KESTREL

Interesting short lived british band that released just one album in 1975 and broke up soon after that. Listening to it is easy to understand why this record was not a hit, since the style is very much early 70´s pop with some prog overtones: vocalist Tom Knowles vice and style reminds a lot of that period and the instrumental parts are also very much in that vein, even though sometimes jazz influences do make them sound a little more different and bolder, but not much. In other words, they were too passé by the time the album was out. If it was in the market between 1970 and 1972 maybe their story would be quite different, but, alas, this was not to be.

And what about listening to their music today? Well, the songs are very pleasant and well crafted, but nothing here really stands out that much. The production is fine. Vocal harmonies again make me think of late sixties and early seventies bands (Wind Cloud clearly was the band trying to write their own version of The Doors Riders of the Storm, for example). I listened to the whole record without the feeling of skipping any track. Maybe it´s because I do like the style. And if you are a fan of that kind of sophisticated british pop it´s worth to give it a shot. Just don´t expect anything really symphonic or avant guard. I still find it hard to believe it was released in 1975 and not 1971 or 72. A sad case of late coming, that´s for sure.

Rating: good songs, but nothing essential, so 2,5 stars is the right rating for this one.