album is fairly low key overall but they always keep it interesting to their credit.

"Young Mother" is a top three for me that was written by Darryl Way about Jackie Onassis the wife of President Kennedy. It opens in an impressive manner with swirling synths and prominent drums. Vocals and violin after a minute. Some "out there" synths and piano too when the vocals and violin stop. Great section as the drums pound. Vocals and violin are back late to end it.

"Back Street Luv" just sounds really good especially the tone of the electric piano.Crisp drumming and reserved vocals too. "Jumbo" is an interesting ballad with strings. Again written by Darryl about how homesick he was for the UK when they were touring over in America. They even cut a tour short because he was so distressed.  "You Know" is catchy and fairly uptempo with vocals. Some guitar solos on this one too.

"Puppets" is a great tune that opens with laughter and percussion before the vocals, piano and mellotron take over. This is the only mellotron track. Some nice bass before 1 1/2 minutes.Cool song.  "Everdance" is fairly intense with Darryl's violin and Sonja's urgent vocals.  "Bright Summer's Day" is an upbeat track with vocals, violin, organ and drums standing out.

"Piece Of Mind" is the final and longest song on the album at almost 13 minutes. A top three for me as well. This one is about being incarcerated at a mental hospital and it is quite dark. Native-like drumming with violin and organ early. Very cool sound here. Vocals after a minute. Piano 2 1/2 minutes in as the tempo picks up. Guitar after 3 minutes. It settles with piano after 3 1/2 minutes. Violin joins in. It picks up with vocals 5 1/2 minutes in. Spoken vocals 8 minutes in as uptempo drums, violin and bass play on. It settles back before 11 minutes. Spacey synths come in to end it. An enjoybale listen. 3.5 stars.

#104

Matching Mole 
Matching Mole

A review by Mellotron Storm:

With SOFT MACHINE going further into the Jazz realm, and wanting to use less vocals, Robert Wyatt left and formed his own band MATCHING MOLE. This first release is very much Wyatt's baby, as he wrote all but one song, although David Sinlair (CARAVAN) co- wrote the first track with Robert. Their follow up album "Little Red Record" would be a total band effort. In my opinion this self titled record ranks as one of the best Canterbury albums I have ever heard, rivalling the best that CARAVAN put out. This really caught me by surprise, I wasn't expecting it to be this good or varied.

It starts with three mellow songs with Wyatt's wonderful vocals, then switches gears to a more Jazz and even Fusion style of music, with touches of psychedelia. The last two tracks are experimental, and for me the highlights of this album, especially the last song. "O Caroline" is a sentimental ballad with Wyatt's fragile vocals accompanied by piano. There is some mellotron as well in this one. Of note, all the songs blend seamlessly into one another.

"Instant Pussy" has those unique vocal melodies from Robert, as drums, bass and piano fill out the sound. These vocal sounds continue into the start of the next track "Signed Curtain". This song is a real highlight for me, and I disagree with those who complain about the humour in it. I mean that is what Cantrerbury is all about, check out CARAVAN or HATFIELD AND THE NORTH's lyrics to see that this genre is all about humour. Wyatt basically describes the song as he's singing, with wonderful piano melodies in tow. This just is so funny.

"Part Of The Dance" is a 9 minute Miller composition that borders on Fusion at times. This is the most aggressive song by far. It takes a while to get going as keys and drums open the song. Scorching guitar and some great bass in this terrific tune. "Instant Kitten" opens with a vocal melody as guitar, drums and fuzz organ arrive. This has such an amazing sound to it as they just seem to jam for the most part. Mellotron and organ to end it.

"Dedicated To Hugh, But You Weren't Listening" is a little jab at Hugh Hopper from SOFT MACHINE. On SOFT MACHINE's "Volume Two" they had a song called "Dedicated to you, but you weren't listening". There is a Psychedelic vibe to this one before it kicks in after a minute. Some nice guitar work, organ and drums.This is a powerful instrumental. "Beer As In Braindeer" is experimental with odd drum patterns and guitar melodies. Percussion, guitar and organ create a wonderful soundscape.This is great! Phil Miller shines.

"Immediate Curtain" makes me understand a little why ANEKDOTEN lists Robert Wyatt as a big influence in their musical careers. Check out ANEKDOTEN's My Space page to see a current picture of Wyatt, as he's one of their friends. This song is absolutely drenched in mellotron! This really recalls ANEKDOTEN's songs that are usually swimming in mellotron. The mellotron waves sweep across the soundscape in this song, especially 3 minutes in. This is haunting, eerie and fantastic! Robert Wyatt's solo work, and his work with SOFT MACHINE and MATCHING MOLE reveal what a musical genius he really is. An absolute must have.

Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - February 07 2012 at 05:15

1972 - continued

#115

Uomo Di Pezza
Le Orme

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

“Uomo di Pezza” is an astonishing album from the masters of RPI, Le Orme. ‘Una dolcezza nuova’ is the first track that is heavily reliant upon piano and quiet vocals to begin with after a lengthy introduction of pipe organ sounds. The cathedral sounds are compelling, giving it a religious stately feel. ‘Gioco di bimba’ is a short piece that is as melodic as the track from “Felona E Serona” simply called ‘Serona’. It is a pop orientated tune that is pleasant to the ears and a beautiful instrumental.

‘La porta chiusa’ is a 7 and a half minute triumphant track that begins with loud symphonic stabs of prog virtuosity. The bass keeps the same melody as the vocals and this works very well. The track is split by massive instrumental sections. The band launch into an amazing discordant keyboard and bass trade off with intricate busy drum metrical shapes. There are sparse orchestral arrangements, featuring primarily Pagliuca's organ phrases and the spacey guitar of Tagliapietra. The sonata form structure is powerfully realised, utilising an opening theme, transition, a second theme, and a final closure. This is one of Le Orme's finest compositions from their early albums. It all settles down and we hear a lone voice followed by cathedral pipe organ sounds. The track then detours into a synth line and heavy speed keyboards. It slows for a section then speeds into a frenetic freak out of bass, drums and keys, the band at their best. Rossi's drumming is frenetic and chaotic, then it ends abruptly with a scorching Hammond explosion.

‘Breve immagine’ is another short piece that begins with shimmering, sparkling keyboards and strong vocals. It crashes headlong into a powerful sound with symphonic strains. ‘Figure di cartone’ is a track that focuses on an acoustic guitar and harmonious vocals. It begins with the beautiful acoustic vibrations of Tagliapietra, a real beauty that meanders like a flowing stream. ‘Aspettando l'alba’ begins with clean acoustic picking and shimmering keyboards. It is very atmospheric prog; the way the vocals are answered with instruments is admirable. The ending features awesome synth washes like waves on a beach and a scintillating solo of keyboards.

‘Alienazione’ is a fast paced dynamic instrumental that relies heavily on intermittent drumming and keys. The sound builds constantly and is quite dark and ominous. The next section allows the track to breathe and changes a new direction that keeps the metronome working overtime with changes in time signatures. Then the last movement is the apocalypse which is a soundwave of multi-layered textures and nuances. This is absolutely incredible music and there is a focus on a pounding Pagliuca motif with chaotic punctuation. The fuzzed keys in the mid section adds a new element, and it feels portentous and off kilter.

The album is not as restrained as “Felona” and is certainly an excellent example of RPI at its most innovative. At about 32 minutes this is a rather short blast of prog albeit one of the best from the legends of RPI; an outstanding RPI classic.

 

#116

Space Shanty
Khan

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

Khan's sole album is a mesmirising journey into spacey escapism. Khan featured some of the finest musicians. Nick Greenwood on bass, vocals, the incomparable spacey Steve Hillage on guitars, vocals, Eric Peachy on drums, and the keyboard wizardry of Dave Stewart on Hammond organ, piano, skyceleste, and marimbas. From the opening title track the album delivers a feast of powerful vocals, lengthy Hammond finesse and scorching lead guitar work. The spacey content is reflected in the lyrics, "flow in its river of light and you'll see, that you have found what you've been searching."

The Canterbury influences are prevalent, especially on, 'Stranded', with escapist lyrics; "we escaped to the city, lying on a deserted beach, out of reach, I could see you much clearer as we strode by the shore, all the peace all around us, seemed impossibly pure". The magical organ solo that follows is a shimmering virtuoso performance accompanied by riffing guitar work and a psychedelic fuzzed lead solo.

'Mixed Up Man Of The Mountains' begins with quiet guitar tones and builds to the Canterbury feel, with loud guitar and organ. Greenwood's bass is relentless and this one is filled with lyrics of the secrets of the mountain man. There is a pronounced time sig shift leading to a fast lead break with golden Hammond arpeggios played Adante over jazz percussion metrics. The lead guitar of Hillage is excellent broken only by some whimsical multilayered vocal intonations. Side one of this album is all killer, no filler.

Side two begins with a riffing guitar lick on 'Driving To Amsterdam', sounding like Caravan or Hatfield and the North. The balladic quality is prominent with gentler vocals; "can it be that there's so many, that have been through this whole scene before, staring at the ground, I found myself in you, our weary faces smiling with the energy that's left." Eventually the song launches into a jamming bluesy rock feel with a blitzkrieg of twin lead guitars. The Hammond gains pace and some speed key fingering adds to the atmosphere of tension until the jazz improvised ending.

'Stargazers' has a quirky time sig a bit like 'Tarkus' at first and then locks into a Canterbury sounding verse; "don't you think you can surely make it now, you don't need anyone to tell you how, king and queen, an extra gene". The lead break following is a solid psych sound and there is a very odd time sig that comes next with organ and improvised style lead. 'Hollow Stone' begins with dreamy organ and soft vocals; "hollow stone, all alone, back a thousand years, and you know there is no answer, they can give you, for the words are there for them to choose, as you fall into space from your lonely shelf, you raise your hand and gaze in wonder." There is a sparkling electric piano solo, and a grinding distorted fuzzy guitar riff. The sound reverberates from left to right speaker. There is a freak out of chaotic Hammond and guitar, bass and drums that fades into the final section alternating from left to right ear and finally slowing and speeding back to an echoed note.

Overall this album is a sensational musical triumph and sadly a one off. Khan found the genie in the bottle and were never able to return to this. They have left behind an indelible mark on prog history and it is a pleasurable experience.

 

#117

Crossings
Herbie Hancock

Mellotron Storm:

Probably the biggest difference between "Crossings" and the previous album "Mwandashi" is the electronics. David Rubinson, Hancock's manager and producer thought that adding synths to the music might link the band to a wider audience even though he knew the music here was far from being commercial. So Rubinson brought in Patrick Gleeson and his moog synthesizer. Although Herbie "was skepticle at first, he was quite taken by the synthesizer and asked Gleeson not only to do the overdubs on his album but join the group, making it one of the first groups to take a synthesizer out on the road. On the strength of the new electronic sounds, the band was booked into rock venues such as Filmore, Filmore East, the Winterlands and San Francisco's Bath.

The spiritual/sensual space grooves of his "Crossings" music and the spiral of rhythms swirling within created music that not only was of it's time but has outlived them". Hancock once said this about people who hear his music but know really nothing about it. "Their hearing can sometimes be so pure that it can go right to the heart, and they can really love it without having any intellectual understanding of it. And that kind of music, even though intellect went into playing it, the purpose was really non-intellectual. It was purely emotional". Man, that so describes me sometimes as a listener.

"Sleeping Giant" is the side long, almost 25 minute opener composed by Herbie. I haven't mentioned the album cover yet, but let me just say it's stunning. And the first 2 1/2 minutes of this track make me think of that picture. The drums, percussion and electronics then fade as electric piano and bass take over, drums continue. A calm 7 1/2 minutes in as we get lots of atmosphere. Deep bass after 9 minutes then trumpet joins in. It's building. It kicks in after 11 minutes. Another calm before 13 minutes before it kicks in again. The electric piano and drums sound great 15 minutes in. The contrasts continue.

"Quasar" is a Maupin composition. Actually the last song is as well. These are my two favourite tracks on here. Piano to start before we get some cool sounding synths. A melody comes in at 1 1/2 minutes but it's brief. Flute before 2 1/2 minutes. Listen to the different sounds that come and go here. Just listen. This is a fantastic song.

 "Water Torture" continues with the atmosphere, in fact this is haunting. Bass and a melody before 2 minutes but then it settles again as sounds continue to come and go. Check out the mellotron and synths at 10 1/2 minutes!  You might call this experimental, avant and atmospheric jazz. You might call it amazing as well.

#118

Ys
Il Balletto di Bronzo

A review by Finnforest:

While not for everyone, this is a classic for lovers of Italian prog. It inhabits the "darker" side of the Italian spectrum as something like Arachnoid would for the French scene.

“Ys” has it all covered and then some. Primarily this is a keyboard lover’s album, but the guitar/bass work, the Italian vocals, and the percussion are all of the highest order as well. Because of the language barrier I can't speak of the lyrics but with music this interesting it hardly matters. Sound is what it's all about anyway.

Complex, challenging, definitely progressive. This is probably not where I would start a newbie to classic Italian prog as it takes many spins to "get" but it is one that all must get to eventually. The Japanese mini-LP cd is especially nice with a high quality gatefold, two bonus tracks, and a classy lyric booklet. Someone said this is a "complex album without heart." I respectfully disagree. You just need to check your inhibitions at the door because this ride can get pretty crazy at times.

4 stars for the overall rating, but I would say 5 stars for Italian fans.

 

A review by Warthur:

A trailblazing piece of work, “Ys” must have been one of the heaviest and noisiest prog albums ever at the time of its release; there's simply very little that can possibly compare to it. Maybe if Jimi Hendrix had survived to become a founder member of ELP (as, rumour has it, the plans went) the results would be comparable; as it is, while I'm occasionally reminded of some of the more frenetic parts of the ‘Tarkus’ suite while listening to this album, I don't think ELP managed to pull off the sort of sustained - but never monotonous - sonic attack that this album presents.

Opening and closing with soothing, angelic voices, “Ys” plunges us into the sort of chaos that King Crimson would eventually explore in its “Red” period - two years later. Completely unhinged keyboard work and rabid, raving lead guitar, coupled with a tight rhythm section and foreboding vocals, combine to make “Ys” a vital foundational album for the Heavy Prog subgenre.

It's exceptionally good, but some of the compositions are dragged out a little too long - in particular, the midsection of ‘Epilogo’ spools out the same repetitive motif for about four minutes longer than it really needs to, and whilst it does pull itself together for the conclusion it's still tiresome. It's certainly not a relaxing listen, but if you're not allergic to raw power, aggression, and heavy, thumping organ and electric guitar, “Ys” is an excellent listen. An album that combines great quality with such incredible originality, taking prog rock further than (at that point in time) it had ever previously been taken, can only be awarded a high rating.Bottom line: if you dig heavy prog, you *need* “Ys”!

#119

Palepoli 
Osanna

A review by Finnforest:

This is such a difficult album to write about, like trying to write about the most bizarre psych freak-outs or trying to discuss a 40 minute live version of the Dead's "Dark Star." Some things need to be heard to be understood. This album shares Marsupilama's "Arena"’s spirit of theatrics and boldness, but taking it to a much further extreme. They really are sound collages as much as anything and will require many listens over a long period of time to appreciate. If you believe the spirit of progressive rock is more about pushing boundaries over other considerations then this is an album you need to hear. One reviewer I read hits the nail on the head perfectly with this fabulous description from his review: "The session has an inviting, casual tone wherein everyone is welcome to listen and even participate, deep dreams and strange parties abound, plenty of texture, sensuality and odd people... like watching an orgy but not sure if you should join in. The set reminds at times of modern theater as well (i.e. 'Hair'), but shouts out with heavy mercury and constant invention." Indeed!

Osanna formed in 1971 in Naples with member of Citta Frontale. Having success with two earlier albums and playing on the festival scene they released their most provocative work "Palepoli" in 1973. Guitarist Rustici is a legend of the Italian progressive scene and ever produced his younger brother's masterful "Melos" by Cervello. Their live shows were equally strange with the members painting their faces and employing other theatrics. There is much here to absorb for fans of wild music, different ideas and sections come and go as fast as nervous birds at a backyard feeder. Psyched up electric guitars, mellotron, sax, lots of flute, chanting, singing, loud, quiet, street noises, percussion, all drifting along like a strange lucid dream. And yet I can't agree that this album is a total masterpiece. I respect the boldness and variety enough to call it a very good album, but beyond that, I don't much enjoy playing Palepoli as I do other Italian prog. I need more than boldness and being provocative, I need music to connect on an emotional level to proclaim it a masterpiece. Whereas I'm always eager to grab Alusa Fallax or Cervello, listening to Palepoli is more like a duty I must perform to appease the prog Gods.

Parts of it are definitely very enjoyable but as a whole it leaves me a bit cold. I readily accept the fact that maybe I just don't "get it" completely and I will continue to listen in the future to see if it someday clicks-perhaps it's a grower that I haven't spent enough time with yet. For me, younger brother Corrado made the better album with Cervello's "Melos." There you will find elements of the Osanna sound, but rather than relying on the wildness of Palepoli there is a bit more care on crafting the songs that leads to a more musically satisfying album. Try them both and see what you think. They are both giants of the hard side of Italian prog. Palepoli's Japanese mini is a gatefold of the very highest quality, highly recommended if you can find it. I'm somewhere between 3 and 4 stars on this, rounding down for now until I truly "get it."

#120

Three Friends 
Gentle Giant

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

A revelation in concept albums and an acquired taste in prog. Every track on “Three Friends” is sublime, powerfully constructed with complex arrangements, time sig changes, and all cocooned in a huge concept. Some of prog's finest moments are concept albums and on this occasion we have the fascinating tale of three friends and we trace their lives from early school years through to their maturity as they learn to work and cope with the materialistic world in which they are thrown.

It may sound familiar as many albums of the 70s bucked against the system and attempted to stab at the oppressiveness of material society that stifles the imagination and innovation of the individual. The story of the album continues exploring one friend at a time. The first becomes a manual labourer, the next an artist, and the third a very successful businessman. It is this last man who seems to have achieved the ultimate success but at what price? The others become outcasts so what does this say about the modern social system? Gentle Giant question this by making the successful man the most spiritually impoverished - this is the price of success - the soul.

'Mr Class and Quality' is a monologue that explains the concept. 'Working All day ' shows how to cope in the rut of 9 to 5 existence to try and climb to the top of the corporate ladder. Gentle Giant seem to be intent on hammering a message of how materialism erodes the freewill and the choice of spirituality to augment to human condition.

Weighty themes are enhanced by even heavier musical arrangements. 'Peel The Paint' is divine; brilliant musicianship! The sheer complexity of textures are prevalent throughout and make this one of the most pleasurable listening experiences in the Canterbury subgenre. This album is definitely one of the Giant’s shining hours.

 

A review by Ivan_Melgar_M:

If there's a band that has always given me problems it’s GENTLE GIANT, unlike most cases when I simply avoid the bands I dislike, I tried repeatedly to appreciate this band, but when I listen to the voice of Derek Schulman creating such dissonances that seem like singing a different track, I just can't take it.

As any normal Prog fanatic, I like complex music with coherence and melodic base, if this wasn't the case, I would be listening to any other genre, but when I listen to albums like "Octopus" or "In a Glass House", I feel that these guys avoid any logic or coherence and just want to be the most complex band over the face of the earth, and that really turns me off.

But, a few weeks ago while watching DVD's with a couple of pals, they told me to listen to "Three Friends", insisting that that this album would probably make me change my opinion. I didn't believe them, but these guys started to send me mails and even called me to ask if I had already bought the album, so in order to stop this friendly harassment, I went to the store and got a copy, and must say that even when my opinion hasn't changed about the band in general terms, I found "Three Friends" a good and coherent release, in which the complexity goes hand in hand with musicality, and it's a pleasure to listen to it.

It was enough to listen to the first notes of "Prologue" to discover this album had something different, incredibly the music is so catchy that I found myself humming the central melody after the album ended. Even when the band builds dissonant passages, they never cross the limits of rationality and, believe it or not, I found Derek's vocals absolutely interesting, mostly because the multi-layered voices enhance the listening experience......Excellent opening.

Not in the level of the previous track, but "Schooldays" didn't disappoint, it's true that the long vibraphone intro is not my cup of tea, but the excellent vocals by Derek save that section because he creates a haunting atmosphere when he fuses his voice with the instrument, when the rest of the band starts to join the song gains more coherence, and even the contradictory piano passage helps to maintain the interest of the listener.

"Working All Day" was another surprise, the magnificent lead vocal and choirs caught me from the beginning, but when the Sax blends with the Hammond organ I was really fascinated, sounds like some sort of psychedelic nightmare blended with VAN DER GRAFF GENERATOR, another high point.

The first couple of minutes of "Peel the Paint", made me believe that the previous tracks were only a mirage and that GENTLE GIANT had returned to the futile complexity I dislike, but as soon as Ray Schulman joins with the violin, it was like magic.

As the song advances, it keeps getting more and more interesting, the dissonant passages morph into Jazzy sections in such a way that even a non fan like me has to surrender before the skills of the musicians, and the frenetic finale in the vein of Hendrix meets KING CRIMSON is the point when I decided to give the band a new chance.

"Mister Class and Quality" is an elaborate mixture of Prog, Jazz, Celtic Folk and Blues, with amazing organ and violin performances, not a single moment to rest, the guitar and Hammond solos are out of this world.

The album ends with the short but exciting "Three Friends", the pompous choirs at the beginning are fantastic and the way in which they combine with the organ made me forget that I'm before a band I never liked, again delightful.

I'm sure I will never be a hardcore fan of GENTLE GIANT, because albums like "Octopus" will not captivate me, but I would be absolutely dishonest if I don't accept that "Three Friends" didn't made me want to destroy the stereo..............Four solid stars for a great album, no matter what I think about the band. 

#121

Grave New World
Strawbs

 

A review by Finnforest:

"Fools must pretend to be wise, We've a faith that we use as a heavy disguise."

A classic of the folk-rock circles, Strawbs "Grave New World" is an album that has taken some effort for me to appreciate. The first few times I heard it I couldn't imagine what the big deal was about this album, slowly but surely I have come to appreciate it more. Although I still can't say I consider this essential it is fine piece of 70s folk rock that will please many fans of the genre.

"Benedictus" is an incredibly melodic sing-along kind of track, the kind of song that could have been on "The Big Chill" soundtrack, the kind of song that must provide an instant nostalgic flashback for those who took it to heart as a young person in the early 70s." "Hey Little Man" is an acoustic flash over before it begins, but the style was almost Cat Stevens' early albums. "Queen of Dreams" is an average folk-rock track with some trippy effects and a nice guitar solo. At 5 ½ minutes this is the longest song on the album and frankly it has trouble justifying even that length. When I first heard "Heavy Disguise" I thought for sure I must be listening to George Harrison doing a guest spot. This sounds just like something from “All Things Must Pass”. The horns give it an even more eerie Beatle feeling. The lyrics are really pretty good on this one addressing the folks holding power over the masses.

"New World" is very heavy with dramatic vocals, lyrics, and great bass lines, mellotron, and percussion. Then we have another interlude of the "Hey Little Man" acoustic thought. "The Flower and the Young Man" is another one that I liked with its great harmonies and fluid bass, it has a wistful longing mood. "Tomorrow" is the hardest rocking track with some crunchy electric chords and a heavy rhythm. Nice guitar and drum fireworks in the latter half of the song add some excitement.

"On Growing Older" is another Cat Stevens type song with wild-eyed folkie whimsy, very cool but again short. "Ah Me, Ah My" is a cute little humorous lament about how the past always looks better than today does, a sentiment I share too often. "Is it Today, Lord?" has an eastern feel with the sitar and tablas as the lyrics talk about the end of life and the vocals have a distorted sound that I'm guessing is meant to convey death. The album concludes with the delightful piano of Blue Weaver on "The Journey's End." The old man no longer needs a friend. All is done.

The A&M remaster includes a nice bio but shame on them, no lyrics. They do tack on a couple of pointless bonus tracks which actually detract from the heavy experience of the original intended album. "Grave New World" is certainly a pleasant listen that is as good as many other singer/songwriter style folk-rock albums of its day, though at the same time not necessarily any more impressive than a Harrison, Stevens, or Drake album would be. Its strength lies in its conceptual themes of aging and its strong sense of melody and sincerity. 3 ½ stars

#122

Lady Lake
Gnidrolog

A review by Warthur:

Although it isn't quite as groundbreaking and original as their debut album, “Lady Lake” by Gnidrolog is an excellent swan song (pun intended), which sees them softening and broadening the idiosyncratic style of “In Spite of Harry's Toenail” with some influences from the wider prog and art rock world. The combination of Jethro Tull-like flute work and hard rock guitar heroics is still present, especially on opening track ‘I Could Never Be a Soldier’, but there's nothing quite as dissonant and chaotic as ‘Long Live Man Dead’ from the debut - except for the ending of ‘Social Embarrassment’, which is otherwise a somewhat Gentle Giant-influenced tune.

Then again, the fusions of styles that Gnidrolog cook up are often highly intriguing. ‘Ship’, for example, sounds to me a little like a fusion of early David Bowie solo work (from around the time of “The Man Who Sold the World” or “Space Oddity”) and Van der Graaf Generator - make of that what you will! Although “In Spite of Harry's Toenail” is probably the better album - being a bit more representative of the band's unique sound – “Lady Lake” is a fine followup. Of course, the best way to grab Gnidrolog's 1970s output is to pick up the two-albums-on-one-CD compilation of this one and the debut, and newcomers to the band are advised to pick that up - it's relatively easy to find, and if you like their first album you'll also want this one anyway (and vice versa). 

A review by Sean Trane:

Superbly interesting second album from a welsh band, yet to be discovered by the vast majority of the proghead. This is a full blown blues-based prog with folk and jazz tinglings, with fairly aggressive ambiences (from VDGG, Flute from J Tull ). The voice reminds me of the sadly forgotten prog band named AUDIENCE (who recorded four albums between 69 & 72 for the Charisma label), and the music is a cross of the above mentioned groups, Blodwyn Pig and KC and sometimes Gentle Giant. The saxes, flutes and cellos parts makes this album rather unusual and rather original IMO, and the art work is rather spooky an aspect also present at times in the music. There is also a newcomer in a second reed player and it increases the musical interplay within the band.

Soldier is a real gem, the title track is an immediate pleaser to an accomplished prog addict, Ship taking some time to win you over but one must be patient with Social Embarassment as the finale is probably one of the more violent and weirdest moment on a prog album and it is the only number not to be sung by Goldring. The two shorter numbers are of the same superb standard, one of them having a piano, the only time you will hear KB in that band. The solid sound and ferocious singing may set back some people, but ultimately, this will satisfy the most demanding proghead. Start with this one as the debut is even more difficult, but just as loveable.

Definitely worth the spin, the hunt and the investment.

#123

Trilogy
Emerson Lake & Palmer

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

“Trilogy” begins with the strangely quiet 'The Endless Engima' featuring great vocals from Lake and Emerson pulls no punches on keyboards. 'From the Beginning' is the Lake ballad found on other ELP works. The lady's favourite, Lake croons as good as ever. 'The Sheriff' is a western style track with old time piano and humourous lyrics. 'Hoedown' is hailed as a classic by many but I prefer the live versions. Emerson really lets loose on this showing his bravura musicianship.

'Trilogy' is the best track on the album with great piano motifs and guitar interludes. It moves through a series of impressions in the same way as a classical piece is structured. Like the astounding 'Tarkus', it is a long, highly complex example of virtuoso playing and showcases in particular Emerson's incredible talents. It's frenetic pace transfixes from beginning to end. It slows in pieces so that we have room to breathe within the wall of sound that is at times suffocating, but then picks up the pace again towards the end. “Trilogy” is a solid ELP album featuring some of ther most endearing songs.

A review by Warthur:

Vastly more consistent than Tarkus, but lacking a song that quite reaches the height of that album's famed epic of war and space armadillos, Trilogy is I think my favourite of the two simply because, like the debut, it's an Emerson Lake and Palmer album I can listen to from beginning to end. The novelty track on here, The Sheriff, isn't quite as goofy as Jeremy Bender or Benny the Bouncer - not only does it not irritate me like the other two do, I even find myself quite liking it. And as for the more serious material, From the Beginning is one of Greg Lake's better ballads, the opening Endless Enigma/Fugue/Endless Enigma triple-whammy is wonderful, and Trilogy itself is a great workout for all the band members.

The one downside to this album is Emerson's keyboard sound. We all know Keith loved to incorporate as many new and innovative synthesisers onto ELP albums as possible, and I suspect most prog fans wouldn't have it any other way; however, I think a few of the synths and keys deployed on here were not quite ready for primetime - either in terms of the hardware, or simply in terms of people figuring out how to make them sound good. There's points where the synthesiser sound on the album has aged badly - this is most notable in some sections of Abbadon's Bolero, where some of the synths sound like cheesy 80s Casio keyboards mimicing old Dr Who incidental music. Of course, at the time it must have sounded revolutionary... but listening to it 40 years after the fact, it gets pretty cheesy.

Still, like I said this is the most consistent album ELP managed to do after their debut, so four stars. 

#124

Hosianna Mantra
Popol Vuh

A review by Mellotron Storm:

4.5 stars.This is probably POPOL VUH's most well known album, and my second favourite after the next one "Seligpreisung". I really feel that Conny Veit adds so much with his guitar playing on those two albums. I don't think Djong Yun sounds any better than she does on this album, her shining moment I guess you could say.

"Ah!" opens with some beautiful piano melodies and then it calms right down 2 minutes in. Piano and a fuller sound returns before another calm arrives 3 1/2 minutes in. Piano is back to end it. "Kyrie" features electric guitar and piano early and the Djong comes in like an angel before a minute. It's so moving 1 1/2 minutes in until it settles at the 3 minute mark. Guitar is back before 4 minutes. Nice. The vocals are fantastic!

"Hosianna Mantra" takes a while to get going and then the piano, guitar and vocals become prominent. Aboe after 3 minutes then guitar. This is gorgeous! Words do little to express the emotion and beauty right here. Just listen. "Abschied" is led by aboe on this another moving song. "Segnung" is mellow with vocals. A brighter sound with piano and guitar takes over before 4 minutes. Vocals return.

"Andacht" is a very short guitar tune. "Nicht Hoch Im Himmel" features vocals and piano early. Her vocals are so dreamy. Guitar comes in after 3 minutes. It's so peaceful 5 1/2 minutes in. "Andacht" like the earlier tune of the same name is short with guitar. This one has some atmosphere to it. Simply a must have if you like spiritual contemplative music.

A review by Warthur:

A truly exceptional album in Popol Vuh's discography, not least because of the ethereal, haunting vocal contributions by Djong Yun, creating a sound that was at least a decade ahead of its time - I actually find the combination of ghostly female vocals and shimmering, delicate musical performances reminiscent of some of the work produced by Dead Can Dance or the Cocteau Twins in the 1980s. Whilst many other of the leading lights in the Krautrock genre were exploring synthesiser-dominated ambient drone works, Florian Fricke and his guest musicians apply a greater instrumental variety and let loose some exceptional performances, Conny Veit's guitar work being particularly noteworthy. A jewel in Popol Vuh's crown.

Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - February 03 2012 at 19:07

1972 - continued

#137

Little Red Record 
Matching Mole

A review by Warthur:

Matching Mole's first album was Robert Wyatt's chance to finally get on record musical concepts developed during his tenure in Soft Machine which, for whatever reason, had been vetoed by the rest of that band. For the second album, the group took a more democratic approach to songwriting, resulting in a more diverse album that isn't quite so dominated by Wyatt's songs - Wyatt perhaps wanting to avoid repeating in his new band the same mistakes that drove him out of his old band.

As a consequence, the album is a bit of a patchy affair, with the band as a whole casting about and trying to decide what sort of music it wants to perform. Opening track ‘Gloria Gloom’ (on the CD version - Wyatt decided for CD releases to swap around side A and side B from the vinyl since he thought that yielded a better running order) begins with ambient noises - perhaps courtesy of guest synth wizard Brian Eno - that sound like a decades-displaced-in-time Aphex Twin before launching into avant-Canterbury strangeness, whilst other tracks start pointing the way to Phil Miller's later work in Hatfield and the North. (An instrumental version of Nan True's Hole, for example, would be performed live at Hatfield concerts under the anagrammatic title of Oh! Len's Nature.)

Still, as a whole the album lacks focus, and sounds more like experiments towards a band identity rather than the group manifesto the album title suggests. Perhaps a third Matching Mole album would have been more cohesive; unfortunately, that was not to be. Wyatt, worse for wear at a party, would take a startling fall from a balcony a short time after this album was released, paralysing him for life - and whilst Wyatt did thankfully escape an untimely death, the change in his circumstances meant that Matching Mole was not so lucky. Fans of Wyatt's “Rock Bottom” album or Miller's work with the Hatfields will be interested in the context this album provides for those works, but otherwise this is not an especially essential Canterbury release, and certainly not as gripping as Matching Mole's debut.

A review by Sean Trane:

4.5 stars really!!!

Less than seven months after recording their debut album, having toured constantly recording a few radio sessions throughout Europe, MM entered the studios in July 72 for their second (and last, but they weren't aware of it) album that was produced by Robert Fripp. Armed with a highjacked Chinese propaganda poster, the sleeve (and the album title) leaves little doubt as to their political aspirations, although I suspect that this was probably not shared by everyone in the group, because the ambiance within the group quickly became detestable and two months after its release, the group over, even if the explanation was about gigs not being paid and bankruptcy. So with Sinclair gone just after the debut's release, McRae is alone on keys, but the major difference with their first is Wyatt's songwriting, that had filled almost all of the album, was reduced to absolutely none in LRR, if you'll except the lyrics and other vocals, but these hold a big part of creativity.

Starting on one of the most surprising tracks that Wyatt ever recorded, Drink Our Politics Away is a strange semi-operatic over some McRae keyboards and Eno synth layer. Directly and abruptly segueing into Marchides (much the same way Signed Curtain had given in to Part Of The Dance on their previous album), the group takes its vengeance with a wild and torrid 100MPH jazz-rock that veers a bit dissonant in its middle section, before coming back more relaxed. Some exceptionally inventive drumming from Wyatt on this track that had received much previous rehearsal since it was concert standard, but everyone contributes greatly. Again segueing straight into Nan's True Hole, Robert develops some very strange gossipy vocals with him, wife Alfie and friendly model Julie just yapping away over Wyatt's jaw-dropping drumming and a Frippian guitar solo, courtesy of .. Phil Miller; the whole thing falling into Righteous Rhumba without really noticing much a change. Closing on the wild Brandy for Benj (a roadie), with McRae on a rare organ part at the start and Miller's brilliant solo.

Being shutout throughout the first half of the album, McCormick scores Gloria's Gloom as the flipside opens with the second centrepiece, which starts nightmarishly percussive and hauntingly spooky with Eno's VCS-3 deranging many listeners and remaining dissonant through a few minutes, until chattering gossipy vocals take the track slowly into the middle section where Wyatt singing his heart out until Eno's Martenot-like synth layers take us back to earth. After the popish God Song (sticking out like a sore thumb), Flora Fidgit (Frigid Flora? Yashure?? ;-)) where McRae's el piano steals the show. The closing Smoke Signal is the third highlight, a slow developing ambient cosmic piece with Wyatt's astounding drumming, and slowly dying in death throes.

Although MM's last studio album is generally not as reputed as its debut album, bit it's certainly no worse an album, with this one being more of a group effort. Both MM are absolutely essential to Canterbury fans, but it's not recommended to start with them, if you're a newbie.

#138

The Magician's Birthday
Uriah Heep

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

A Prog Birthday treat. Perhaps one of the proggiest Uriah Heep releases "The Magicians Birthday" is a fantastic collection of songs that often find their way onto compilations of the group. There are no dull moments and most of these tracks tell a story that is compelling and surreal. 'Sunrise', 'Spider Woman' and 'Blind Eye' start this off with huge blues riffs and heavy distorted hammering riffs. Hensley's Hammond is an impactful force on each track giving a decidedly eerie effect.

'Echoes In The Dark' begins with a downright chilling intro with ethereal organ and dark riffs. It turns into a song full of very powerful atmospheres. 'Rain' is one of the quieter Heep songs and it works as a break between all the mayhem. It became a popular entry in live performances as did 'Sweet Lorraine'. The album really gets into prog territory with the incredible 'Tales', but the piece de resistance is undoubtedly the 10 minute 'The Magician's Birthday'. This veritable icing on the cake features lengthy solos, tons of Hammond and guitar fills, along with isolated drums and even a kazoo for good measure. The quirky birthday tunes embedded are fun and of course the band were never taking them seriously.

Overall, this album comes recommended for heavy prog fans and it is undoubtedly one of Uriah Heep's finest achievements.

A review by Ivan_Melgar_M:

Still before URIAH HEEP managed to form their ideal lineup, they had already released their IMO best album "Look at Yourself" and immediately after they recruited the strong drummer Lee Kerslake and the superb bass player Gary Thain with whom they released the excellent "Demons and Wizards" and after it comes "The Magician's Birthday" a magnificent album even when less Prog' than the two previous with a beautiful Roger Dean cover.

I remember reading that Ken Hensley wanted to make this album the most experimental one but the rest of the band didn't fully agree so they reached an intermediate point combining Hard Rock/Metal tracks with strong Prog arrangements and tracks.

The album starts with "Sunrise" and the song is introduced by a haunting Byron scream that leads us to something that seems as an experimental and extremely hard power ballad, but the vocal explosions, controlled screams and radical changes makes this a very elaborate track, the wah-wah guitar of Mick Box and at last a powerful drumming makes this song a pleasure, whoever doubts URIAH HEEP as one of the oldest ancestors of Prog Metal should listen to this track.

"Spider Woman" is a classical Heep Hard Rock track with more conservative sound and less spectacular vocals than the previous, but an impeccable bass performance by Gary Thain, good, but not awesome.

"Blind Eye" is another very good song where Hensley keyboards, Box's electric and played rhythm guitar and the correct vocals of David Byron blend gently, again as usual elaborate outstanding vocal arrangements in a band where almost every member contributed with the backing vocals, flows gently from start to end not very complex but the quality is obvious.

"Echoes in the Dark" is another proggy track that starts with the haunting sound effects plus a dramatic guitar and piano creating a mysterious atmosphere, suddenly out of nowhere Baron's vocals join the band almost as a whisper, this leads to another strong instrumental section and several changes, this album keeps getting better.

"Rain" is probably the weakest song of the album, not a bad but a simple ballad, of course has beautiful moments but after the first tracks and two previous albums we expect much more of the band, less than the average.

"Sweet Lorraine" is breathtaking from start to end, a synth intro that wakes after Rain leads to a hard Rock track with great drumming by Lee Kerslake, it's amazing how Gary Thain manages to take his bass from the rhythm section and joins the melodic part as if it was a second guitar but keeps supporting Kerslake.

"Tales" works as a reliever after the strong material and to prepare the audience for the semi-epic and central piece of the album, not bad but plain simple, still the rhythm section work is outstanding.

"The Magician's Birthday" is a 100% prog epic that has everything, powerful moments, absolutely radical changes, drama, mystery, in other words a complete song that any proghead must listen to and that I won't ruin with plain words, all I will add is that the closing section is absolutely breathtaking, probably one of the best vocal works I heard inside or outside Prog, David Byron goes from the lowest to the highest ranges in fraction of seconds and the chorus is absolutely perfect surrounded by great Moog backup. I love this track from start to end, and if you don't like the lyrics in the Magician's Birthday greeting that I admit are a bit cheesy, don't listen as they only last a few seconds, and for me it's a complete masterpiece from start to end.

Even though I won't review the bonus tracks (I like to listen to the albums as they were originally recorded) I must say that the two I have in my 1996 Remastered Edition ("Silver White Man" and "Crystal Ball") are not in the level of the album but I won't consider them for the rating because they were not recorded for the original album and only added to have less free space on the CD being that the old LP format only allowed about 40 minutes.

Being that "The Magician's Birthday" is not as good as "Look at Yourself" because of the weaker "Rain" and "Tales" I can't give 5 stars without being dishonest, but surely the album as a whole and all the other tracks deserve no less a high rating.

Four solid stars for the last album of URIAH HEEP'S golden trilogy.

#139

A Toast to Panama Red

The Master's Apprentices

 

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

“A Toast to Panama Red” is Masters Apprentices most accomplished approach to prog rock. Each track chugs along with some excellent guitar from Ford and the wonderful vocals of Keays. Time sig changes are prevalent throughout and very well structured compositions that begin and end without flourish.

'The Answer Lies Beyond' pumps along at a nice medium pace with cool riffs and pulsating drum beats of Burgess. The slow meandering phased guitar of Ford carries along 'Beneath the Sun'. The vocals are quiet, and there is no chorus, as is the case for most of the tracks. It changes direction mid way through with a hypnotic riff, strange effects and psychedelic nuances.

This was 1972 and prog had survived the birth pangs and was beginning to flourish with this type of heavy psych approach which was complex and not just designed for pot heads. Keays drew the album cover and his wife wrote out the lyrics in her own hand, it was a real collaborative effort. 'Games We Play 1' is surrealistic and off kilter with an early Sabbath feel in the guitar work with very erratic drumming. The 7 minute track changes moods and launches into an ace bassline by Wheathers that drives it along, than Ford's lead punctuates the track with high pitched fret screams.

'Games We Play 2' is an instrumental that heavily relies on a driving guitar riff and showcases the musical prowess of the band. 'The Prophet' poem is read over the music in true Hawkwind style and choral voices from the Crikey Choir! This enhances the track with an ethereal quality. The next track 'The Lesson So Listen' opened the vinyl album side 2 and is held together by a progtastic riff; angular guitar and intricate drum patterns propel it along. The contagious melody of 'Love Is' is a definite highlight, and is a track that boasts some imaginative use of brass and acoustic flourishes. 'Memories of St Kilda' is intriguing and works as a rocker that changes signature and blasts to a sudden conclusion.

'Southern Cross' is the highlight of the album featuring an excellent lead guitar solo from Ford, a key to the success of the group. There is some great bass on this and vibrant drum beats. 'Thyme to Rhyme' is a soft album closer with acoustic guitar and, though short, it is to the point.

Conclusively, this album is perhaps the best of Masters Apprentices apart from the plethora of compilations that are still being churned out. It features great arrangements throughout and innovative structures creating a strange ethereal atmosphere. This is an early 70s look at Aussie Prog at its best.

 

#140

Psychonaut
Brainticket

A review by Mellotron Storm:

BRAINTICKET basically dissolved after the first "way out there" release called "Cottonwoodhill". Joel Vandroogenbroeck, the organ and piano player brought the band back to life though with all new members. The first album was very much a band effort, but this one features all songs composed by Mr.Vandroogenbroeck. The female singer he added does sound like the lady on the first release, but without the craziness.

"Radagacuca" opens with flute and spacey organ sounds. Percussion arrives a minute in until that is all you hear 2 minutes in. We get some sitar and male and female vocals 3 minutes in. The flute is back in this cool, meditative song. That is until 6 minutes in when the organ is back with guitar and drums offering up a fuller and faster sound.

"One Morning" opens with the sound of a storm with rain, as piano, percussion, drums and vocals create the soundscape. "Watchin' You" has a heavier sound with female vocals. The guitar is raw with drums. Reserved but heavy guitar solos arrive  2 minutes in, one of the best parts of the album. Vocals are back. The beat stops as sitar and spacey, psychedelic sounds arrive.

"Like A Place In The Sun" opens with heavy drums and powerful organ. Female vocals come in, she's speaking now. We then get a drum solo before organ comes back. She's speaking then singing before the song ends with organ and drums. "Feel The Wind Blow" is a reserved song. It opens with people talking and smoking something. Gentle guitar and female vocals before percussion joins in. The last 30 seconds features the wind blowing.

"Coc'o Mary" has some cool drumming as guitar comes in, and then organ. Check out the drumming though. Flute comes in as the song calms down after 3 minutes with percussion. Drums and organ are back. For me this is a step up over the "over the top" debut. This one has some great sounding psychedelic tunes, even recalling the sixties at times.

#141

DNA
Jumbo

A review by Finnforest:

Not to be missed, bluesy-prog fans.

Strange. Usually when a band presents two sides of itself I will enjoy the more elaborate, the more "out there" work. This time it doesn't hold true. While Jumbo's final classic- era recording is rated slightly higher, it is their 2nd album, the gripping "DNA", which I find to be their masterpiece. Direct and raw with a nice balancing of contrasting sounds and cohesive themes. Nothing but pure human emotion, graced by melancholic acoustic beauty on one hand and charged with a raw bluesy power on the other. Atop these two dynamic legs you have the gut wrenching vocals of Mr. Jumbo himself. Sans the attempts at sophistication that the next album brought, there is only the pure magic here. Jumbo is one of RPI's first tier bands who actually managed to record more than one album and they are certainly one of the best in my opinion.

"DNA" was recorded in just one week, so typical of the time and place, and proof that the old Italian bands could use pressure to create more magic in days than today's stars can manage in months, with their budgets, tour riders, and computers. It is true that the second side of this album does not quite rise to the level of the side-long masterpiece suite of the first, but it is still good. Side one's "Suite per il Sig. K" is just phenomenal in its simplicity, passion, and connection to something inside. It combines bold and forceful piano with delicate and melodic flute play, backed by sprightly acoustic play and jamming electric rock guitar. The electric has a tortured fuzzed-up distortion that manages to rival Alvaro's grizzly bear roar. Throw in the occasional organ textures and you've got it made.

As with "Thick as a Brick," to whose fans I highly recommend this baby brother of an album, the piece alternates between extremes and features a good composition. While perhaps not as fancy as "Thick" or polished as some of its more elegant Italian peers, Jumbo makes up by pushing harder. This album combines the raucous energy of Flea's "Topi o Uomini" with the stunning authenticity of the Grateful Dead's seminal "American Beauty." Different style than the latter of course, I'm talking about feelings and impressions here. Scented Gardens correctly notes DNA as combining "heavy progressive and blues-rock with classical references." There's no need for me to bring out the charts and graphs here, this album is the real damn deal. Just one more home run for 1972.

Get the BTF gatefold mini-lp sleeve CD edition for great sound and a nice booklet.

#142

Phantasmagoria 
Curved Air

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush: 

“Phantasmagoria” is one of the proggiest Curved Air’s albums featuring some of their most challenging time sigs and musicianship. The fuzz guitar from Francis Monkman, the ethereal synths of Darryl Way and Sonja Kristina as the high octave queen of prog, is an irresistible musical explosion, and it climaxed on this album. It begins with the slow and meandering ‘Marie Antoinette’, with the brooding vocals of Kristina; “Fire in their eyes, steel in their hand, they ride, chanting revolution, Vive le Nation!” She sings of the guillotine that is coming for the queen.

Kristina plays acoustic guitar on ‘Melinda More or Less’, a lovely mediaeval paean by Sonja’s lilting vocals that transcend beauty. Way's violin, Monkman's harpsichord, Mike Wedgwood's pulsing bass and Annie Stewart ‘s flute make this a mesmirising journey back to the ancient days of kings, queens and guillotines. ‘Not Quite the Same’ is an oddity about impossible love and self abuse, with some amusing lyrics; “Out in the park, he was walking his doggy, he saw a young lady, who made him feel soggy.” The medieval brass section that plunges it back to the dark ages continues the concept, before the jazziness of the Canterbury music takes over. Way and Monkman masterfully duel off on synthesizers in the instrumental break.

‘Over and Above’ has one of the zaniest off beat time sigs that is irregular throughout, diverging wildy in all directions. Monkman’s twisted signature keys are played with abandonment and astonishing virtuosity. Way's violin is way out of the box and he absolutely gives the bow a major workover. Sonja's theatrical vocal expertise is as amazing as ever and the opening section may be described as a jazz circus. There are some spacey sections on the track with chiming vibraphones and xylophones played by Crispian Steel-Perkins, Paul Cosh and Jim Watson. The erratic bassline, massive brass sound and wah-wah guitar really adds to the power of the soundscape. The sound captured is really symphonic prog meets jazz rock fusion. This is a complex killer track and certainly the most powerful progressive song from Curved Air.

‘Cheetah’ is an instrumental that features Darryl Way masterfully blasting huge slabs of violin, and there is a reworking of "Air Conditioning"’s ‘Ultra-Vivaldi’ that is much faster and dominated by keyboards; speeded up using a sequencer. The title track is a short song with wild Hammond and Sonja’s jaunty vocals on how to deal with loneliness and depression; “don’t ring for a taxi, don’t call a policeman, don’t send for a doctor, he’ll just give you pills, don’t hide in the sand man, you may not believe it.”  She sings of the summer of love and the lyrics cater to the flower power movement; “So if you get lonely just think of the summer, and swim in the sky blue, drift your mind away.” The uplifting breezy feel sounds like a happy song but it is really about coping with depression.

‘Whose Shoulder Are You Looking Over Anyway?’ Is a weird curio with lovely Kristina sounding like a constipated Dalek. Her vocals are battered by a PDP8/L computer mixed with a Synthi 100 Synthesizer. It is meant to evoke the spiritual manifestation of the dead; “But I keep looking over your shoulder to see if I'm there, Oh, when I was a little Ghost, a merry time had we! Each seated on his favourite post.” The electronic vocals make this as creepy as it gets for Curved Air.

After this album, Curved Air’s bubble popped with the walk out of maestros Way and Monkman, and it was too big an ask to replace the classic sound the band once generated. “Phantasmagoria” definitely contains some of the proggiest and most experimental music from Curved Air. 

#143

Waterloo Lily
Caravan

A review by Warthur:

Although there is undeniably a little bit of jazz in temporary keyboard player Steve Miller's performance on this album, I think it's possible to overemphasise the jazz influence this time around. The music on Waterloo Lily is still very recognisably caravan - Pye Hastings and Richard Sinclair's vocals are as distinctive as they ever were, the dirty jokes are still very much present and correct, and musically speaking we're still at the lighter, more approachable end of Canterbury territory.

Still, there's no denying that it isn't quite as iconic as its two predecessors. Steve Miller's playing might not drive the band into full-on fusion territory, but it is still an odd fit for the band's sound. It's not jarring enough to spoil the album, but it is distracting enough to stop it being amongst the best of the best of Caravan's material. It's not the first Caravan album I'd recommend to people interested in the group's work, but I'd very strongly recommend it to anyone who'd already experienced and enjoyed classic Caravan material.

#144

Argus 

Wishbone Ash

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

"In the fire the king will come..." This is the lone masterpiece of Wishbone Ash.

Wishbone Ash's "Argus" is the band's most famous album and in fact is the best thing they ever did though the live material is excellent especially the "Time Was Anthology". What makes this album great is it contains no less than four of their all time classic tracks 'The King Will Come', 'Throw Down The Sword' and 'Blowin' Free', not to mention 'Warrior'. The great WA sound consists of duel guitar playing from the excellent musicianship of Andy Powell and Ted Turner; they would always be remembered for this album. The guitar breaks are nothing short of extraordinary, before Iron Maiden and before Judas Priest's twin guitar solos there was Powell and Turner. Martin Turner's vocals are easy to take and he doesn't go for high octave but stays in the mid range, his bass playing is noteworthy too.

'Time Was' is a classic track with very soft folk guitar and melancholy singing. The guitar jamming is a feature and there is a lengthy solo with a driving rhythm, after 9 minutes 40 the track finally comes to a close. A very good opening track to prepare us for better to come.

Steve Upton's drumming is fairly average though he does some lovely things with the cymbals on tracks such as'Sometime World'. This track is kind of bluesy and speeds up in tempo as the song progresses.

'Blowin' Free' begins with the killer riff that drives the song. The lyrics are great to sing to; "I Thought I had a girl I know because I seen her, her hair was gold and brown, blowin' free like a cornfield..." The twin guitar solo is a feature once again and this is a real favourite with the band and they always include it on their live set, which sound jammier and better than this. There are some delicious passages of soaring guitar and blues scales on this. The time sig remains fairly much the same apart from some slower bits thrown in such as; "In my dreams..." section.

'The King Will Come' is a favourite Wishbone Ash song featured on the Classic Rock Anthology DVD. The band have so much fun rockin' it out and the lead guitarist wears flowing white flares. Powell moves back and forth playing a flying V guitar staring into the camera just having the time of his life. They sound incredible live, so this studio version is not as loud and aggressive though it's still great. The guitars are not as up in the mix but the harmonies are divine. It is a song about the Biblical end times when the king (Jesus) will return and apocalypse will reign; the Revelation. The lead break is magnificent from both guitarists using wah wah pedal effects and huge scales. Once again this is a staple of the live set and would not be complete without it. It is brilliant prog rock. "See the word of the prophet on a stone in his hand, poison pen Revelation, just a sign in the sand..."

'Leaf and Stream' is the weakest track on the album, very quiet and melancholy, but still listenable and marks a transition point to lead the next huge rocker.

'Warrior' has a rocking riff and lead intro before the gentle lyrics; "I'm leaving to search for something new, leaving everything I ever knew, a hundred years in the sunshine, hasn't taught me all there is to know..." The theme centres around the conquest of the vanquished or fallen and how they triumph over the war to find the sword of destiny. The time sig changes to a faster tempo on "Time will pass away, Time will guard our secrets..." Then there is an anthemic section with the chorus repeated over and over with striking harmonies; "I have to be a warrior, a slave I couldn't be, a soldier and a conqueror, fighting to be free." Another great harmony and melody on this memorable track.

The second best WA track is 'Throw Down the Sword' which is among the live sets. It features a fade in intro with a very nice guitar riff that sounds medieval in tune. The quest is not over, and this track encompasses the tired traveler who is searching but not finding and throws down the sword in frustration; "Throw down the sword the fight is starting over neither lost neither won, to cast away the fury of the battle, turn my weary eyes for home... leave the glory, a story time could never change, to walk the road the load I have to carry..." It is the journey's end for the warrior, and this reminds me of the cover, a lone soldier watching over the battlefied awaiting death or will he be spared? The uncertainty is reflected in the music which meanders slowly along with very precise guitar lead breaks.

'No Easy Road' is a bonus CD track and not much really, just a solid rocking track that doesn't belong here, but interesting.

There is a kind of concept running through this album though it is not as blatant as a concept album usually is but with the theme of battle and quests, it is there. So this last track is a perfect ending to a perfect album. Wishbone Ash could never live up to the reputation of this album so "Argus" is their most accomplished work and worthy of masterpiece status.

#145

Seventh Sojourn
The Moody Blues

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

It is always a pleasure to listen back to such a relaxing innovative band as The Moody Blues. “Seventh Sojourn” is really a less discussed album than some of the earlier material perhaps as it does not have the creative consistency of previous albums. However, there is enough on this to warrant serious consideration. It begins with a melodic reflective piece ‘Lost In A Lost World’ with Mike Pinder soothing on vocals, and the band searching for the answer as always, accompanied by flute passages and uplifting harmonies.

‘New Horizons’ is full of beauty, generated by sweeping violins and very soft vocals with a romantic flavour. ‘For My Lady’ is a single and always one of my favourites with a lovely melody and memorable happy woodwind. Justin Hayward has golden tones on these ballads. The medieval sounds are strong and it has some of the more poetic lyrics of the album. It is more like the Jane Eyre period of the 1800s in feel then anything else on the album. The romantic flutes are simply gorgeous; best song on the album easily.

‘Isn't Life Strange’ is another very popular song gracing many compilations with the previous song. Personally I tire of this easilty and can’t stand the monotony of the tune and that warbling vocal is mush to my ears. You And Me’ is better with a rockier beat and some nice orchestra. The guitar riff is rather heavy for The Moody Blues and the violins are majestic throughout.

‘The Land Of Make-believe’ is an acoustic and flute-driven quiet piece. It sounds rather dated due to the lyrics and overall style. A real flower power throwback that is a throwaway, only saved by Hayward’s uplifting vocals and moving orchestral arrangements. A genuine album track found on this release alone. ‘When You're A Free Man’ is another song only found on this album for good reason. It is forgettable lush.

‘I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)’ ends the album on a high point. It rocks hard and is perhaps as heavy as the band gets. It works on all levels, vocally, melodically and lyrically. The song was a live staple for The Moodies and often is found on compilations.

Here once again is an inconsistent album that will be the hallmark of most of The Moody Blues albums following. Parts are excellent and parts are okay, but it is nevertheless full of beauty and some of the Moodies best songs. After this it all went belly up and the band became a top 20 singles pop group, with hit and miss tracks; the albums usually with only about 3 tracks of any significance.

#146

Doremi Fasol Latido 
Hawkwind

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

Lemmy the Lurch jumped on board the Hawkwind Spaceship and he injected the right amount of bass rythym to this unit. The album as a result works well as a proto Motorhead journey into space. The Hawkwind trademark of weird spacey effects from keyboards saturate each track and its a voyage from beginning to end into another universe. The voyage bgins with the gatecrashing rocker 'Brainstorm'. It is featured on many compilations and in various lengths as well as on the live "Space Ritual" masterpiece. A track to savour, its a highlight of the Hawkwind repertoire.

'Space is deep' is another space effect laden track with some mesmirising guitars and vocals. The enchanting 'Lord of light' merges seamlessly into the quieter 'Down through the night' where Brock excels on vocals. 'Time We Left This World Today' has terrific bass from Lemmy showing his dexterity.

The bonus tracks are excellent featuring the obligatory classic 'Silver machine' again. It’s so great though one can't complain about its insertion. 'Urban Guerilla', 'Brainbox Pollution' and 'Ejection' are fabulous hard driving tracks with tons of echoing vocals, effects, and crunching fuzz guitar.

Overall this is one of the best albums from Hawkwind. Of course the best was yet to come with the live extravaganza, "Space Ritual".

A review by Warthur:

Hawkwind's third album sees the group struggling against difficult circumstances and turning these problems into opportunities. For starters, it's the first album with Lemmy on bass - an instrument he wasn't used to, having learned to play lead guitar, with the result that his playing is somewhat unorthodox on here - and it was recorded in Rockfield Studios at a point when the studios were just a barn with mattresses on the walls.

As a result, the mix of the album is murky, but in a stroke of genius which laid the groundwork for the sound of Hawkwind's classic period, the band decided to make that very murk a defining feature of their sound. On the best songs, such as the opening Brainstorm, the thunderous basslines, mysterious synthesiser tweets, and portentous vocals emerge from out of the fog and merge to create a strange, hypnotic melange. Whilst material like the closing The Watcher is a bit weak, the bulk of the album follows the lead of Brainstorm and the end result is a fascinating slice of space rock, with the lo-fi production values and Lemmy's bass technique giving it an almost proto-punk edge that sets this incarnation of Hawkwind apart from gentler, smoother, less abrasive space rock groups.

Still, I have to admit that Space Ritual just plain sounds better, and I tend to prefer the versions of this album's songs to be found on there. 

#147

Lord Of The Rings
Bo Hansson

A review by Warthur:

(Note: having satisfied myself that there is little to no appreciable difference between the Swedish and English releases of this album, I'll be posting my review under both versions).

Bo Hansson's debut album - first released in his native Sweden in 1970 before being given a wider release in 1972 - could well be one of the first great symphonic prog albums to come out of Scandinavia. Not only that, it's one of the earliest examples of an all-instrumental symphonic concept album - Krautrock bands had been releasing all-instrumental albums prior to this, mind, but those tended not to be concept albums and of course ploughed a very different furrow.

A series of keyboard-heavy instrumentals inspired by Lord of the Rings sees Bo backed up by a very capable band that he is more than happy to share the limelight with, knowing when to back off on his keys or guitar to let the sax or flute melodies breathe. The album is also surprisingly diverse - the concept might make you expect a disc heavy on medieval-influenced fare, but I also detect a certain Santana influence at points. A very, very capable debut album, and surely an important contribution both to the early-70s prog scene as a whole but especially the development of the genre in Scandinavia. Easily five stars.

A review by Ivan_Melgar_M:

The first time I heard about BO HANSSON'S "Lord of the Rings" and read the reviews, I had the misconception that this was the "Non Plus Ultra" example of early Swedish Symphonic, so when I heard it I was really surprised, this album has almost no connection with Symphonic, as a fact it’s much closer to early PINK FLOYD than to YES, GENESIS or ANGLAGARD.

So if any listener wants to try this album, I recommend to search for a copy of "Live at Pompeii" and try it, because that's the closest you will get to the overall sound of "The Lord of the Rings".

Of course this is not a negative commentary, I love the album, but if you want to listen to something, you need to have a clear idea about what you are going to have before you buy, instead of being disappointed because of lack of information.

Now, despite it's quality, the album has a serious problem, BO HANSSON was too ambitious, you can't make a conceptual album about a trilogy of epic proportions as The Lord of the Rings, with 12 songs of 3 or 4 minutes length as average as HANSSON does, as you would be only able to scratch the cover of the book. There's no time for a coherent development and for a real musical narration as you should expect from a conceptual album.

But, even when Psyche Prog is not the best style to suit the famous trilogy, it would be unfair to say that the sound is something less than excellent and more than adequate, "HANSSON" with his skills managed to adapt two styles that IMO were almost incompatible.

One of the reasons I didn't review this excellent album before is because it's based mostly in atmospheres, keyboards and guitar jamming, and being that the songs are so similar, it's very hard to make a track by track review as I usually do.

The music as I said before has a strong Psyche PINK FLOYD influence, the guitar jamming is much less aggressive than Gilmour's but honestly more delicate and elaborate.

The organ is another issue, sounding incredibly close to the sound of "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" but in other moments with a strong resemblance to 666 by "APHRODITE'S CHILD", something very positive, because the pompous Greek Orthodox Canonic influenced music suits perfectly with an album based on a book about the fight of good against evil with an obvious religious background.

Before rating "The Lord of the Rings" I must mention the superb drumming work by "Rune Carlsson" whose perfect timing and dexterity with the cymbals is the spine over which the music is supported.

Not a masterpiece of Progressive Rock, but for sure an album that must be included in any Progressive Rock collection, so I will go with 4 solid stars.

#148

Mediterranean Tales
Triumvirat

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

Triumvirat stamp their authority on the prog scene of the 70s. The debut, "Mediterranean Tales", launches with an epic multimovement suite ‘Across The Waters’ that took up one side of vinyl in it's day. The Hammond solos by Jürgen Fritz are alluring, though the missing factor is the vocalist Hans Pape is not as good as Helmut, who joins later. There is a rather exuberant melody throughout and it twists and turns enough to satisfy the average prog addict.

The next track of note on side 2 is a sombre piece with a strange beginning, and hyper pulsating keyboards making the atmosphere quite dark, ‘E Minor 5/9 Minor/5’. The instrumental works exceptionally well as all Triumvirat instrumentals do, and this music is rather bleak in comparison to the uplifting music of other albums. The Hammond solo is well executed and precise, making this one of the best tracks on the album. The end is sublime with minimalist piano. This is a very atmospheric piece, and it bursts out again towards the end returning back to the disturbing pulse metrical pattern.

Another track worthy of mention is ‘Broken Mirror’, beginning with a piano, and then more layered keyboards. Hans Bathelt's drums are great especially the cymbal work. The song is as usual a work of virtuosity. The emphasis is on Fritz's keyboards. The time sig change after 2 minutes is delightful, the melody really takes off with a hypnotic riff, and amazing finger work on shimmering Hammond organ. Eventually lyrics are sung, with a fair amount of passion by Hans Pape. Overall the debut is a solid opening statement from one of the most innovative virtuoso German prog bands of the 70s.

 

A review by Ivan_Melgar_M:

In 1972 this German trio had the courage to start their careers releasing a semi conceptual album in a foreign language, and they did a great job. Often dismissed by critics as "B" class ELP clones, Triumvirat is far from being that simple, specially because Mediterranean Tales is a Symphonic album and ELP is a Classic Prog' band something absolutely different, we know of course "The Rat" and specially Fritz have some Emerson influences (they are declared fans of "The Nice") but their arrangements and lyrics are absolutely unique that deserve much more recognition than they got.

I must add that I believe Triumvirat at their peak is not less than ELP and most of the "big 5" prog' bands.

The founding members were Jürgen Fritz, Hans Bathelt and Werner Frangenberg but the third one decided to continue his career in a pop band, so he was replaced by Hans Pape, a talented bassist and very decent vocalist, this is the lineup that recorded Mediterranean Tales.

Incredibly the album starts with a 16 minutes multi part epic "Across the Waters" in which the band combines various classical influences that go from Baroque to Romantic, Jurgen Fritz is impeccable with his keyboards even when his German accent is hard to swallow by purists. A very good song and impressive starting point for a career.

"Eleven Kids" is a simpler song, which starts with a classical keyboard instrumental strongly supported by powerful bass and drums, but soon changes into a simpler tune where the band shows their pop side even when you can find some psychedelic fugues and classical chords, weaker than the previous but still a pretty good track.

"E Minor 5/9" is a more eclectic song with strange timing where bass and drums carry the weight of the music except in the middle section where a psychedelic keys semi solo breaks the repetitive rhythm and gives extra brightness, probably the track that reminds me more of The Nice or early ELP.

The original album ends with "Broken Mirror" which IMO is the best track because the band shows what their classical sound will be, incredible piano and complex structure that prepares the listener for Triumvirat's next two releases adding a jazz fusion section.

The Digital Remaster edition contains four more tracks "Be Home by Tea" (edition of part of the opening Track), an also edited version of "Broken Mirror" and two more songs ("Ride in the Night" and "Sing Me a Song") that probably didn't reached the original album due to the limitations of the vinyl format, but much weaker than the all the previous.

A very good album even when the band is not in the peak of their creativity that will be reached with Illusions on a Double Dimple and Spartacus. An excellent addition for any prog' collection and a must have for Triumvirat fans.

#149 - live

Pictures at an Exhibition
Emerson Lake & Palmer

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

“Pictures at an Exhibition” is an enjoyable romp in to the bombastic world of power trio ELP. It begins with off kilter time signatures that stop and start and clearly the band are having the time of their lives as they confound and dazzle the audience. Symphony music never sounded so good. ELP are able to create wonderful music and the live experience of their early sound is different than anything they have done before or since.

After a while all the majestic Hammond and Moog sweeps become challenging to the ear and one may long for some vocals. They come in on ‘The Great Gates Of Kiev’ which has become the greatest track to quote from as far as compilations of the band are concerned.

The album is best heard as an entire piece, but it is definitely not your standard ELP album. It is unique in that it is really a retelling of Mussorgsky's master work ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’, with a distinct rock interpretation.

The album has become one of the most discussed and revered of prog history and is a marriage of classical music meets rock. 

A review by Sean Trane:

As I said elsewhere, I dislike albums from Trace and Ekseption and Ars Longa Vita Brevis or Five Bridge Suite from the Nice for what I find to be useless and pointless reworkings of classical stuff. This album is the exception that confirms that rule but mostly because it is quite a daring and surprising rendition of Mussorgsky's major oeuvre and ranks up there along with Japanese-Real-Synthesizer-Wizzard Isao Tomita's version . Weird and daring idea to put lyrics to this stuff, and it does work in a strange ELP way. The end piece is a spoof/poke at Tchaikovsky Nut-Cracker and is also a pleaser. However this album usually takes a lot of heat from ELPheads but also with many people into classical music. I personally applaud the audacity of this adaptation.

Well done, boys.

#150 - live

Made In Japan

Deep Purple

 

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

Deep Purple's History Making Live Masterpiece.

Deep Purple's "Made in Japan" is one of the all time greatest immortal live albums in rock history. It features the band at their brilliant best and promoting their masterpiece albums "In Rock" and "Machine Head", both milestones in themselves. The lineup is the infamous Deep Purple lineup that has become rock legend; featuring on vocals the air raid sirens of high octave metal hero Ian Gillan, the pounding drums of Ian Paice, the guitar wizardry of Ritchie Blackmore, the keyboard magician Jon Lord and the wonderful Roger Glover, bass guitarist extraordinaire. The live performance features the best of the band to this point and these lengthy versions are even better than the studio renditions. The album hits the mark with a rocking start with the hard driving 'Highway Star', the kid sister of 'Speed King'. The dynamic interplay of guitar and organ is wonderful and draws the listener in as it builds into the first verse. "Nobody Gonna Take My Car, I'm Gonna Race It To The Ground, Nobody Gonna Beat My Car, It's Gonna Break The Speed Of Sound" The lyrics embody the essence of the revhead and live Gillan is able to use his power vocals to full effect. But it's all about the riffs for this band and Blackmore delivers everytime; the true metal progenitor of lead guitar finesse, becoming a guitar hero with this album.

'Child In Time' is next running or a whopping 12 minutes. The song is a masterpiece, but live it surpasses even the album version. Gillan explodes on vocals reaching ear splitting notes after a gentle start. The song builds into a paroxysm of thunderous guitar riffs and Lord's keyboards are incredible. It builds into heavier sections with massive keyboard sweeps and fret melting lead guitar. An amazing wall of sound is generated with the rhythm machine of Paice and Glover. Eventually it settles into a serene passage until the finale where all members of the band blaze away and lift off into the stratosphere with crunching chord changes and a freak out of shattering noise as Gillan moans the pangs of child birth; perhaps it represents the birth of heavy metal, and the band deliver.

'Smoke On The Water' follows, beginning with a terrific variation of the opening classic riff. It is the most recognizable riff in rock history that every guitarist knows. The actual thematic content is fascinating about how a "stupid with a flare gun" burned down the recording studio of Frank Zappa and the Mothers in Montreux. Now the event is immortalised forever in song. This will perhaps remain the all time greatest Deep Purple song especially due to the 7 note chord riff. The live version is sensational with a scorching lead break and Lord's shimmering keyboard attack.

'The Mule' follows next with a lengthy instrumental break, and the song runs out to 9 ½ minutes in length. Ian Paice drums up a storm on his Ludwig kit soloing for quite some time. His precision drumming and atmospheric arrangement has become a benchmark for drummers worldwide.

'Strange Kind Of Woman' is also lengthy at 10 minutes and is great to hear as it was one of the biggest singles or the group not available on studio vinyl during this time. It was a chance for the band to kick back and groove along to a pleasing riff. The section where Gillan imitates Blackmore's guitar is often quoted as a master stroke and was influential to many bands to follow. It sounds as though Blackmore was trying to trick Gillan but they trade off perfectly and it is amusing and part of the experience of the live set, reminiscent of Plant and Page of Led Zeppelin.

'Lazy' is a 10 ½ minute opus with tons of keyboard soloing and Blackmore insane on bluesy guitar. It is a terrific lengthy jamming track about a dude so lazy he just stays in bed. Lord is awe inspiring on the organ solo and it really showcases his skill.

'Space Truckin'' follows and clocks in at a mammoth 20 minutes. It is another of the quintessential DP tracks. The power riffs and grinding organ absolutely slam to the wall. The lengthy version originally took up an entire side of the double vinyl album. It features huge spacey solos with Jon Lord's Hammond and his experimental ring modulator sounds. He unleashes a furious tirade of powerful organ stabs as Glover maintains a consistent bassline with Paice backing on drums. The session lasts for almost 15 minutes and is technical and progressive while maintaining strong rock rhythms. The Hammond solo is based on 'Mandrake Root' from the early DP albums.

"Made In Japan" is a classic masterpiece that is one of the most famous live albums in history. Every track is killer and the band are at the peak of their powers. It is a testament of the greatness of Deep Purple in the early years of proto-metal and the progressive nuances throughout, with intricate time sig changes and lengthy jamming solos, make it the ultimate live album of 1972.

Edited by AtomicCrimsonRush - February 03 2012 at 19:32

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Edited by Snow Dog - January 14 2012 at 07:41