THE BRONDESBURY TAPES

When I think of proto progressive rock music, I think of Giles, Giles & Fripp. Others come to mind as well-- the Beatles, Syd Barrett, and Brian Wilson. But because GG&F's music was such a perfect blend of those recording artists, the trio seem the definitive proto-progsters with soft naivete, Britpop kitsch, and crooning quasi-psychedelic strangeness. Not to mention a vital link in the prog chain, being Robert Fripp's first real band and featuring proto classics like 'Tremolo Study in A Major', 'Suite No. 1' and 'Erudite Eyes'. As well, an early 'I Talk to the Wind' makes an appearance sounding not unlike the version made famous by Fripp's later project.

Fun and well-recorded, this collection from a session in 1968 after the making of their first record for Decca (The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp) is quite appealing... if you like primordial music. It is especially interesting if you have a penchant for the very earliest beginnings of progressive rock and it was during this period lyricist Peter Sinfield and multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald began working with the boys, later transforming into the legenary King Crimson. Some tracks such as 'Why Don't You Just Drop In' and 'Digging My Lawn' are shameless 1960s pop but others are sweet-sounding and carefully constructed like 'Under the Sky' with Judy Dyble's lovely soprano and McDonald's jazzy flute, the psycho- symphonic 'Murder', and the gorgeous arrangements and Beach Boys harmonies of 'Wonderland'.

This is not a record one pulls out to play very often and it is rife with so many cliches as to make it a spoof of itself, like some joke '60s band right out of This is Spinal Tap, vainly trying to fit in to a quickly disappearing fad, and doing it badly. But the music is thoroughly pleasant, well-produced and will make you giggle all at the same time. Very neat stuff.