UK’s Debut Album
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9526
Printed Date: March 05 2025 at 12:10
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Topic: UK’s Debut Album
Posted By: sigod
Subject: UK’s Debut Album
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 10:58
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I've just been scanning the review section of the site and
was rather surprised to see exactly how many reviews (some scathing but mostly
glowing) of  ------------- I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision. - Clement Atlee, on Winston Churchill |
Replies:
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 11:13
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I was there. As far as I know they were but a ripple in the Prog Sea! Great album though! ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: sigod
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 11:14
It's as I thought. Thanks SD. 
------------- I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision. - Clement Atlee, on Winston Churchill |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 11:20
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Hi sigod I wasn't there. It's clear that I'm considerably younger than snowdog.... I bought this album about 5 years ago, and to be honest I've always struggled with it. Not sure why. I was never a massive fan of Wettons voice for a start. My feeling is that this was music for the sake of it. A group of famous very talented musos, in between bands - if that were the case - making some cash on the strength of their names, rather than on the strength of the material on the album. But it's all subjective, I guess. I'll give it another listern, because as you say many of the reviews are indeed glowing.
------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 11:37
| I was around when it came out and although most of my mates were into prog at the time, I don't remember anyone buying it. I bought it a few years later and didn't really like it. It just goes to show that putting the best musicians together doesn't neccessarily make the best music (take Ebony and Ivory, for example). |
Posted By: sigod
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 11:43
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Blacksword/Chopper I think this album might be a bit of a 'Blade Runner' in that it didn't seem to make a big splash at the time but has garnered more and more plaudits as the years have gone by. I've given it another spin today and I don't think it's that bad (I really like Holdsworth's contribution) but I'm not sure it's going to make it into my top ten any time soon. ------------- I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision. - Clement Atlee, on Winston Churchill |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 11:44
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I prefer the second album myself! ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 11:44
I was there too - give me your address privately SD and I might be tempted to send you the full page article Melody Maker wrote................ not supporting your case. As such, I've always felt UK to be the last of proper prog rock bands. I noticed too the latest 'scathing' review on the opening page of Progarchives in the last 48hours - everybody's entitled to their opinion - but that's not what I hear. I think Bill Bruford recently called Holdsworth's In the Dead Of Night solo the best he had ever heard - and considering the date of recording startling innovative |
Snow Dog wrote:Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 11:48
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I did say as far as I know. Anyway does a full page MM article make a difference? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 11:53
In my ever so humble  opinion the 1st UK album is very good. Maybe even among my top 10 of all time favourite albums.
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Posted By: Phil
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 11:53
| I remember waiting to buy the UK album at the time, but it was with mixed feelings because it was partly the result of the planned Wakeman/Wetton/Bruford collaboration being aborted. There was a fair amount of interest I seem to remeber but of course back in 1978 prog was definitely becoming uncool! |
Posted By: Infinity
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 12:01
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Great album if you ask me, not that you did of course... Vocal harmonies in abundance, guitar playing is incredible but it's that groove that shines through again..........now that's prog
------------- I can't remember what I said I lost my head. __________________________ |
Posted By: Dan Bobrowski
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 12:27
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I was 17 in 1978 when U.K. was released. From my perspective, it was an eye opener. I'd never heard of Holdsworth before then. I was floored by his work. Bruford and Wetton came from my favorite version of King Crimson. Bruford's drum tone and powerhouse roto-tom flourishes were brilliant. I saw Eddie Jobson with Zappa two years previous and was amazed at how un-restrained and creative he played in U.K. I've always dug violin in a rock context too. U.K. is one of my Desert Island picks. For me, it was all about time and place. The music you listened to in high school can be sort of timeless. U.K. was that for me. |
Posted By: DeathRow
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 12:42
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I issued a review of the album, in short this is my view on the album :D
UK U.K. Review (Permanent link) by PEACE OUT @ 4:49:19 PM EST, 8/2/2005 — Some nice moments, but basicaly it's an attempt at commercial mainstream succes, nothing wrong with that, but after reading some very excited reviews I expected something better. The vocals from John Wetton are alright, but it seems so flat and uninspired, he did better on Asia's debut, or with his participation on Uriah Heep. Holdsworth obviously is a great guitar player, but only on occasion does he let it rip, and adds more than just basic background noodling, combined with the synthesiser sound it is nice but not really exciting. Bill Bruford adds his five percent for nothing lay low drum rhythms to the mix, and wettons bass is hardly present. Harsh statement I can hear you all think, well maybe it is, but aside some good moments I am quite bored by this album. Let's see if I can find some light on this album, to counterpoint the negative vibes I've been giving this in nature fine band. For the most part U.K. plays a very accesable pop/jazz/fusion type of rock music, larded with pointy keyboard rhythmics, with some very fine guitar play on occasion. The Good songs 1. In The Dead Of Night, a poppish keyboard intro, with some nice bass and good singing from wetton, this song already reminds me of Wetton's later band Asia, but more focused on Jazz than the plain rock of that. 3. Presto Vivace and reprise, as the name indicates this song is actually a continuation from In The Dead of Night, so logically I find it equally good, well slightly better actually since the rock aspect of Holdsworth guitar are a bit more upfront. 8. Mental Medication starts very soft, but the instrumental section in the middle features some great guitar parts, very nice really. The rest of the songs each have some nice moments scattered through the songs, but bassicaly the most parts are quite boring. since the average rating is quite high, I might be missing something, but you can't like everything. try it if you like soft melodic pop/fusion, or Holdsworth guitar play, maybe you'll hear what I am missing. easier to copy-paste than restating what I already wrote ------------- PEACE OUT |
Posted By: xhouse
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 12:51
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I, too, was there. And like Danbo, I knew very little of Holdsworth (a lot of
"non-mainstream" stuff from the UK was not readily available back in the day) and was blown away but his contribution. Like a lot of us back then, we sensed something special was coming to an end...ELP was sputtering out. King Crimson had disbanded (for good we feared), Yes had not yet released Tormato, but was coming out of a period of upheavel and dumped Roger Dean (no small event in my eyes as the prog genre is defined by more than just the music, but by the entire sensory experience...covers of albums being very important), etc, etc. When UK came out, it seemed like someone out there still cared. Someone still wanted to produce something of interest. Maybe it has not aged as well as other albums from that time-I know I have not listened to it in years-but when considered in the context of its release, it was a very important album, and an ablum I look back on with fondness and gratitude. (Too bad Holdsworth is like the Larry Brown of prog...imagine if he could stick with one band for more than an album or two)(And check out K2... a great recent release) ------------- Between Thought and Expression Lies True Perception |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 15:21
| Although I was there when the album was released, I only got familiar with it much later - as a matter of fact, I bought it last year. Do I enjoy it? Yes and no - it's true that I don't listen to it very often, and when I do I have to be in the mood for sitting down and listening. The musicianship is amazing and I really like the first three song - a sort of mini-suite. I'm not a big fan of Wetton's voice (he's not in Greg Lake's league, though he tries to sound like him), but he sings rather well there. All in all, though, there are dozens of prog albums I definitely prefer. |
Posted By: sigod
Date Posted: August 04 2005 at 05:03
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This is great guys. I really had no sense of how the album was received
at the time and anecdotal evidence does paint a better picture for me.
I didn't know Jobson played for Zappa so that's one new thing to add to
my file of prog trivia. Danbo, I know what you mean by an album marking a time and place. PG III shares a similar place in my affections as the UK album appears to hold for your good self. ------------- I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision. - Clement Atlee, on Winston Churchill |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: August 04 2005 at 10:03
Since 1979 Allan Holdsworth has stuck to one band and independence - his own, (which more often than not, means he doesn't get publicity because there isn't a big record company nor publicity machine behind him), everything else is guest appearances, more often as not favours to friends in the music business. |
Posted By: holdsworth
Date Posted: August 05 2005 at 11:49
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I love this album. some of holdsworth's nicest and most memorable solos. Sure it's not the greatest album ever, but it is still great |
Posted By: tedfromtoe
Date Posted: September 22 2005 at 17:58
| I was there too... I picked it up at the time having recently become educated on King Crimson, so anyting with both Bruford and Wetton sounded good to me. I had never heard of Jobson or Holdsworth (was just getting into Roxy Music at the time and didn't recognize Jobson's name). I instantly loved the album, and thought that it would point the way for prog to come. Didn't happen. Instead Holdsworth & Bruford left, Bozzio joined, and Jobson tried to mold the band into another ELP (there was a recent ELP void) by forgoing guitar and focusing on organ for the 2nd album, Danger Money. Didn't work out that way and they folded. In the twilight of the 70's, UK was far and away the best prog being produced other than Happy the Man. I loved both UK albums but definitely the 1st self-titled is the most unique and ground-breaking. IMO Jobson had the chops of Emerson/Wakeman but the good taste and composing skills of Banks. Therefore to me, Jobson is the best prog keyboardist ever, personifying a combination of unbelievable chops, taste, and compositional skills. |