IKARUS

Ok, I embellished Bruce's lyrics, adding some good ole' fashion common sense for the safety of our younger generations. There was a good reason polyester was usurped by other materials for fashion dominance. Take that useful nugget of intel for what it's worth. May you live well and prosper. That aside, my fixation for music came into being around the same time as Piece Of Mind, but as of late, I've had a newfound appeal for locating older, eclectic vintage music. Recently, I've come across new sources for old Prog rock -- rare and lost from the 70s -- many of which never were released on CD. Older, dustbin finds like Ikarus put a smile on my face and a reward in my ears. Greater still, PA has already included many of these long forgotten gems already on this site. Groovy!

Ikarus is a German band with one, self-titled release back in 1971. They are similar to Focus, Colosseum, Van Der Graaf Generator, and Nektar. There's a slight psychedelic vibe in their rock direction, prevalent in many groups at the time -- 70s guitar and horns pairing with organ and synths, coasting on repeated musical themes. There are really nice sonic moments, memorable instrumental melodic lines and vintage atmosphere. The bass guitar also adds some really tasty voicings as well. Those listening to much Djent music as of late (like myself) will be blindsided, forgetting what a shiny strong bass line can even sound like and how it can color and propel the music. :)

A fun find and good for a few listens, one can understand how Ikarus may have gotten the cold shrug amongst the din of other great bands from the 70s. A bigger, heavier sound was starting to emerge from the heavyweight studios across the US and England. A strong emphasis was placed on the emerging rockstar, the centerfold vocalist with powerful pipes. It's hard to imagine this band keeping pace with that Led Zep sound, or coming in late to the marketing money behind such juggernauts as Genesis or Yes ' or any of the big 5 really. Looking back, one could see the writing on the wall for the band, but none-the-less, this is worth hearing at least once in your life.

With more music available to us today, let us take time to remember our past and the lesser-known musical forefathers. Obscured by the sands of time, there is still magic in their works. It would serve the newer generation well to uncover this past, and be mindful of just how far they've come, soaring in flight on the backs of past musicians who broadened the horizons. True, few are great, most are average, but like so many musicians, they were just simply trying to etch themselves into a brief moment in human history. It speaks well of us to briefly acknowledge their dedication and contributions in the pursuit of making the world a better place through music.

Wishful concert pairing (had I been alive at the time): Nektar or Colosseum, with Cathedral or Ginhouse as the opener.

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