HAPPY ENDING (OST)

In C and the 1969 version of A Rainbow in Curved Air / Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band are constantly discussed for good reason and highly regarded too. Happy Ending isn't discussed or talked about much which is too bad, this is every much as good and essential. This is a soundtrack to a French film called Les Yeux Fermés and was recorded at the world famous Strawberry Studios at the Château D'Hérouville in France where everyone from Elton John to Magma had recorded there. This recording is all by Terry Riley himself, no ensemble like on In C, honestly it doesn't stray too far from the Rainbow in Curved Air template. "Journey From the Death of a Friend" has similar overlapping organ patterns although at a calmer and slower pace. Moog, Farfisa electric piano (sounds like it to me) and even some standard piano is used here. The title track starts off similar to "Poppy Nogood" with similar use of wind instruments, but then instead of a constant organ drone it's nice spacy organ that doesn't stay in one place. At the end is some rather jazzy piano. I find this album better than the other 1972 album he put out, Persian Surgery Dervishes as it's less repetitive and more going on.

I am really bewildered why this never got released in the States? I can understand that Columbia Masterworks wasn't exactly known for film soundtracks, but this was on Warner and could have been easily released in the States. For me this is one of his most "proggy" albums and a truly wonderful album to have.