SYNANTHESIA

The only album recorded by London based trio,Synanthesia,manages to incorporate several genres;Prog-Folk,Jazz,Blues and an unclassified genre all it's own. If there are similarities to other bands I would reference Jan Dukes de Grey,Dr Strangely Strange,Comus Heron and Forest. There is also a hint of Audience, VdGG.This is because of Jim Fraser's sax and flute playing style.

Les Cook's languid vocals, Dennis Home's vibraphone and Jim Fraser's sax and woodwinds create an eerie,dream-like quality. Always in the background is the sound of strummed and delicately picked washes of acoustic guitar.

The albums starts vibrantly with the psychedelic sounding 'Minerva'.The psychedelic feel crops up through out the album.Not in a freak-out style of psych but more 'Donovan-esque'. 'Morpheus' has an odd quality.Sounding like a cross between something from Comus's First Utterence album.The sax sounds like a cross between Keith Gemmill (Audience), David Jackson (VdGG) and David Bowie!

The album also has it's 'English-whimsy' moments.I have already mentioned Donovan.I could also throw in Tyrannosaurus Rex and early Kevin Ayers for good measure. All in all,this album should be recognised as an Acid/Prog-Folk gem.Maybe not quite as ' up - there ' with Comus or as 'out-there' with Jan Dukes de Grey but they were definately on a similar flight path.

RCA's lack of promotion put paid to a follow up album.Each member going hisr own way when the band split in 1969. Ironically David Bowie,the man who they are rumoured to have been a backing band for,signed for RCA that same year.

Hmmm. I wonder...