WE'LL GIVE YOU A BUZZ

"Think" was a little known band from New Zealand which recorded only one album called "We'll Give You A Buzz" in 1976. Music on this disk sounds completely like early 70s British art/prog rock. When listening to this album you can immediately think about such bands as "Cressida", "Spring", "Fantasy", "Badger", "Mainhorse" or early "Yes". Just like these groups "Think" plays very melodic, sometimes laid-back prog-rock full of warm Hammond B-3 sounds which create this special classic 70s atmosphere.Seems that New Zealand is so far from Europe that these guys just didn't know that such music was already unfashionable and "démodé" when they started to play it. And thank God that they didn't realize it 'cos we can enjoy this great record!

1. "Light Tile" - album begins with Moog sounds over light percussion instruments sounds, some speaking voices, almost psychedelic atmosphere. But after a while song really starts and we can enjoy really good, catchy rock song in the best tradition of English formation "Cressida". Just like in aforementioned band's output whole song is based upon warm organ waves and supportive guitar licks.

2. "Look What I've Done" - another great song, this time much longer (8 and half minutes) and with more emotional vocal delivery. Nostalgic organ lines and weeping guitar are real trademarks here again. Hammond solo in the middle of the song is long enough to show Don Mills' skills on this instrument and Moog solo which is placed just after is another highlight. Besides previously mentioned British bands I can also hear hints of American prog groups like "Arcadium" or "Gypsy" (but I'm not sure whether "Think" ever listened to them, New Zealand is very far away from USA and they weren't so famous in their own country too...).

3. "Rippoff" - it's the weakest track on "We'll Give You A Buzz". Very far away from art rock formula of the rest Think's material. More or less it's just a boogie rock similar to staff recorded by German band "Birth Control" on their 4th album "Rebirth". Even these crazy-fast Moog solos can't help that the song is poor.

4. "Stringless Provider" - mini-epic (10+ minutes) of the album brings back progressive rock formula. Lots of discreet Moog synthesizer sounds but in general it's another organ-driven tune full of great atmosphere and memorable melodies. We can enjoy many Hammond & guitar solos here, with are played in a truly unpretentious manner. No showing off, just pure happiness from playin good music (but don't worry, when it's necessary organist knows how to make your blood to run faster...). Highly recommended!

5. "Big Ladies" - more pop/rock oriented composition but sang and played in such relaxing, charming manner that I can't help to like it. Song finishes with rather long, but definitely not flashy organ solo. Enjoyable staff.

6. "Our Children (Think About)" - another good, mostly slow/mid tempo song with quite powerful, almost symphonic Hammond B-3 solo and some Mick Box-like, wah-wah guitar moments. Good ending for this decent release.

In general, "We'll Give You A Buzz" is a very nice, entertaining gem from country which isn't well known from prog-rock scene at all. It's a shame that because of its inconvenient location this band "never made it" and disappeared after recording this one hidden diamond. If you like "Think" you should also check another 2 prog-rock bands from NZ islands: "The Cleves" & "Dragon" (first 2 albums) - both presented high quality, Hammond-drenched music back in 70s.

"We'll Give You A Buzz" is must have for organ-led (but non-ELP oriented!), unpretentious art/prog rock fans who like all of these early 70s, mainly British bands which I mentioned in the beginning. This music also reminds me of German band "Frame" and their only album - "Frame Of Mind". Both records presents such relaxing and refreshing music which can remind you about summer during these cold autumn days... Recommended staff!

Very solid 4 stars from me.

Being a huge fan of mellow easy breazy smooth organ drenched prog bands,like Fantasy , Cressida and Spring,I was extremely pleased finding another band fitting in to this category. Think absolutely does , and in spades.The title is very appropriate and is giving me a very nice buzz indeed.

Compliments to Ozzy Tom,who has made an extremely thorough review that I can only agree with.So read his review for details.

The track 'Ripoff' is as mentioned, the only track that kind of sticks out like a sore thumb,being more like a pub rock tune,that in it self is not that bad a track,but does not fit in here at all.Rest of the tracks are pure bliss and instrumentation is flawless.

**** If you are a Spring,Cressida and Fantasy fan.

But for prog general ***.

Nice dreamy cover by the way.Fits nicely.

Where Dragon left off when they left NZ, Think continued - this album reminds me so much of Dragon's Universal Radio. Like that album, it has it's roots in the organ-driven early British prog sounds of groups like Cressida etc, but also with a strong Beatles influence (particularly evident in the vocal harmonies of tracks like "Look What i've Done".) Generally it's prog-lite: laid-back, fairly straightofrward harmonically, only occasionally challenging rhythmically, and the longer pieces that exist are mostly extended jams - so an enjoyable listen, but not a hugely challenging one.

But again like Dragon, they also had one foot in the antipodean pub rock scene - that side of their personality given full reign in "Rippoff", a fairly straight-ahead rocker (although I too can hear the parallels with early Birth Control, in the guitar/keyboard harmonised riffs). That relative disappointment aside, this side of their musical personality finds expression in a somewhat more aggressive electric guitar sound than one would usually hear in bands of this kind.

Moments that lift the album for me:

- "Light Title", which manages to pack an amazing amount of contrast into quite a short running time, while remaining very accessible.

- The opening section of "Stringless Provider", which raises hopes that the band might stray into more symphonic territory, before the band settles into jamming over a shuffling groove and two sunny major chords for the most of the remaining ten minutes - having said that, it's a very enjoyable jam, just not the epic that one might have expected from the opening of the piece.

- "Big Ladies" - even though it's arguably the poppiest track, it's a nice laid-back groove with some enjoyable organ playing.

- The organ solo on final track "Our Children", which again brings a more symphonic influence to the fore. The keyboards are excellent throughout the album, but this track goes up a level