FUTURE LEGENDS

Based in Northern Ireland, Fruupp were a progressive rock group who's story would sadly be cut short after just four albums, preventing them from becoming the 'Future Legends' they might have become. However, the music produced by this band is some of the most consistently brilliant prog this reviewer has ever heard!

The gatefold cover immediately betrays that this album is indeed progressive. The artwork, by bassist Peter Farrelly, is some of the most beautiful in prog history. This is one of those album covers you can keep coming back to and see something different! Fortunately enough, the music inside matches the high quality of the artwork.

The original tracklisting had eight songs, but the first and last tracks are both called Future Legends and bookend the album. The remaining six songs are little progressive gems that can be rediscovered again and again. All the songs on the record are less than 7½ minutes long, but this is really not a problem. The style of music is quite eclectic, ranging from the folky Old Tyme Future to the heavy Decision, the latter of which has a brilliant guitar solo. The band's influences are quite broad: the rock 'n roll instrumental of Lord of the Incubus contrasts greatly with the Wishbone Ash-inspired Song for a Thought. What comes across clearly when listening to the album is how energetic the band are. One listen to Graveyard Epistle and you'll know exactly what I mean. The band's compositional skill's are fantastic though, and songs like As Day Breaks with Dawn know just how to pull you in with quirkly little musical devices.

The latest reissue (from Esoteric) contains a song that was only released on the first 100 pressings of the album, On A Clear Day. I definitely recommend finding this reissue, as this track is probably my favourite of the lot. Having a sensational rhythmic verse, the song ends with a tribute to Gustav Holst by playing a segment from Jupiter on the guitar. The band would use classical influences regularly in songs to come.

The reason I enjoy this disc so much (and also why I'm giving it 5 stars) is that Fruupp know how to deliver music that I personally want to hear. This is progressive music with an edge. After such an energetic debut, the band would wind down for the second album, but retained the high quality of composition. Fruupp are a band that every prog fan should hear, and there's no finer place to start than this debut.

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