Canterbury Scene Music

I've reviewed five Canterbury Scene albums so far:-

Psychedelic Paul wrote: I've reviewed five Canterbury Scene albums so far:-   KHAN - Space Shanty STEVE HILLAGE - Fish Rising NATIONAL HEALTH - National Health QUIET SUN - Mainstream HATFIELD & THE NORTH - The Rotters' Club

siLLy puPPy wrote: Psychedelic Paul wrote: I've reviewed five Canterbury Scene albums so far:-   KHAN - Space Shanty STEVE HILLAGE - Fish Rising NATIONAL HEALTH - National Health QUIET SUN - Mainstream HATFIELD & THE NORTH - The Rotters' Club   If you only gave Rotter's Club 3 stars then you clearly don't understand the Canterbury Scene. That album is pretty much the pinnacle of the entire sound that evolved out of the Soft Machine / Caravan / Egg paradigm. Many albums lumped into the genre like Steve Hillage and Gong are really more psychedelic space rock. Canterbury Scene is a unique brand of jazz-rock with prog tendencies. Hatfield & The North's albums are THE quintessential examples of this sound. Keep listening. It hasn't revealed its secrets yet or you're not listening close enough.

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - January 22 2020 at 09:51

Grumpyprogfan wrote: siLLy puPPy wrote: If you only gave Rotter's Club 3 stars then you clearly don't understand the Canterbury Scene. That album is pretty much the pinnacle of the entire sound that evolved out of the Soft Machine / Caravan / Egg paradigm. Many albums lumped into the genre like Steve Hillage and Gong are really more psychedelic space rock. Canterbury Scene is a unique brand of jazz-rock with prog tendencies. Hatfield & The North's albums are THE quintessential examples of this sound. Keep listening. It hasn't revealed its secrets yet or you're not listening close enough. Agreed. In Paul's review of The Rotter's Club he apparently doesn't enjoy the silly lyrics, the song titles, and the jazzy, disjointed, complex arrangements and interludes. He prefers the melodic and harmonious sounds of Camel and Caravan to the "bizarre musical world" of Hatfield and the North. That's okay, but for me The Rotters Club is a masterpiece. Paul tries, but it is obvious he does not understand the Canterbury Scene.  I agree with Paul's opinion of Khan's Space Shanty but not his view of Hatfield and the North.

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - January 22 2020 at 10:08

I have much better access to National Health than to Hatfield and the North, and Rotters' Club is one of these "respect but not love" albums for me. Full of interesting stuff, but to my intuition not all of this makes musical sense. And I'm surely not somebody who needs stuff to be melodic and nice. Although maybe I've not listened enough to it either. Anyway, more intellectual & complex doesn't always mean better.

I mentioned them earlier on but I feel Needlepoint deserve a post of their own. These guys are quite simply brilliant. They absolutely nail that oh so elusive 70s feel both in chops and production.
Both Aimless Mary and The Diary Of Robert Reverie feel like lost classic Canterbury albums from around 1972. If you dig your Caravan, Hatfield and early Softs, you need to hear this band:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9H8BHGp0KfY

Edited by Guldbamsen - January 22 2020 at 12:21

Guldbamsen wrote: I love Rotters’ Club to death but I fully get why others don’t. Hell my best friend is all kinds of crazy for the Canterbury sound and has been for 15 years...yet he’s not wild about Hatfield & The North. He loves National Health though...which I always found extremely odd as both bands seem to straddle the looneybin outskirts of the Canterbury sound...which perhaps isn’t all that strange considering who is playing what

Agree. I totally get why others don't. I just find it strangets when someone reviews an album and can only state that they don't get it. Why even bother?

Anyone want to recommend the go-to album by Kevin Ayers (RIP)?

When I come to PA it is as an observer and not as a Prog aficionado, as I have eclectic tastes in music and Prog is part of that. I am friends with Psychedelic Paul and really appreciate his insight and excellent writing ability. He has reviewed albums I had no idea we're even out there, and have listened and enjoyed. But it didn't take five years for me to decide if it was something I could truly appreciate or pay good money for. Most of his reviews give me joy just to read because he has such a flair with his descriptions, is so in tune with what the album is about, and gives a history of the band members. Very interesting! I get a 360 degree view of the album. I have gone and listened to a good deal of the albums he has reviewed and now have a broader perspective of the musical horizon. I welcome genres that in the past I excluded out of ignorance and laziness. I really owe this to Psychedelic Paul, because it is he who helped me see and hear the plethora of Prog groups out there. I can't wait to discover more....just want to say to Guldbamsen, your comment about "straddling the looneybin skirts..." was hilarious! Keep it up, Paul. Your number one fan, FloydianPinkRose.

Rednight wrote: Anyone want to recommend the go-to album by Kevin Ayers (RIP)?

I think his first 5 albums are worth owning but singling one out rather depends on your tastes. The obvious is Joy Of A Toy which I love..but my two faves of his are actually Whatevershebringswesing and The Confessions Of Dr. Dream & Other Stories.