Canterbury Appreciation

Hi Tom. I know Amoeba Split and I already love them! Have you ever listened to Schnauser? I think there are even there a lot of Canterbury features. 

Classical Canterbury is something special... with no doubts!

Warthur wrote: I think part of the reason pure "Canterbury" releases have become a little thin on the ground comes down to the way people categorise this stuff. To a lot of people, "Canterbury" denotes those projects which involved a particular set of individuals - the ex-Wilde Flowers crowd and their collaborators - and those groups who succeeded especially well at emulating them, so as the original Canterbury crowd age and get less active the natural consequence is that there's less releases which clearly and obviously fall into the "Canterbury" category. It is possible to tease out a set of features that define a "Canterbury" sound, but these overlap with other prog subgenres a lot - lots of Canterbury groups presented a very particular take on fusion, for example. To my ears, there's a strong strand in RIO - especially groups which take their inspiration from Samla Mammas Manna or Henry Cow - of artists showing a strong Canterbury influence.

Have you heard the new Gong album "I See You"?

Personally, I think the best Canterbury album released in a long time is Ut Gret's Ancestor's Tale (my # 1 album for 2014). Though the band are from Kentucky, they have truly made Canterbury's distinctive sound their own, and without sounding derivative.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I was looking for this thread in order to post news about the third documentary in the Romantic Warriors series, wholly dedicated to the Canterbury scene. Micky and I had the privilege to attend a rough screening of the film at the end of December, and I can tell you that it will be a must-see for any Canterbury fan.

It's as cute and groovy as any other classic Caravan album, but it doesn't grab me as much as Do It All Over Again or For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night. And I think switching from having several semi-long medleys to a single sidelong epic wasn't something they were the most cut out for. 3/5 for me, prefer the albums that bookend it.

Horizons wrote: I know it has probably been mentioned and discussed in this particular thread, but I was curious on the general thoughts of In the Land of Grey and Pink by Caravan.  I just finished posting a review of it and to sum up my thoughts on it  "In the Land of Grey and Pink just falls flat for me. Their previous album "If I Could I'd Do It All Over Again.." is a dignified masterpiece, and my favorite Canterbury album, but I just get a sense that a lot of the magical melodies and Canterbury flair was all used up around the time of this record. A Side 1 plagued by monotonous compositions and a surprisingly annoying sound while Side 2 just can't keep the heat it builds up every so often, ending up with a semi-enjoyable but obviously 22-minute long composition. In the end I would recommend any other album from Caravan from their '68-'73 period." Anyone else agree?

Can't say I agree, but you've put forth a well-considered opinion.  ITLOGAP for me is an album of great moments, but it's not my favorite album from them. (For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night is my favorite).  I'd say "Golf Girl" is fun but after 25 years of listening its charm has worn a little thin; "Winter Wine" is probably the best track, and a winner straight through.  "Love to Love You" is good but not great.  The title track is another favorite - working more on a folk level than a prog level, but good all the same.  That one gets by on its moodiness and whimsical lyrics.  The sidelong suite on side 2 I have mixed feelings about.  I really love the jam that starts it off - the first 5-7 minutes or so.  I think what wins me over is the constantly climbing chord progression - a Canterbury trademark.  It goes through an unnatural number of cycles or phrases before hitting home again for the cathartic chordal resolution.  But then the song just turns into a so-so suite of semi-songs.  I dunno.  I typically just listen to the first part and shut it off.  Anyway, overall, it's a good album, even a great album in ways (legacy-wise), but I don't put it on a whole lot compared to other Canterbury albums.

Though I agree with If I Could Do.... being the better album in many respects, ITLOGAP has the gorgeous "Winter Wine" (in my view, Richard Sinclair's finest hour as a singer). I also love "Nine Feet Underground", which in my opinion is a better "epic" than many other celebrated examples of the genre.

Hi people, I need help

Rascal is more RIO or avant prog than Canterbury, no ?