THE ROTTERS' CLUB

Hadn't heard it since the late seventies when my illegally recorded cassette tape finally gave up the ghost after many hundreds of plays. I have often wondered if I would still enjoy listening to it all these years later but thought I would never find out until a friend (recently reunited - you know where!) sent me a copy of the album. It sounds every bit as good as it did then, excellently conceived and crafted with superb musicianship and vocals. The rating says it all!

Hatfield's second album's title prompted longtime fan and writer Jonathan Coe to name his best-known book The Rotters Club in describing what was a youth's life in the mid-70's in Birmingham's working class neighbourhood. An excellent book and a recommended read, but not affecting a single bit this album's music or existence, if only giving it a bit more of light. With a weird 50's-like pin-up decorum on the front cover and a crazy semi-mythical drawing/picture of the said Rotters Club on the back, the same unchanged quartet apparently made this "better" second album for a fraction of the cost of their debut album. Outside the returning of The Northettes vocal trio, two more Henry Cow members guest here ( Lindsey Cooper and Tim Hodgkinson), while Mont "Egg " Campbell and Bother Jimmy (Hastings) replaced Leigh and Bloomdido, all four on wind instruments..

Opening on one of Hatfield most conventional song, Share It, Sinclair plays around telling us please not to take it seriously, a fast tempoed tune ending on rather modern Moog sounds, as if Emerson was toying with them, but it is definitely Stewart's playing. Next up is Miller's jazzy Louging There, trying is a superb guitar-lead piece that is almost uncommon to hear him take such a frontman's role? But Phil is on a roll and he almost becomes bigger than Fripp with the Yes/No Interlude over a fuzzed organ and odd wind instruments first than a Fender Rhodes next. Fitter is back in his bath (remember the non-album single) and Sinclair closes the A-side on the superb Didn't Matter Anyway.

The flipside opens on Miller's Underdub, but this piece is a Fender Rhodes-dominated piece where Stewart adapts to Miller's constant key changes and Brother Jimmy chimes in with a superb flute. The other track on the flipside is the Mumps suite. Mumps!! We're there!! We've gotten to Hatfield's crowning achievement, their magnum opus, their meisterwerk uber alles! Starting over just a very calm and subdued Rhodes and distant Northettes choirs, then abruptly falling into a pit filled with tricky time sigs, demented drum patterns, wild fuzzed-out organ and a fantastic bass, able to tackle lead and rhythm at once. Miller is there too, but in the background, waiting for quieter moments (usually when Stewart reverts to the Rhodes) to shine in his own manner. The Northettes then lead us to the more Caravan-)esque moment of the two Hatfield album, even if it's clear than I should say Caravan-plus in this case. Solid, intense, but wait until the end of Lumps when everyone but Pip goes contrapuntal and Richard plays with the alphabet. A tad later Brother Jimmy gives up sax bumps down our spine into a fade-out. The group takes up again on a stunning Rhodes line, before cooling it up directly with Jimmy's flute and a cool moody almost spooky (but beautiful) jazz-rock that will slowly bring back the organ and the Caravan-plus of the previous movement?.this time with sax. Grandiose. A fitting exit for a short-lasting band

The bonus tracks on the Virgin re-issue are again a tad different than the ones of the newer Esoteric reissue, the first three on Virgin being modified, but the last two tracks being themes from Matching Mole with their titles being anagrams of their previous version. Rooters Cluc is simply an excellent album, whether looking just over the Kent county or overseeing the full prog spectrum. Not flawless, but bettering it would prove an impossible task.

Although not as good as their first album, this one is nonetheless a good followup. Dave Stewart's extended suite "Mumps" is the favoured draw, although I must admit that I like Pyles and Sinclair's songs as much or better (Fitter Stoke Takes a Bath is excellent, and the best song on the album in my mind). Not as musical as the first album, I find I put this one on the turntable much less often. However, those who like complexity will definately like "Mumps" - I just find it a tad tedious.

The best album from an all-star game of Canterbury musicians, as Richard Sinclair from CARAVAN, Pip Pyle from GONG, Phil Miller from MATCHING MOLE & DELIVERY, Dave Stewart from EGG, KHAN & ARZACHEL, and luxurious guests as Mont Campbell from EGG, Tim Hodgkinson of HENRY COW, and Jimmy Hastings on the flutes. Can we add something more? Only that "Mumps" is simply one of the best musical moments ever written in all history ever.

Hatfields best album by far, and a showcase for the talents of Dave Stewart and Richard Sinclair. A strong current of absurd humour and gaiety runs throughout the whole disk, but the musical content is impeccable and I presume it must have taken quite some time to compose. Rotters Club is both a superbly funny and challenging ride at the same time, and is highly recommended to anyone that have an interest in prog but dislike the seriousness and pomposity of ELP and Yes.

WOW!! this sample song presses all my buttons at once!

Going to get this CD asap. Sounds to these ears like the missing link between Gong and Prefab Sprout, but cleaner than Gong - in more ways than one. The production is awesome too, can't believe this is from 1975, even allowing for re-mastering.

Wish this totally rockin website was about when I was at school ...kids today don't know they're born eh?!

This is the second and final album by one of the big name Canterbury bands. In my opinion, I think the cover artwork is total crap. Having a picture of a lady with a stereotypical 1940s Hollywood hairdo just doesn't seem appropriate for an album like this. On the back is a picture of a bunch of people, including kids (one of the kids I swear looks like Richard Sinclair as a 3 or 4 year old).

Now lets get with the music. The opening cut is "Share It". Very untypically HATFIELDS, in fact it sounds a whole lot more like CARAVAN circa "In the Land of Grey & Pink". A short, straight to the point pop ditty, with some rather quirky, uniquely English lyrics, with a wonderful synth solo from Dave Stewart himself. Now for most of the rest of the album, well, it's progressive fusion, but in my book, it's been done already on their debut. "Fitter Stoke Has a Bath" is a fascinating piece, it starts off lighthearted, with Richard Sinclair's singing, by the end, they band gets more experimental, and even a little Mellotron pops up. "Didn't Matter Anyway" is another vocal cut, mainly a Richard Sinclair ballad that almost sounds like something off CAMEL's "Rain Dances". Although a notch below their debut, this is still a recommended album for the Canterbury music fan.

Most of "The Rotter's Club" is classic Canterbury (which I personally define as British fusion), so if you're a fan of the style, you either already own or definitely should own this seminal work. "Lying and Gracing", for instance, is tasteful, talented jazz-rock, as are the fuzzy guitar parts and tinkling electric piano solos on "The Yes No Interlude", part of a continuous piece of music which bridges much of the first side. "Mumps" is a good mix of smooth and discordant sections, punctuated by sweet vocal harmonies and some killer bass playing; also, Sinclair's understated, witty singing compliments the tasteful instrumental performances. Other notable vocal tracks: "Share It", an interesting and intelligent jazz song (with a classic 70s synth solo); On "Fitter Stroke Has a Bath" and "Halfway Between Heaven and Earth" he sings and scats with a more lighthearted feel, the former getting almost psychedelic as it fades into "Didn't Matter Anyway", which has a simpler, softer, more melodic texture. I'm not sure why "(Big) John Wayne" and "Chaos" are repeated, although both lead well into their respective following tracks. Songs like "Underdub" and "Lounging There Trying" are lighter jazz grooves, quite pleasant if somewhat unremarkable to my ears. If you like Sinclair, this is the next logical step in the evolution of the jazzier elements of "Land of Grey and Pink", "Waterloo Lily" etc... personally, I'm not a big fan of either Canterbury or CARAVAN, but even I recognize and respect the work here; three stars as a progressive rock album, but would easily deserve four or five in a dedicated Canterbury setting.

There is a word the British use (actually, overuse...) that truly describes this album: lovely. Lovely in its execution, lovely to listen to. Using a variety of Canterbury-style arrangements and instrumentation, "The Rotter's Club" runs the gamut from 3-minute masterpieces to 7-minute (largely successful) experiments. "Share It" opens the album with a lovely (...) 3-minute composition which, although wordy (in classic Sinclair style), is what all 3-minute songs should be: beautifully constructed, nicely lyrical, and a pleasure to listen to. "Lounging There Trying" is an equally wonderful 3-minute, jazz-influenced instrumental. The "Big John Wayne/Chaos/Yes No Interlude" mini-suite is largely a jazz- rock jam, with some excellently Frippish guitarwork from Miller, complemented by Pyle's always excellent playing. "Didn't Matter Anyway," a pretty composition, is followed by another excellent jazz-rock instrumental, "Underdub." The lengthy "Mumps," although less successful than the rest of the album, includes some particularly nice sections. The rest of the compositions range from good to excellent.

Given that three of Hatfield's founding members (guitarist Phil Miller, drummer Pip Pyle, keyboardist Dave Stewart) went on to form National Health a few years later, it would be tempting to call this "National Health, Part 1." However, Hatfield is a "textbook" example of the Canterbury school, while National Health leans more heavily toward the members' prog-rock and experimental influences (though not without some Canterbury-like jazz touches). However, this is simply a testament to just how diverse Miller, Pyle and Stewart could be.

As noted, a truly lovely album that will remain on rotation in my CD player for a bit.

The five stars should not be used for many records, but this is without doubt a record that deserves it. Hatfield and The North mastered the Canterbury project by being both fun and intelligent, indeed very difficult. "Share It" is one of a few prog. songs that actually has hit potential while being both very simple and highly intricate at the same time. This album will grow on you - and you will grow addicted to it - if you give it the time it deserves.

What Can I say about this band . This is one of the 10 more beautiful masterpieces around the times for ever and ever. Ladies and gentlemen , the gods of music before all of us To get this album is an obbligation for everybody in this life and in this world

Well ,other fusion bands should really learn from this album. "The Rotters Club" has been forgotten and so are Hatfield and the North. But when I heard it this was a real suprise. I really like the lyrics of this album, escpecially the "Alphabet Song". "Mumps " and "Fitter Stoke has a Bath" are my favorites. This could be the most classic Cantebury album from all time. All the musicians come from other Cantebury groups ( e.g. Richard Sinclair from Caravan). This is very outstanding album ant Hatfield and the north´s greatest achievement.

Essential - Recommended!

I rarely do "impulse" reviews, being the type that likes to study, analyse and break apart all music into its constituent components, and then rebuild it in an analytical and comparative way. However I bought this album today, and have listened to it just the once - which was enough to make me want to extol its virtues!

While a few comparisons can't really be helped, this turns out to be an album that I simply don't want to analyse, because I have listened and enjoyed the near-perfection in it's aural beauty. It is music and lyrics full of imagery, gorgeous, abstract expression, subtle details and washes of velvety sound - kind of like listening to a painting by Monet.

Comparisons may be quickly and easily drawn to Gong, Van der Graaf Generator, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Focus - particularly Jan Akkerman's solo material, and plenty of others, including Camel... and yet it's more typically Canterburian in the soft-focus jazz patina that is deliberately but gently disrupted by sudden but fleeting darker moods. In other words, not simply a "nice" album; rather one with the kinds of satisfying lights and shades that keep it interesting.

An album like "The Rotter's Club" could be described on a track-by-track basis, but I feel that would be like describing a good book on a chapter-by-chapter basis. For this is the aural equivalent of a damn good read - and one to revisit. Not a masterpiece, as there is nothing particularly ground-breaking, not completely spell-binding - but nonetheless captivating in its own gentle way, and absolutely exquisite music, with a quality that is almost tangible.

I would say that this is an essential for fans of the jazzier realms of prog, those who like Gong, and anyone who simply fancies having a good prog album to chill out to instead of one that ties your neural network into knots. This is not an album to impress your friends with your eclectic tastes, or drive you into a wild frenzy - but utterly perfect in its own right, and an excellent addition to any collection of prog.

Highly Recommended!

This second and final album by Canterbury supergroup (is there any other kind?) Hatfield And The North allowed the lads to retire as undefeated champions of the genre. The only mark against them might be that other groups had invented this sort of music first, but of course Richard Sinclair (lead vocals/bass), Phil Miller (guitar), Dave Stewart (keyboards) and Pip Pyle (drums) had all been parts of those seminal groups like Caravan, Gong and Egg before they formed Hatfield And The North.

The Rotter's Club takes off pretty much where the debut left off, except that instead of drawing a listener in with clever sound effects, the group takes off at full throttle. The one-two opening combination of Share It and Lounging There Trying establishes that the group's collective fire (and ice-cold "cool" when it is called for) burns as brightly as ever. The same formula of short jazzy ditties (the subtly heart-breaking Didn't Matter Anyway and the afore-mentioned first two tracks), sound-effect pieces ((Big) John Wayne Socks Psychology On The Jaw) and storming jazz-rock epics (The Yes No Interlude and the full version of Fitter Stoke Has A Bath) is repeated to equal effect. Incidentally, Halfway Between Heaven And Earth and Oh Len's Nature! may be bonus tracks but they certainly add to the quality and feel of the overall album

And then there's the real bonus of Mumps. A 20 minute, four part humdinger of a song that startly slowly (and dwells for a little while in the Land of Pointless Noodling) before exploding into a masterly exhibition of musicianship and composition. As with the first album Dave Stewart is perhaps the most ear-catching of the quartet, but Miller runs him pretty close at times.

The guest musicians on this occassion include flautist Jimmy Hastings, Egg's Mont Campbell on French Horn and the Henry Cow duo of Tim Hodgkinson on clarinet and Lindsay Cooper on oboe and bassoon as well as a trio of female backing vocalists that include Amanda Parsons (who also sang on the first album). Hastings in particular adds colours to this album that weren't present on its predecessor.

Three decades on, Hatfield And The North might seem like just another footnote to the Canterbury scene, but their two albums are living proof of a unique congregation of fully-formed sympathetic talents that deserves to be heard in its own right. ... 78% on the MPV scale

Hatfield and the North's THE ROTTER'S CLUB is a prime example of early English jazz fusion in the Canterbury vein. Dating from 1975, this fine album predates the advent of National Health (Hatfield's Phil Miller, Pip Pyle, and Dave Stewart would go on to found that outfit), and other somewhat similar British fusion acts like Bill Bruford (his early solo material) and Brand X. Thus, though Hatfield and the North certainly did not invent jazz fusion, they were early arrivals to the scene, and deserve some extra credit for that.

As with Canterbury in general, THE ROTTER'S CLUB is earmarked by electric and eclectic jazzy experimentation, and frequently humourous, slightly off-kilter lyrics delivered in a dry, tongue-in-cheek manner. Diverse instrumentation like vibes, brass and flute (plus female backing vocals) often accompany the core of guitar, bass, drums, synths and electric piano to further enrich the sound. Others have drawn parallels between this album and Caravan's IN THE LAND OF GREY AND PINK, and I would agree that the similarities, especially in the vocals of bassist Richard Sinclair, are there -- we even get some Caravan type "underwater" vocal effects on the wonderful "Fitter Stoke Has a Bath " and "Halfway Between Heaven and Earth." (In passing, I'd like to note, for all those familiar with English folk, that Sinclair sounds uncannily like onetime Steeleye Span member Martin Carthy -- perhaps they are from the same region of England.)

Overall then, I find this disc to be a pleasant and ever-engaging listen -- a very nice way to while away fifty minutes. It is well suited to mature, and/or open-minded listeners who don't shy away from jazz, delicacy, and whimsy in their progressive music. Don't expect to find overmuch of the more grandstanding, high-speed type of fusion typified by genre pioneers like Mahavishnu, Return to Forever, Al DiMeola and Jeff Beck here; this stuff will not likely blow you away, or prompt you to reach for the old "air" guitar -- though there are a few sections of "rocking" power. Instead, try this on a mellow Sunday morning (as your reviewer is currently doing), or with a cocktail or two on a laid-back evening. THE ROTTER'S CLUB is unobtrusive enough to provide grown-up (but interesting) atmosphere for a dinner party, but will easily withstand being turned up for closer listening when alone.

I heartily recommend this little mid-Seventies treasure to all Canterbury fans. Come down to THE ROTTER'S CLUB for some classy, quirky, and imaginative fusion! Pip pip -- cheerio!

I couldn't stand the so-called Canterbury genre when I was younger, but I can listen to it these days. Jazz-rock fusion is basically what this album sounds like to me, and it's pleasant in places. Sinclair has a nice, friendly voice that fits this laid-back type of music, although I'm not too keen on his slight accent, especially as he seems to be feigning it rather (but perhaps I'm doing the guy an injustice). The lyrics are often complete nonsense; some might call them humorous, but to me they're mostly just silly, albeit inoffensive.

'Share It' has nonsense lyrics and an infectious tune. Try not tapping your foot or humming to this. Nice fat keyboard solo midway too. My favourite track of the album, and I don't care if it is the accessible one. The album title is mentioned in this track without any clue as to what it means. Did the Rotters' Club in Liverpool inspire the album title? Anyway, this is the sort of song I would be listening to in my hammock with a beer on a summer afternoon.

'Lounging There Trying' is an instrumental with electric piano and some nice guitar and bass.

'(Big) John Wayne Socks Psychology On The Jaw' pleasantly and rapidly segues into the equally short 'Chaos At The Greasy Spoon' - that distorted guitar sounds almost STEELY DAN-ish - which segues into 'The Yes No Interlude' with some distorted (and, to me, annoying) organ to start, and groovy sax. Think fast tapping drumsticks, meandering sax and some repetitive keyboard. Not so much fun to my ears until the keyboard comes back in, and then it becomes enjoyable again, although the piece is a little too like noodling for my liking.

'Fitter Stoke Has A Bath' is another song with silly lyrics, but pleasant nonetheless, and my second-favourite track on the album. The lyrics are so daft that they sound like Sinclair is making them up as he goes along. It's quite amusing when he starts singing through water ("I'm drowning in the bathroom")! The refrain is very melodic and overall I enjoy this song. Some nice flute and high-pitched male scat over the top of the electric piano. The end of the track becomes purely instrumental with lots of spooky keyboard chirps and whirrs, bubbling away and seguing into 'Didn't Matter Anyway', which consists of Sinclair singing over meandering flute about a break-up. An 'OK' song, quite atmospheric with the floating flute and other instruments in the background towards the end of the track, but nothing special.

'Underdub' is another electric piano-redolent upbeat instrumental that bops along nicely with snares and cymbals tapping away in the background, plus some flute too. The kind of track that would be playing quietly in a plush restaurant or bar.

'Mumps' is the epic track of the album, clocking in at 20 minutes. An instrumental for the first half, it starts off with occasional female vocalisations backing electric piano. At 2 minutes it suddenly ups tempo, and distorted guitar and electric piano come in with a nice thumping bass, again with the tapping drumsticks and snares. The keyboard is a little too distorted at times for my liking, but the piece is generally very good (and the keyboard is very good in places). Nice guitar riff now and again. These guys can really play, that's for sure. They rock it up nicely, and the track is a real foot-tapper at times. Sinclair comes in about halfway through for a couple of minutes and the nonsense lyrics ramble on sedately. The sax also puts in an appearance and the song meanders along like a punt on the Isis, with female vocalisations and flute also lending a hand. The riff that kicks in a couple of minutes from the end of the track is sublime. It's mood music, really, but I'm not complaining.

'(Big) John Wayne Socks Psychology On The Jaw' again segues into 'Chaos At The Greasy Spoon' and into 'Halfway Between Heaven And Earth'. More of the same, and although it's still nice, and still laid-back, I find the album starts to get a tad boring at this point. Fortunately Sinclair sings again in 'Halfway Between Heaven And Earth'. It's not a bad tune, although no masterpiece. More bubble blowing sounds as in 'Fitter Stoke Has A Bath'. Nice keyboard solo near the end as the track fades out.

The instrumental 'Oh, Len's Nature' starts heavy and sombre, with distorted guitar, keyboards and thumping bass.

'Lying And Gracing' is another instrumental - this time live - also with some distorted guitar and organ. As it progresses it starts to sound more like a jam than a planned track, but it's quite good; the sort of thing that would be playing on stage in a smoky fusion club.

Well, I'm conscious that this is a well-known and popular album. The production is very good and it's a delight to listen to from that point of view. The whole thing is pleasant and the musicianship evident. I can listen to the album easily if I'm relaxing, either taking it in or as background music. It's not something that I personally would rush out to buy, but I can understand why many rate it highly. To me it's a good album and I will settle for 3 stars (Good, but not essential).

The true beauty of this album, some earlier reviewers suggest, only emerges after repeat listening. After listening three of four times I certainly began to appreciate the subtleties of the music and the skills of the players. Although the musical constructions are often complex and frequently innovatory, the album remains accessible and generally pleasing to the ear. However, repeat listening also led me to draw some negative conclusions. Despite it's innovations and craftsmanship, the album only amounts to a form of progressive-jazz kitsch that is, at best, innocuous and at worst irritating. Too often the music slips into a meandering and inoffensive waffle that did little to grab my attention or excite any emotion other than indifference. The lyrical 'whimsy' is not especially humorous and the mock cockney accent of the singer is slightly embarrassing although otherwise tolerable. The album certainly has its virtues and I can appreciate its influence upon later progressive rock bands. But, ultimately this is a piece for progressive-rock connoisseurs and not essential listening.

Hatfield and the North's entire album "the Rotter's Club" has been stored in my musical memory ever since it came out- (and that´s when I bought it). It has been so far the ONLY musical entity that I can reproduce without making any sound. That is why it has been so important to me, under a variety of circumstances, on thousands of different locations and occasions....and therefor receives my 5 star rating.

blind coyote

This album has a strong character in which the composition brings the music from energetic Canterbury style into slower and quieter passages with excellent organ solo, stunning guitar fills, French horns, combined with unique singing style. The music is floating and it flows smoothly from beginning to end. "Share It" is an energetic song with unique melody and powerful voice line by Richard Sinclair who also plays bass guitar, with excellent rhythm section. The keyboard solo in the middle of the track is really stunning. "Launging there Trying" starts off with skilled and highly improvised guitar work that moves from medium to complex arrangements combined with inventive organ work at background. It's an enjoyable track. "Chaos at The Greasy Spoon" features wonderful improvisation of electric organ and guitar fills. The music turns into a bit of funk with a complex French horn maneuver. The guitar solo continues the music stunningly with relatively fast tempo background music in jazz-rock style. The music slows down in giving a chance for horn solo in avant-garde style. Wow! It's a nice improvisation segment. Bass guitar also demonstrates its solid and inventive lines. In some segments there are distorted organ / guitar sounds that have made the song more enjoyable.

Overall, it's a rewarding experience enjoying the beauty of this album's composition where the music flows in Canterbury to avant-garde styles combining great organ (the main characteristic), stunning guitar accentuated with French horns, tight bass lines and dynamic drums. Keep on proggin' ..!

masterpiece that brilliantly leaves the name for the British rock that can be called one piece that dependence of representing the Canterbury rock also represents the Progressive rock. This music that makes a crossing over sound a starting point is firmly succeeded to NATIONAL HEALTH and the jazz-rock of Europe.The last masterpiece is a masterpiece into which all of this group are poured. However, it is a too little that there are only two albums of this band.

Together with Caravan's "In the Land of Grey and Pink", this is possibly the masterpiece of the so-called Canterbury sound. More accomplished than the band's self- titled debut album, it shares most of its basic features, but the level of musicianship is even higher, with Dave Stewart's stunning keyboards more in evidence at the expense of The Northettes' vocalising (which is, in my opinion, less brilliant here than on its predecessor). The four musicians form an extremely tight unit, their instruments blending seamlessly in a harmonious whole, further enhanced by the (unfortunately few) vocal interludes, courtesy of Richard Sinclair's golden voice. The presence of horns and other wind instruments is strong, though less improvisational-sounding than on the debut, adding to the more sophisticated feel of this album.

"The Rotters' Club" opens with one of the most infectious, hummable songs ever, the delightful "Share It" - living proof of how you can have a song which is at the same time accessible and intelligent. The lyrics by drummer extraordinaire Pip Pyle may not be deeply meaningful (although I have read somewhere that they are about sex), nevertheless they are very entertaining and superbly interpreted by Richard Sinclair - which is no mean feat, as all the songs on this album require quite a bit of technical skill. Pure instrumental bliss follows, with the interplay between the four musicians quite stunning in its smoothness and ease. The rythm section of Pyle and Sinclair is among the tightest, more inventive I've ever heard, giving such luminaries as Squire and Bruford a run for their money. "The Yes-No Interlude" flows into the quirky "Fitter Stoke Has a Bath", complete with funny underwater effects and Sinclair's deadpan delivery, which in turn fades into the wistful, melancholy "Didn't Matter Anyway", accompanied by Jimmy Hasting's sweetly mournful flute.

The album's pièce de resistance is, however, the 20-minutes-plus Dave Stewart epic "Mumps", a complex, meandering composition which features wordless vocal harmonies from The Northettes, monumental keyboard work from Stewart and a shorter vocal section with whimsical, nonsense lyrics, known as "The Alphabet Song". The five bonus tracks (which first appeared on the band's posthumous album "Afters") include the energetic instrumentals "Oh, Len's Nature" and "Lying and Gracing" and Sinclair's beautiful "Halfway Between Heaven and Earth", another vocal tour de force for prog's great unsung hero. Why he is always forgotten in "best vocalist" polls is really beyond me.

Some people have berated the album's sleeve, though I must admit to liking it - and it also goes very well with the music. I don't think a Roger Dean cover would have suited the musical content at all.... As to the lyrics, they're funny and uplifting, squarely in the tradition of English nonsense verse. Like its predecessor, "The Rotters' Club" is not the kind of album that everybody will like immediately, but there's no doubt that it's one of the best examples of what prog is all about. Get hold of it and enjoy - you won't regret it.

Canterbury crosses London, and heads up the A1.

I must admit to having trodden rather warily when it came to investigating the music of Hatfield and the North, my concern being that their brand of Canterbury music would be more Soft Machine than Camel/Caravan. Those fears were, I'm glad to say, largely unfounded. In many ways, "The rotters club" sounds like a lost Caravan album, especially through the distinctive vocals of Richard Sinclair. That said, this album leans more towards the "Waterloo Lily" side of Caravan than their more rock influenced albums.

While the tracks range from the absurdly brief ("Chaos at the Greasy Spoon") to the progtastically long ("Mumps"), this is very much an album to be heard as a whole. The songs generally merge together, although bizarrely the aforementioned "Mumps" fades mid track, then restarts as a different piece of music. Barbara Gaskin, wife and long term professional partner of Dave Stewart, adds some effective vocals to this track, along the lines of Annie Haslam's work on Renaissance's "Prologue" album.

In stark contrast to Stewart's work with Egg, there's a real diversity to the lead instruments used here, and thus to the sounds and colours of the album. With so many virtuoso performers in the line up, the lead instrument changes with sometimes indecent frequency.

Those who appreciate the Canterbury sound and style will find much to their liking here. While for me, for me the music sometimes drifts too far into Jazz territory, the album as a whole is well constructed, and highly enjoyable. Caravan fans in particular will find this to be a home from home.

Interestingly, although H&TN are considered to be a Canterbury act, their name comes from the opposite side of London, being the taken from a sign on the A1(M) motorway.

It's rare to have to many people agree on an album - but this one has been consistently branded as a masterpiece. I would like to add my voice to the chorus of approval. This album has all the elements of a great progressive rock recording - tight playing, lengthy instrumental interludes, whimsy and imagination in lyrics and composition, wide range of instruments including winds, Monty Pythonesque humor and CHOPS, CHOPS and more CHOPS! Overall, the composition is similar to symphonic progressive rock, but like most other Canterbury recordings, the main distinction is where symphonic prog leans more toward Classical music, Canterbury is similar, but leans more toward jazz. I think that Rotter's Club is a textbook example of a Canterbury album. PS - the femalke chorus is wonderful - is this where Eberhard Weber got his idea of using a female chorus, or is it the other way around? The sound is so similar!

I'm not that familiar with the Canterbury Scene, but if there's an album from that camp that surpasses this one, it could very well be the greatest prog subgenre. Well, in terms of style "The Rotters Club" would fit quite comfortably into the jazz fusion section as well (although the same could be said about most Canterbury artists). Dave Stewart is apparently the leader here, but the lineup is really a star-studded with legends from Caravan, Soft Machine and other monumental groups. As a result, the album is a work of considerable complexity, but it's profoundly melodic nature and humorous side make it easy to swallow, even for a casual listener.

The highlight here is undoubtedly the 20-minute "Mumps", which represents a rather rare occurrence in which such epic length is completely justified. After an excellent, wonderfully melodic intro aided by pleasant la-las from the Northettes, a sharp atonal interlude briefly breaks up the relaxed atmosphere before giving way to lyrical guitar soloing; after a while, the keys take over and head into a more intense direction. Keep in mind that this is not tasteless noodling, but fusion jamming of the highest caliber. Later in the song, we get catchy verses, more great improvisations, along with a reprise of the wonderful intro section - and none of all this is ever boring. Overall, the track encompasses all the major approaches the band takes to writing and performing their music. Stewart and the rest of the band certainly deserve a generous round of applause for delivering this masterpiece.

Not that the rest of the disc is weak in any way - it still has a lot to offer in terms of both quality and diversity. There are lots of the fascinatingly complex jazz harmonies throughout the album, notably in the guitar-dominated "Lounging There Trying" and "The Yes No Interlude" (which is enhanced by great horn contributions), as well as "Fitter Stroke has a Bath". The opening track and "Halfway between Heaven and Earth" would easily find a place on a Caravan or Camel recording. Meanwhile, the short "Oh, Lens Nature!" is heavy and sinister enough to be classified as progressive metal. Speaking of the short tracks, they are of reasonable quality as well and never degrade to filler, even when repeated twice. As a matter of fact, filler material is virtually non-existent on "The Rotters Cub".

As usual, I had my doubts about giving "The Rotters Club" the full 5 stars. However, on repeated listenings it kept growing on me to the point that I know consider it one of my all-time favorites.

4.51 ;)

This album is absolutely genial. It blends crazy, psychedelic, jazzy, noisy moments with oceans of calmth and relaxment. To me, this is the most enjoyable, intrigating and interesting Canterbury album so far.

"Share It" is the opener and sounds fairly boring and uninspired until you get to the keyboard solo which doesn't sound bad at all. However, the song that REALLY sounds great is 'Lounging There Trying". 'tis a terrific song. It sounds very jazzy, relaxed, loungy and it's got a lot of feeling in it - simply a great track. The only downpoint is that it's too short.

Following "Lounging There Trying" are (Big) John Wayne Socks Psychology On The Jaw and Chaos At The Greasy Spoon. They are brief interludes that lead to the noisy, slightly crazy "Yes No Interlude" which is a completely instrumental, fast-paced song that kicks some ass.

But after this interlude comes one of the greatest tracks on the album: Fitter Stoke Has A Both. The lyrics are entertaining and the vocal lines and Sinclair's voice are simply great, especially to the mellow background. This goes on for a far too short while, after which we get some great vocal 'di-du-du' stuff. The last one-two minutes are noises a la Moonchild but they lead the song to 'Didn't Matter Anyway' very subtle. After the sweet, yet a bit simple "Didn't Matter Anyway" you'll be lead to 'Underdub" which is another of those jazz- like songs that just sound great.

And last, as I'm not going to bother with the 'bonus' tracks, is Mumps. This is a GREAT epic, with amazing riffs, beatiful harmonies and melodies. The sung part is a bit of a drop in quality but it picks up soon enough after that.

Great album, one of the best I have so far.

The album starts out with a poppish song that would have been right at home on an early 70's Caravan album, "Share It" Richard Sinclair's vocals has that warm quality I love when it comes to Canterbury music. Yet, on the second track and onward, it's pure unadulterated Canterbury with its melding of jazz and English fusion with a bit of psych. Songs like the instrumentals "Lounging There Trying" and "Underpub" are short jazzy ditties that you'll typically hear by Canterbury bands, soft sounding with a smoothiness to them, they''re perfect bridges to the tracks that follow them. "(Big) John Wayne Socks Psychology On The Jaw", (love Canterbury song titles!) begins with fuzzed out horns that whams you straight out! Guitars and fuzzed out organs prove that the Hatfields can rock if need be. There's a cool sax that blips and burps midway through. A very challenging song that is plain perfect. But the main reason to purchase this album is the monster track, "Mumps". Starting out with the Northettes crooning and purring, it's everything that's wonderful about Canterbury music. It's a 20 minute track that takes multiple plays to appreciate all that goes on. It switches and turns all over the place, yet its as smooth as silk. The playing by the band is impeccable with the added bonus of Jimmy Hastings beautiful flute. The only negative I can heep on the track is the somewhat dated "la, la's" that are sprinkled about by the Northettes, otherwise its's a masterpiece. Rounding out my version on disc are 5 extra tracks culled from the "Afters" album. The highlight being the last track, a live version of "Lying And Gracing" which smokes!! If you'd like to try the genre, I wouldn't recommend any albums by Hatfield and the North. I would go with Caravan first. But if you like what you hear by Caravan and want to try something a little more adventurous, give this and their first album a spin. You won't be disappointed.

Great album from Canterbury's best known musicians. Their first album was already very good, and this is the logical conclusion when you put all those talented musicians in one recording room, and let them complement each other with their various skills and styles.

For the most part this is quiet relaxed music, with extended instrumental passages, focussing on the beauty of the songs rather than on complexity, or trying to overplay one and other. A large element of their music is jazz in nature, with the typical Canterbury melody lines and symphonic structures, lots of piano/keyboards and added flutes, with delicate drumming and really good arrangements.

Off course for Canterbury fans this is essential stuff. If you're not familiar with the Canterbury scene better to start with Soft machine or Caravan, but this comes very close to defining the Canterbury sound.

This band has quite the pedigree with former members of EGG, CARAVAN, MATCHING MOLE and GONG coming together to make "The Rotter's Club". And this is truly a band effort as the four main guys Richard Sinclair, Phil Miller, Pip Pyle and Dave Stewart all take part in creating the lyrics and compositions. It's cool to see Lindsay Cooper from HENRY COW guesting on aboe and bassoon. Actually the guest list is impressive with Jimmy Hastings adding flute and sax, Mont Campbell on French horn,Tim Hodgkinson on clarinet and the Nothettes(Barbara Gaskill, Amanda Parsons & Ann Rosenthal) on vocals.This is very much a Jazz infected record from beginning to end.The lyrics are very tongue and cheek, and the singing of Richard Sinclair is quite whimsical. In fact CARAVAN is who comes to mind the most when listening to this album.

"Share It" the first song is one of my favourites on this record. It's a catchy tune that's quite charming. A feel good track. Phil Miller's guitar playing is the focus on "Lounging There Trying". Keys, bass and light drums also help out. The tempo picks up 2 minutes in. "(Big) John Wayne Socks Psychology On The Jaw" is a short tune with keys, aboe and drums. Chaos At The Greasy Spoon" is another very short piece with drums, horns and lots of fuzz. "The Yes No Interlude" is another song with some great guitar in it especially 2 minutes in. I like the tone of it in this one. Horns blast and drums pound. It turns jazzy after 5 minutes. This is another standout track for me. "Fitter Stoke Has A Bath" is laid back with vocals. Flute 1 1/2 minutes in. A change after 3 minutes as aboe, piano and vocal melodies take over. Sounds like farfisa 4 1/2 minutes in with deep bass lines. It turns experimental with some atmosphere 5 1/2 minutes in.

"Didn't Matter Anyway" is a breezy tune with vocals and flute. Yeah it's another favourite. "Underdub" is jazzy with keys and deep bass. "Mumps" is the epic at around 20 minutes in length, lots of time changes are featured. Female vocals around 6 minutes on this one with distorted keys a minute later. Great section. A couple of the shorter tracks are then reprised. Next is "Halfway Between Heaven And Earth" which is jazzy with some nice guitar before a minute. Vocals follow. Sounds like he's singing underwater. "Oh,Len's Nature !" is surprisingly heavy. Some nasty fuzz. "Lying And Gracing" features some outstanding guitar and piano. Fuzzed out bass 2 minutes in.

This is such a fun yet complex release. One of the best Canterbury albums.

Purely by accident, I seem to have erased my review of THE ROTTERS' CLUB, originally written in 2006! If anyone knows how I could retrieve the text, please drop me a line. In the intervening years, my view of the album hasn't changed. This is one of the most delightful masterpieces of the Canterbury Scene - a marvellous relic of a time when charming pop melodies, whimsical lyrics, psychedelic sound experiments, crisp playing, insistent riffing and jazzy solos could be freely and spontaneously combined. In recent years, this style has been imitated by bands as diverse as the Tangent (UK), Shinsekai (Japan) and Forgas Band Phenomena (France). But the original freshness and innocence have never been recaptured.

HATFILED ROCKS!!!!

Ermmm...wait, is this the guy from METALLICA and his solo album? Wow, I'm impressed!

Now, keep it serious. Canterbury is one of the most serious genres as you know. So, let me begin. HatN is NATIONAL HEALTH/ CARAVAN/ GILGAMESH-related band and it's a shame I heard this one only after hearing all the above-mentioned bands. HatN is not that weird like GILGAMESH and not that jazzy like NH. The closest companion here is CARAVAN (nevertheles with some elements of NH). Such songs like opening "Share It" and "Didn't matter anyway" represent HatN at its best I think - this subtle and intelligent English manner is typical Canterbury. Excellent. The long thing here, the legendary 20 minutes of "Mumps" is overfilled with humor and shows further road NH will later walk on.

After all, excellent album and extremely recommended to every Prog collection. Why not 5 stars? Well, actually, this is not the kind of music I'd listen to daily. But great anyway. Enjoy!

Almost flawless! Some supergroups reek of cold economics and fantasy baseball trading (maybe it was the last two years of Magna Carta records that gave me this cynicism), but here is a Canterbury dream team that sounds better than the sum of their parts. And oh what parts they are: Richard Sinclair's romanticly anglophile baritone and smooth bass, Dave Stewert's compositional genius and fender rhodes mastery, Pip Pyle (RIP)'s playful drumming and songwriting, and Phil Miller's jagged/smooth/jagged/smooth guitar playing that, like the band straddles the line between jazz and rock quite seamlessly. Taking all the parts of the stew that was their self titled album and polishing them to a shine, each song is worthy of commentary. But the perfect encapsulation of their sound is "Fitter Stoke Has a Bath." A (very silly) first person account of suicide by drowning, that turns wistful only at the last moment. There the electric piano and crooning is joined by a lush sea of female background vocals and flutes before Phil Miller takes a spotlight. Over a syncopated bass line, he sounds like he's playing a solo while falling down the stairs. And its wonderful. (as an aside, guitarists in the punk bands Television and Richard Hell and the Voidoids would start doing the same thing an ocean away in CBGBs just a few months later. Television's Marquee Moon album would definitely be of interest to anyone who likes adventurous music, seriously!) After an ambient interlude, the band steps sideways into "It Didn't Matter Anyway" a melancholy track with a gorgeous flute solo. I swear, if Micheal Buble covers that song, it'll be a standard within a decade.

Richard Sinclair jump starts this album with strong vocals, very interesting lyrics, sorta silly, this is a perfect Prog song, great way to open an album great keys...

#2. Longing There Trying::::::: great guitar into by Mr. Miller. by the start of the song you can tell this is going to be a very laid back mellow jazzy number... and that can also be said for the entire album...

#3 John Wayne Socks Psychology In The Jaw... Short jazzy intro into the psychdelic Chaos at the Greasy Spoon with an astounding bass performance by Sinclair... this song itself is an intro to ...

#5 The Yes No Interlude:::::::: To be honest this is an intense complex song that is almost hard to follow or hard to understand (?) Dave Stewart's influence on the album really makes itself present on this song. Semi-long-song almost 7min.

#7 Didn't Matter Anyway:::::::: Beautiful would be one word to describe it, very beautiful lyrics very Caravan sounding, Richard Sinclair's vocals are the best on this song including the flute by Jimmy Hastings with couldn't fit better with this tune.

Side Two

#8 Underdub::::::::Is an instumental that always reminds me of a warm up to the incredible Mumps... All musicians are in top form when playing on the 2nd half.

#9 Mumps::::::::::::This song is the masterpiece of the album, much like 9 feet under was for Caravan's In The Land Of Grey & Pink, this is a song that drifts you off into an through tha abyse, into the blue, get lost in the song, doing that will give you respect for this album...

Comparing the two Hatfield & North albums together, I can't say which one is better, both The Rotters' Club & Hatfiled And The North are both good and pretty musch equal when comparing the highlights of each album

My head spins when I try to remember which member of this canterbury scene band was in that canterbury scene band.

Anyway back to the music. Opening song is interesting, very Canterbury-ish. Lounging there: well a fairly mild offerring of the jazz to come.

Big John Wayne socks psychology ... bizarre brief filler. Chaos at the greasy spoon: another even more bisare effort. The Yes. After a couple of minutes I was reaching for the medicene cabinet for some headache pills. In some obviously higher circles this must pass for brilliant but I find the track an annoying, abrasive, disjointed self-indulgent mess. Maybe someone into modern jazz would like this: i find it dreadful. So dreadful in fact that it's hard to try and be objective: ok Complex rhythms, virtuoso extracts, a gorgeous bass sound exploited to the full with great runs.

There's a welcome release in when Fitter Stoke Has A Bath. But, it's still just not quite there. The more I have forced myself to listen to this annoying album the more I get the impression that it's one of those albums that people think they should like and aprpeciate. Sort of a ... hmmm yes I really appreciate the complex ... stuff... great yes.... difficult ... rewards multiple listeniing ... yes, very subtle use of whatever that thing is. Didnt's matter .. doesn't: don't go there (bit like Rotherham). Underdub crystallizes almost everything there is to loathe about banal backing music in a poor 70s detective movie.

Mumps' intro is understandable. I'm actually feeling less annoyed with this one. Then the inevitable descent into incomprehensible musical ramblings.

OK. I reckon this is album is Emperor's New Clothes.

If, when it comes to the Canterbury sound, I worship at the throne of "Grey and Pink" (Caravan's classic album), I can still find much to appreciate in the "Rotter's Club". Though the smarminess of the style detracts a bit for me, the rhythms and enthusiasm of the playing provide a counterpoint, and some sprightly melodies are scattered throughout. It does take a few go-arounds to get into, and an ability to change listening modes in favour of the mere "sound" of something when you are hearing it rather than how much you will hum it to yourself later.

"Share it" kicks things off in fine style with a song that seems a bit dated for 1975 but still pleasant and well executed. It segues uninterrupted into the instrumental; "Lounging there Trying" which shows off the jazz tinged timbre of the album. In "The Yes No Interlude" and much of the "Mumps" suite, the group opts for less user friendly workouts that are not dissimilar to what one might find in Caravan's "Nine Feet Underground", but without an overall context and with nary a vocal section. Luckily "Fitter Stoke Has Bath" and "Didn't Matter anyway" both show that trademark mellow humour and Crimson-esque flute flourishes respectively and decidedly put the Rotter's Club into the category of the worthy.

If you are a somewhat adventurous yet conservative listener who wants to explore Canterbury, take a stop at the junction of Hatfield and the North.

The first Hatfield and the North album was realy good but this one is a masterpiece to bad it was the last they did the third one might have been even beter but we will never know. Thoghter with Caravans in the land of grey and pink this is my favorite canterbury album and as others have said it got the typical canterbury sound wich we all love so much, the bigest reason i love it so much is ofcorse the amazing songs but allso Dave Stewart incredible organ playing i can lisen to him soloing all day a whole album with only him doing organ solos whuld be heaven! but the other guys can do some nice palying aswell and toghter its some realy good jazz fussion goin on. The album starts with the great poptune Share it with Richard Sinclair singing great as usual, a great start then goes into soem jazz rocking then comes back to pop prog with Fitter Stoke has a Bath and then the ending Your Majesty is Like a Cream Donut (quiet) is a superb epic of jazz fussion and all kind of stuff mixed toghter and very overlooked to one of my favorite epics for sure i gues it depends much on how much you like jazz how much you will like this album im not a big jazz head i got some miles davis and thats pretty much it but i realy love the jazz fusion stuff pure jazz can get a bit boring but when mixed with other stuff it can be realy incredible, this is pretty much one of the essentila albums from the canterbury scen preformed by a real supergroup. Highly recomended if you wana find out what a typical canterbary album sound like or if you been overlooing it so far this is a must for everyone. And make sure you get the expanded version with 5 bonus tracks, becaus they are all good and adding to the album.

Although I do find this album enjoyable, I also find it a little boring compared to the s/t debut. Talks of it being a masterpiece, or the best album ever, are a little overrated in my humble opinion. I don't know why it is I lose interest in this album each time I listen to it, but it just seems to go on and on, and the mood never seems to change. Because of this people will say that it acts as a cohesive whole, but for me, it never draws me, and compositionally it sounds like highly composed, but moderately executed, jazz rock.

The opening minutes are brilliant...... In fact, some of the finest music ever to come from the Canterbury scene. The music then turns into more familiar fusion/jazz.

I have always regarded this band as something halfway between NATIONAL HEALTH and CARAVAN. On this album, I also have to add EGG and GONG to the mix. It is obvious that HATFIELD & THE NORTH is a fusion of all these three bands and a true supergroup. Add some flute to the mix and you have this band. Plenty of good fusion here with some CARAVAN like quirky pop inbetween. Most of the music here is superb with Mumps being the best track on this album. The whole album is just a delight and a joy to behold. I cannot describe it, but I close my eyes and really enjoys it. It is difficult to write with closed eyes, though......

If the Canterbury scene should be described in one album; this is the album. If you like this album; you also like the other albums from this scene.

4 stars

The element concerning the music character that this band did in a lot of bands that exist in Canterbury Scene might be loved because it is always talked as music with originality very much.

The establishment of the directionality of music with which the original idea and humour overflow is conspicuous in the music that derives exactly from Canterbury. It is not an exaggeration to say that the contribution of the part for them to have them establish the impression of Canterbury as an impression might be large.

Some respects will be able to be enumerated when thinking about their original elements. Song and melody where humour of Richard Sinclair is included. And, the distorted sound and the sound of the keyboard that multiuses the melodious sound etc.And, the rhythm etc. that contain the element of Jazz/Fusion might be elements of the music that can be expressed only to them. Therefore, it might have been reactive with the part of the music that had to be called that they were inevitable.

They were formed in 1972. However, it is also true in the keyboard player that there was changing places with the progress of the band. Familiar, deep Dave Stewart has already taken charge in this album. His performance greatly contributes to Canterbury Scene. And, Steve Miller took charge of the organ to the formation of the band at first. And, after Steve Miller had seceded the band, David Sinclair had succeeded the charge of the organ. Because flutist's Didier Malherbe was related to the band as the assistance of live, too listener's opinion also included "Deliveryv and the opinion made to come in succession by the formation in a first member by initial Hatfields. However, both of the member who is related to the band measurable figures might have become complete for Canterbury Scene.

They are announcing 1st album in 1973. The music character might already have been established. Part including composition and humour exactly calculated. And, the height of the ability of the technology of the performance. The original style that they had had had the content that the culture that their idea and Canterbury are good for the parts of a few Jazz/Fusion is splendidly united. And, "Gilgamesh" and competing that leads Alan Gowen are carried out in November, 1973. These two bands might have stimulated a music character each other at the same time as very important existence it in Canterbury Scene at that time. These events might have actually exerted a large influence on the music character of the band. And, it is an album in this album that makes good use of an almost perfect exact part and composition and arrangement further as a music character by Hatfields and challenges.

The melody of a gentle song to the progress of original Chord twines round "Share It". The dash feeling might exactly have the part of fine quality. Their individuality shines in the sound. The impression of Canterbury was exactly decided to Solo of the keyboard.

"Lounging There Trying" is a tune with good progress to include the sound that shines in the progress of complex Chord everywhere. The guitar of Phil Miller contributes to this tune. And, the obbligati of Dave Stewart raises the quality of the tune. Twining of the rhythm makes the directionality of the album give the tune the dash feeling further and decided.

"(Big)John Wayne Socks Psychology On The Jaw" might have the part of a complete idea of Dave Stewart. The flow of the wind instrument keeps progressed of Chord to which it is original and it is peculiar beautiful harmony in union with the band. It connects with the following tune with some tension continued.

The rhythm that there is a tension in the sound of the distorted keyboard twines round "Chaos At The Greasy Spoon". The composition and the flow of the tune might be perfect. The usage of the wind instrument is also indeed splendid. And, the tune continues the dash feeling and shows the following development at once further.

"The Yes No Interlude" has completely expanded the width of the flow of a connected tune. Sax and the rhythm that there is a humour in the part of Jazz Rock twine. And, the composition of the sound of a unique keyboard and the guitar will give the listener the impression of fine quality very much. The tune flows quietly with the progress of complete Chord kept. The tune will give width to the tension of the album before long on the top. The sound of E-Piano is complete.

As for "Fitter Stoke Has A Bas", the melody of a gentle song is impressive. The song of Richard Sinclair contributes to the progress of Chord that develops one after another. And, this tune might not have been approved if there were neither a obbligati of the flute nor a chorus of The Northettes. The composition and the arrangement are perfect. And, the element of fine quality is always contained in the tension and the flow that shifts from the scat to Solo of the guitar is continued. The tune will rush into the part in the dark where the forecast doesn't adhere before long. Such development might have the flow that develops the element cultivated in 1st album further. However, light is connected as follows showing a brighter part.

"Didn't Matter A Anyway" might be a popular tune in their repertoires. The arrangement of a gentle song and the flute is splendid. Of course, the guitar and the keyboard that piles up the tune understand this tune. Development that continues performing in the part of fine quality might always be a complete element of Hatfields.

"Underdub" is a tune by Phil Miller. The unison of the organ and the flute shows an overwhelming technology. And, the progress of the part where cutting of the guitar is good and shining Chord gives a complete flow and width as a composition of the album. A splendid flow might be given by reflecting the arrangement of the tune of the member who is related to the composition in the composition of the album. The continuousness of the sound that shines in an exact part gives a good impression.

"Mumps" might be a highlight of this album. Humour and exact performance. And, the ability of development and the arrangement that the forecast doesn't adhere. And, the height of the quality of Canterbury Scene. It will not be an exaggeration to call a jewel that they produced exactly. The chorus that The Northettes is beautiful twines round the melody with which expression of feelings overflows. Such a part has been succeeded to the music character of the following National Health. The tension and the humour are taken as various musical instruments unite and parting the progress of complex Chord. The band listens to complete ensemble while developing one after another. The guitar corresponds to the tune while continuing flowing. Of course, the arrangement of Bass and E-Piano is also perfect. The tension, the humour, and the expression of feelings of the music of Canterbury are pulled by the chorus of The Northettes. Combine the change band, the tune keeps a sound to which a complete keyboard is distorted the composition. The processing of an arrangement of the keyboard and a variegated sound might be straightening of Canterbury to complete. The chorus who also to the development of a complex rhythm and twines has already completed the album. A gentle song of Richrd Sinclair twines as it is. The flow of the tune expands width further in the part of this song. The guitar and Sax invite the following development unifying the anacatesthesia and the tension. The flow of the tune that rushes into another development pulls the part of the chorus of fine quality with the flute. The tune reaches the peak gradually and succeeds the flow of an opening theme. The listener will get excited completely. Power and sound kept secret in flow that develops quietly. And, it develops by not lowering the quality of the tune to the last minute. The impression of the tune is invited to the highest part completely in union the sound of the member and the guest who is related to the recording. Anyway, the arrangement and the composition of the tune are jewels.

The flow of "Chaos At The Greasy Spoon" shows that this album rushed into bonus Track from (Big John Wayne Socks Psychology On The Jaw "". And, it connects with "Halfway Between Heaven And Earth". The band dissolves in 1975. However, the appearance of live done in the rainbow theater immediately before the dissolution of the band is collected as bonus Track of this album. This sound source is a sound source of the performance done on March 16, 1975. It is collected to this album as bonus Track achieving CD though the sound source was collected to "Over The Rainbow" of the omnibus and "Afters" of their best albums.

As for "Halfway Between Heaven And Earth", the line of Bass in close relation to the progress of complex Chord is splendid. Melody of gentle song in close relation to development of shining Chord. And, the unison of the melody with the keyboard. Progressing a tune advanced as the dash feeling cohabits with a gentle melody might be splendid. The impression of the band is consistent. A good melody in close relation to a peculiar scat is music for them.

Oh and "Len 'S Nature" has the flow that Riff of a heavy rhythm and the guitar is splendid. It might be a part where this idea derives from the flexibility of the band, too. Sound of guitar and rhythm that moves freely. And, the contribution of the organ and Bass that completes the flow of the tune gives the listener the flexibility of the band.

"Lying And Gracing" is a tune where expression of feelings and the tension of the music of Canterbury were splendidly expressed. The dash feeling is increased further while making the part of Jazz Rock a subject. The listener will be able to discover the ability of the performance that draws out the sense in live in addition to an exact part of the band enough to be had.

In Canterbury Scene, the music that they had done might have exactly exerted an important, large influence though their studio albums had been concluded by two works. This album might be important with this band when talking about Canterbury Scene.

I thought Hatfield And The North's first, eponymous album was great. But they expanded on that and created an even more fantastic collection of songs with this album. Not content to just play the usual Canterbury style, this group broadens the sound with jazz fusion, and even some rock in opposition (with the help of Henry Cow's Lindsay Cooper and Tim Hodgkinson).

Like the first album, many of the songs flow together, again giving them an epic feeling. Guitarist Phil Miller and keyboardist Dave Stewart are even better on this album than the first. My favorite track (and most RIO) would have to be The Yes No Interlude, with one of the best Miller solos I've ever heard.

The last five tracks were not on the original LP, coming from the odds and ends collection Afters. The best part of these songs is the heavy Oh, Len's Nature! (perhaps the heaviest this band ever played.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

This album is often named as "classic Canterbury sound" one, and not without reason. Combination of Richard Sinclair's vocals and Dave Stewart keyboards, very well balanced sound, slightly psychedelic jazzy compositions and common quite mellow feeling. Very British.

Obviously more in the key of Caravan, then influenced by more crazy and freaky bands, as Gong, this album absorbed all early British folksy psychedelic jazz-fusion is invented. Extremely pleasant listening, but never too sweet, clever and intellectual enough, but always in the frames of respectability. Jazzy, but not really jazz-rock. Without peaks , but not boring.

And most important - you can listen it again and again, and it never sounds dated or repetitive. Possibly, there are more inventive Canterbury albums, but rarely such well brewed ones.

The second album by the Canterbury supergroup may not be quite as consistent as the debut but the best moments here are better than anything on the first album. "Mumps" alone deserves 10 stars. One of the greatest prog 'epics' ever, right up there with CTTE, TAAB, Supper's Ready, A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers, etc, etc. I have the Caroline CD released in the '90s with bonus tracks; I'm not sure if all the CD versions have these bonus tracks or not, but I know the most recent CD release has some bonus tracks not on my copy. Anyway, I wanted to mention this because of the great live track "Oh, Len's Nature" which is a 'cover' of the Matching Mole song "Nan True's Hole"(apparently there is yet another song with these letters in a different order from another Canterbury group or artist). This song is further proof to me that if they wanted to, 70s proggers could be just as heavy as a metal band. I'm sure "Halfway Between Heaven And Earth" is on all the CD releases; this song is so good it should have been on the album proper.

In a perfect world "Share It" would have been a hit single, played on the radio for everyone to hear. Dave Stewert's synth solo in that song is just classy. "The Yes No Interlude" is a great instrumental with a killer bassline. "Fitter Stoke Has A Bath" is just one of the greatest songs to come out of the Canterbury scene period. The only two songs that don't match the greatness of the rest of the album, and what keeps me from giving this 5 stars, are "Didn't Matter Anyway" and "Underdub". "Didn't Matter Anyway" is not a horrible song by any means, but sounds closer to what Sinclair would be doing when he joined Camel. "Underdub"(get it? instead of overdub) is just a little jazzy piece that doesn't add much to the album, and certainly doesn't prepare you for the masterpiece that is "Mumps"

"Mumps"=20 minutes of some of the greatest music ever recorded. Some people don't like the 'Alphabet Song' Sinclair sings about halfway thru, but I love it. The Northettes of course sing beautifully on here. One of my favourite parts is the one with the saxophone: so funky and sexy. Oh yeah! This is coming from someone who doesn't care for sax too much. But realistically, I don't think there is a nanosecond on "Mumps" I would change. A very strong 4 stars.

"Tadpoles keep screaming in my ear: Hey there! Rotters' Club!"

Another classic Canterbury album, this one belongs to the more fusion-like records of the scene rather than to the more folky and pop of Caravan or the psychedelic trips of Gong. Hatfield & the North's debut was simply a flawless album, the vocals, the melodies, the solos, the flow, incredible.

The band's sophomore and final album, The Rotters' Club, which gave the title to a 70s-based British novel by Jonathan Coe (highly recommended to prog fans!), is a slightly less cohesive work with the appearances of more demanding parts and as a consequence a bit of experimentation, but still the band sounds stronger from the musicianship point of view.

Like their debut, The Rotters' Club is intended to be listened entirely, without detracting from a tune, since it all flows almost seamlessly. However, there's another difference between this album and their debut that is that the former does have a highlight (while the highlight of their debut was mainly the album per se) which is undoubtedly the 20 minute piece 'Mumps' which is like the perfect sum-up of the band's abilities and characteristics: noteworthy solos from the guitar, sax and keyboards, great melodies that reminds me of the majestic melodies from the symphonic bands, Pip Pyle and Richard Sinclair delivering plenty of grooves, some hypnotic moments full-filled with various female vocals and wind instruments, intricating moments as well as chilling jazzy ones, all in all making Hatfield & the North a must-listen band for Prog fans that like at least a bit of fusion/jazz.

I already stated this in my review of their debut, but I'll say it again, Hatfield & the North doesn't play a generic fusion style, that's already clear knowing that Dave Stewart is a keyboardist that has his own style so he has no need to copy Chick Corea or Herbie Hancock, also knowing that we've got plenty of vocals and even humour, that's something you don't get from Mahavishnu Orchestra or Return to Forever. Of course, I can just sum this up by saying that all these features make up the "Canterbury Sound" which isn't exactly the same as Jazz Fusion, though not entirely true since like I already said at the beginning, Gong and Caravan are not really like this, and maybe others neither.

I'll finalise by saying this, if you consider yourself a Prog fan and haven't checked any Canterbury album, do me a favour and purchase this album, I'm sure that at least the first track, 'Share It', will become addictive to you.

5 stars: another masterpiece from the almost always fantastic and unique Canterbury Scene.

THE ROTTERS CLUB is one of the most highly respected albums in the Cantebury catalogue. Who could resist grabbing an album that boasts an all-star lineup including Richard Sinclair (Caravan), Dave Stewart (Egg), Pip Pyle (Gong) and other Cantebury stalwarts. It's tantalising enough that a twenty minute thing called ''Mumps'' exists here as well as the amusing titles running around (''Fitter Stoke Has a Bath'' for example).

THE ROTTERS CLUB has much more of a jazz act than other noted Cantebury acts, but the jazz has this ''lounge'' feel to it that at times confuses me, other times nauseates, occasionally makes me smile, but always impresses thanks to the skills of the musicians involved. The keyboard and guitar solos are plenty with lots of melody, but the underpinning sound makes me think cheap Vegas hotel, not necessarily Cantebury.

Some of the softer moments like ''Didn't Matter Anyway'' and the beginning of ''Mumps'' work. Most of the vocal-centric parts are where the strength of the album lies, even if the vocals sound dry (this is coming from a guy who respects Sinclair and Caravan). ''Share It'' is my pick for the best song on the album as it doesn't plow headlong into a morass of stale fusion. Some of the bits when the Northettes sing during ''Mumps'' entice me to search for the fast- forward option. The fusion is sleazy, but soporific. U.K. pulled the sleazy fusion better on their debut.

Many CD versions today have a few bonus tracks, but only ''Halfway Between Heaven and Earth'' is worth remembering for the nice vocal melodies, even if the track itself sounds like hotel lobby music. Even with the star talent, great playing and my general love for jazz fusion and Cantebury, THE ROTTERS CLUB is lost on me.

The second and final Hatfield effort that fails for lack of consistently high quality compositions (too much filler and fluff), unacceptably poor sound engineering, and disappointing neglect and underuse of one of the high points of the previous album, the Northettes.

1. "Share It" (3:02) is a poppy tune that opens with some very CARAVAN-like music--complete with Richard Sinclair's unique voice taking center stage from the opening note through to the end (aside from a synth solo in the song's C part). Nothing too special here. (7.75/10)

2. "Lounging There Trying" (3:10) is an instrumental that sounds quite like an instrumental practice session for the opening song. A little more enjoyable than the opener due to the prominence of the instruments--especially the bass and unusual syncopation on the drums. Plus, it gets better as it goes along. (8.25/10)

3. "(Big) John Wayne Socks Psychology on the Jaw" (0:46) sounds like a brief intro or overture into something else. (2/2.5)

4. "Chaos at the Greasy Spoon" (0:30) which is another intro into something else. (2.5/2.5)

5. "The Yes No Interlude" (7:02) is an odd, fast-paced instrumental piece with impressive performances from the musicians but it totally lacks any engaging melodies or exciting events. (12/15)

6. "Fitter Stoke Has a Bath" (7:38) employs Richard Sinclair's now-famous underwater vocal technique while flutes, vocal scat and keyboards take turns weaving the melodic tapestry. In the fifth minute guitar is given its time--a rather Ernie Isley sound (if not the technique or effect). A pregnant time standstill occurs in the sixth minute as the instruments wind things down before a psycho-dream plays out to the end. Overall, the five-part song leaves one fairly empty and bewildered, void of any desire to come back to it. (12/15)

7. "Didn't Matter Anyway" (3:03) seems to complete the previous song--flute and Richard singing to take us out of the nightmare sequence of Fitter Stoke's bath. Again, rather innocuous and forgettable. Nice flute performance. (8.25/10)

8. "Underdub" (3:55) is a fast-paced jazz dittie that feels like some of the work being done in American R & B-influenced jazz fusion of the time. Great Fender Rhodes work, grooving upbeat rhythm section--not unlike some of JOE SAMPLE's great stuff of the time. I like the fact that some great team-play melodies are established and perpetuated throughout. One of my favorites from this album. (9/10)

9. "Mumps" (20:06) the highlight of the album is the (extremely) long playing "Mumps" suite--complete with the voice play of The Northettes and the inimitable Richard Sinclair.

a) "Your Majesty Is Like a Cream Donut (quiet)" (1:59) is a kind of keyboard chordal study with The Northettes' simple, breathy vocalise at play far in the background. (2/2.5)

b) "Lumps" (12:35) has the full band jumping into full gear. Some really nice clarity in the recording of this section--guitar, bass, keys, and drums are all sounding like they're right in front of you in the same room. In the middle section a three-part vocal weave from The Northettes gets featured with some bassoon! Then Richard sings for the first time at the 10:20 mark. The lyrics here found here sound rehearsed, not extemporaneously spewed forth as others of his do. The music remains interesting beneath and around Richard's vocal work--which is, to me, quite remarkable. By 12:42 he's done, drums kick into full and multiple tracks are devoted to guitar soli. Sax takes a turn with yet another, different (flange) effect on the soloing guitar. (22/25)

c) "Prenut" (3:55) notes a complete shift into a softer sound, flute, electric piano and female vocals filling the delicate, tension-filled soundscape. Very nice. Best section of the song and best passage on the album. (10/10)

d) "Your Majesty Is Like a Cream Donut (loud)" (1:37) (2/2.5)

Overall, "Mumps" is truly a masterpiece of performance and composition--showing a maturity that is sometimes missing in the earlier Canterbury works. (36/40)

B/four stars; an excellent addition to any Canterbury-loving prog lover's music collection.

The second Hatfield and the North album is, along with the first, a true cornerstone of the Canterbury sound, an essential album which should be up towards the top of any shopping list for people beginning to explore the genre. With sounds ranging from furious Soft Machine fusion (The Yes No Interlude) to gentle and good-humoured Caravan whimsy (Fitter Stoke Has a Bath), the band infuse everything with their distinctive musical personalities. It's often said that Mumps, the side-long epic that closes the disc, is Hatfield's best track, and I'm inclined to agree; it's a brilliant song showing every participant at their peak. (In particular, it is far and away the Northettes' best performance as backing singers.) But trying to pick the best Hatfield and the North album is trying to pick your best finger; you might have a favourite, but you wouldn't want to go without any of them.

Oh yes, thank you, thank you very much. This will do quite nicely. Quite nicely indeed.

Maybe it is because of the cover art, but there is a lot more instrumental to this album than I anticipated. But such surprises and ironies are all part of the Canterbury scene, isn't it? There is very little here that stands out to me; after listening, I don't remember much of it in particular. At the same time, I also recognize almost everything once I hear it. In most situations that would be seen as a detraction, but in this case there is not any aspect of this album I do not like. The final result is somewhat homogenized, yet all of it is absolutely enjoyable. The musicianship is excellent. I particularly like Dave Stewart's keyboards, in terms of his solos, his supporting parts, and especially the way he interacts with the other musicians, notably Phil Miller on the guitar. Completing the band is Pip Pyle, a first-rate drummer, and the inimitable Richard Sinclair on bass and vocals. Several guest stars are also featured, including Jimmy Hastings on flute and sax, and "the very wonderful Northettes," who provide backup vocals. Actually, sometimes those vocals take over the music. The lyrics are almost shear nonsense, and with song titles like (Big) John Wayne Socks Psychology on the Jaw, and Fitter Stroke has a Bath, one would think that this was a joke band hitting only on the novelty of their silliness. This is not the case. Music this good, with its many twists and turns, has to be taken seriously in order to play and in order to fully appreciate. But don't over-intellectualize it. The band needs to have a better sense of what is going on than you the listener do. Just get on for the ride. Many proggers will be most interested in the 20-odd minute long multi-part epic, Mumps. There was a recent forum discussion about so many of us being size queens. For me, that song does not do anything else the rest of the album does. Rather, it just puts it all into a longer sequence. Sinclair sings some odd and even silly lyrics, with very nice melodies by the way, the band kicks in the jams, and the Northettes ooh and aah. The whole thing can get a little scattered, and some of the transitions are a tad rough. No matter. I like it. A lot. The edition I have (which may perhaps be the standard one now) includes five additional tracks which include a couple of alternate takes, which I really have no need for, plus three previously unreleased tracks. I can understand why they did not make it on the original release. They are not bad, but they either do not fit in very well with the rest of the album (such as when they get into a very King Crimsonish mode or that of Soft Machine), or they are simply more of the same. However, I have no complaints with those.

The Rotter's Club by Hatfield and the North is not only first-rate Canterbury, it is excellent mid-70s Prog. A true classic.

I never really look forward to listening to this album due to the cover, but each time I do I'm pleasantly surprised. It's a fun-filled bouncy castle ride where you can bash your head off the walls and never get hurt.

Very uplifting and musically complex from the outset, 'The Rotters Club' sports quite a variety of manoeuvres, twists and turns where everything is underpinned by the superb Dave Stewart - one time keyboardist of 'Egg'. The vocals by Richard Sinclair are initially a bit annoying with his apparent random notes and hippy sensibilities, but most definitely grow on you as the album progresses.

You can hear many elements throughout that may remind you strongly of the player's former bands. ie: Caravan, Egg and Matching Mole. The seeds are sown here for the other upcoming supergroup success - 'National Health' in 1976.

'The Rotters Club' is a very busy album with a whole lot going on at any one time. It sounds VERY 70's but in a light hearted and artistic manner. My ears always respond to the majestic keyboards of Dave Stewart who singlehandedly raises this from 3 stars to 4. Special mention also has to be made to the wonderful female backing vocals which sound fantastic during the few instances in which they're used.

A mostly exceptional album that is sullied by a slightly embarrassing sleeve. Still it could have been much worse. It could have looked like the similar but far worse androgynous "Andy Nogger" by 'Kraan' - Yeeucch!

A very adequate title of this album's review could be: Challenging Canterbury or anything like that. At least that's what comes to mind every time I listen to this album. And another interesting thing is it has things in common with my previous reviewed Suffocating the Bloom by Echolyn. Of course the two styles are totally different but still the build up comparison is striking. Both have a great mix of complexity and beauty and funny enough the beauty moments are roundabout the same spot of the arrangement. Also here it's just about before halfway the album (Didn't matter anyway) we're treated with soothing flute (yes, even the instrument is the same as on Echolyn's album) of incredible beauty whilst the rest of the album is really difficult to get into.

Fifth track The Yes No Interlude even contains a bit of 100% VDGG style, something I never expected on here. Same goes for bonus track Oh, Len's Nature suddenly treating us with fierce hard rock (would you believe it !). It goes a bit too far to state that The Rotter's Club has something for everyone, that remains to be seen but the last thing it can be accused of is that this is a boring, one dimensional album. The often praised Mumps finally won me over for a high rating because it's simply (one of) the best Canterbury song ever. It's even far better than the other contender Nine Feet Underground because of the versatilty and brilliant composition. The lesser moments of the album made me hesitate and contemplate the three stars possibillity but Mumps and the other great tracks as well as the great performance overall made me force myself to grant them the full four. Highly recommended unless you hate Canterbury.

Alongside National Health sit Hatfield & The North, one of the Canterbury 'super-groups' whose fluid membership policy oversaw contributions from members past-and-present of the likes of Gong, Caravan, Camel, Egg, Khan and Matching Mole during their sadly-rather-brief two-album studio career. With a name taken from a Bedfordshire motorway sign, 'Hatfield & The North' were indeed a strange and complex beast, injecting the base jazz-influenced Canterbury sound with even more surreal humour and lyrical wordplay than usual. The music too is both finely-crafted and highly-intricate, the jazz motifs, keyboard drones and organ runs also peppered with occasional classical exotica in the sound of bassoons, oboes, cellos and clarinets and with Richard Sinclair's foppish vocals adding that all-too quintessential English cherry to the group's rich sonic cake. Whilst the album's overall tone-and-touch is somewhat lighter than the moody atmospherics found on their debut, 'The Rotter's Club' is still a dense musical experience, featuring what can be best described as a kind of peculiar jazz-flecked, classically-informed sound, the kind that ought to be found at the very far end of the rock spectrum. It's also interesting to note that 'The Rotter's Club' seems less an album and much more a single, epic song, such is the thematic link between most of the individual pieces, many of which segue directly into one another without pause. As a result, 'The Rotter's Club' really needs to be listened to from beginning-to-end to truly absorb, with the practice of picking out or skipping over various tracks substantially lessening the album's overall impact. The centre-piece, the 20-minute 'Mumps', does prove an exception, yet even this piece reflects the album's make-up, itself taking in a dense series of interlocking sections. 'The Rotter's Club' then, just like its predecessor, may prove a touch listen for some; this is difficult-yet-jovial music, with a light satirical touch but also filled with complex musical movements. Fans of the Canterbury scene should, of course, lap this up; but those who have not yet sampled the delights of this particular sub-genre have been warned; and this is not the place to start. At times delightful, at others confusing and strange, this second-and-last release from Hatfield & The North is, like the group's debut, a genuine pot-pourri of musical eccentricity. It might not always make sense - both musically-and-lyrically - yet happily, both come recommended. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

Hatfield and the North was one of the most promissing super groups in canterbury field in the mid '70s. With excellent , well crafted musicians, all members involved here are well known and respected in their own field, coming from Caravan, Egg, Matching Mole and Gong. The band had a short career with only 2 albums released, but the mark they left upon this genre is without question essential. The second release and in same time my fav from them and among my fav albums ever is the 1975 The Rotter's club. Well, to my ears this is an excentric, complicated offer with top notch performance with a typical english atmosphere. Richard Sinclair is simply amazing like on opening Share it, with his typical english humor in the lyrics and on Fitter Stoke has a Bath the best pieces to me from this album, this is an excellent tune, with a Gentle Giant similarity in some parts, but in the end a very solid and original offer. So, this album surely needs to be discovered or re discovered by many listners as possible, the jazzy interplays from here are quite brilliant. I love this album, with the 40's kinda cover art that goes very well in this context. Essential album in every ones collection. 4 stars easy and recommended, among the better albums from Canterbury zone.

Hatfield and the North were an experimental Canterbury scene supergroup formed in 1972, with members from previously well-known bands such as Caravan, Gong and Matching Mole.

The Rotters' Club was the second and last album from this excellent band, released in 1975. Principal musicians on the record are Richard Sinclair (bass, vocals), Dave Stewart (keyboards), Phil Miller (guitar) and Pip Pyle (drums).

Not only are these musicians extraordinary, the album itself is beautifully crafted and balanced, with lovely backing vocals of the Northettes (Barbara Gaskin, Amanda Parsons and Ann Rosenthal). This is definitely one of the masterpieces of the Canterbury sound, together with Caravan's "In the Land of Grey and Pink".

My initial personal favourite on the album was "Share It", probably because I have been a long-time fan of Caravan. This particular melody sounds very much like Caravan, in particular with the characteristic vocals of Richard Sinclair. However, with Hatfield standards, it is a rather conventional song. The rest of the album is more avant-garde, well exposing the astonishingly solid musicianship of the individual group members. This is truly outstanding music.

Last year (2014) I stretched my progressive music boundaries into Italian prog and Canterbury scene. I'll tell you right up front here that jazz and jazz fusion are not where I usually lean my ears. I have always thought it was cool when a metal band or symphonic prog band experimented with a bit of jazz; however jazz music and jazz fusion is not something I rave and drool over. Nevertheless, if there's one thing the last three years have taught me it's that when it comes to prog there is good music to be found almost anywhere.

So why "The Rotters' Club" and not something by Soft Machine or National Health or even the debut by Hatfield and the North? As it happens, this album is mentioned among 65 recommended prog albums in the book "Citizens of Hope and Glory: The Story of Progressive Rock" by Stephen Lambe, and I have found the book to be very useful as a guide in my prog education. I began with owning barely 20 of the 65 albums and now I am somewhere over 50 and I have enjoyed all but one of them. So, I put my faith in chance and my own patience with new music and bought the CD with five bonus tracks from the "Afters" album.

Though there's a fair bit on the album that shouldn't thrill me because of my usual preferences, I have been finding the album actually quite enjoyable. The opening track "Share It" is a short and witty song with a synthesizer solo that I can get into. It's an upbeat, jazz-influenced number performed by a rock band. Richard Sinclair's English accent and English humour, and his somewhat laid back delivery, make the vocals interesting and rather fun. Thankfully, he makes an appearance on a few of the tracks. The rest are all instrumental.

One thing I have come to take caution with is the synthesizer sound used by jazz fusion bands (see my review of Bill Bruford's "One of a Kind" album) but I am glad to report that on this album I quite enjoy the keyboards. Dave Stewart uses some smart and sassy sounds for lively solos but also soft lounge tones that remind me of metal tines being plucked. The electric piano sound works well. As this is a jazzy album, I find that the drum sticks spend more time on the cymbals and snare than anywhere else. It gives the music a very light feel, unlike a lot of what I usually listen to. The bass guitar is busy and I do like that. In particular, the King Crimson / John Wetton bass sound used in "Chaos at the Greasy Spoon" is appealing.

As guitar is very important to me, I am pleased to mention some very fine psych-sounding fuzz-toned guitar which appears two or three times for some soloing. The solos themselves are not especially spellbinding (coming from a metal perspective) but they are a welcome addition to the sound palette. I am also a sucker for flute and there are some appearances there as well.

The music is light and for the most part pleasant and beautiful with that jazzy swing to it. There is a little bit of sonic experimentation near the end of "Fitter Stoke has a Bath" which brings to mind what I heard on Egg's "The Polite Force" but thankfully this is much more agreeable to my ears. Mostly you can expect very light keyboard-led jazz with the guitar hanging well back until solo time. There is some brass as well as one would expect to hear on a jazz fusion album; however, Dave Stewart's keys and Jimmy Hastings' flute are what provide most of the lead instrumentation.

The one long epic track, "Mumps" covers a range of territory. It begins with and includes at least two times more a duo of female vocals singing softly and in high tone some "la-las", and this is the turn off point for me. I enjoy female vocals like this usually but perhaps because of the jazz thing, at least one of them will sing an odd note that probably sounds very cool in jazz but not at all in more traditional music like folk or classical. I did discover, though, that these vocal parts precede more interesting musical segments, including guitar solos and an almost ELP-like keyboard piece. After the first two listens I was put off by "Mumps" but after giving it both ears today, I found it has a lot of good material making it worth the 20 minutes of attention.

The mood of the album continues with the bonus tracks, two of which are just different versions of what already appear on the main album. The one stand out track is the completely and stylistically different "Oh, Len's Nature", which plays like a mid-seventies heavy metal instrumental. I suspect it was recorded live and this is only the demo version as the sound is not so polished. But this had potential to be quite a heavy rocker. How this ended up in their repertoire is baffling.

Though I haven't become enamoured with Canterbury scene to the point that I will hunt down many more albums, what I have learned from the jazz fusion of Hatfield and the North, Egg, Bruford, and even Happy the Man is that I can confidently buy a jazz fusion album and find it a pleasant holiday from the usual suspects in my music player. I am quite comfortable giving this album four stars.

This might just be my favorite album of all time. Any genre, period. And it's an *album* meaning that each song flows into the next.

I listened to this just about every day for a year or two while attending Berklee College of Music and at the end of that period, I still couldn't say for certain which parts were improvised vs. composed, where one song started or ended. Well, some points are obvious, and on the CD, the tracks are labeled, but with the vinyl, it all sort of blended together.

Other questions too, like "Is Phil Miller an abstract genius, or is he just terrible?" plagued me for years. Clearly he's not a technical wizard and you can hear him hit some obvious clams in the solos, but he's not marching to the beat of anyone else's drum, he does a lot of upper-structure triads with his harmonizations and he composed some of the best pieces (like Underdub). So, yeah, he knows what he's doing, but he's just raw and a little outside.

I know the general consensus is that the first (self titled) album is better, but I have to disagree. It has some high points, to be sure, but this one is just more mature. After listening to them both for 25 years or so, I really don't want to listen to the first album any more, yet I'm almost always delighted when this one comes on shuffle.

In terms of it's place in Prog Rock, I can't say this album is better than Kind of Blue, Birds of Fire, Permanent Waves, The Yes Album, One Size Fits All, or In Absentia. But I like it just the tiniest smidgen better than those and musically I put it in the same league. Thus: favorite album of all time.

Excellent Follow-up.

This album continues in the same vein as its predecessor. It goes beyond that album, however, it being even more complex, with Dave Stewart's fabulous 20-min instrumental "Mumps" suite, which takes up side 2. This is one of progressive rock's essential epics, although some might find it a bit on the cold side (as in calculated and jazz-fusiony - actually, it is very similar to what would come later with National Health, which is understandable given that it is Dave Stewart). Side 1, meanwhile, is quite similar in format to the self-titled first album, with a number of poignant Richard Sinclair songs and highly original instrumentals. The only drawback to this album is that it doesn't have a song like "Calyx", which for me is not just the stand-out track on that first album, but an essential example of the Canterbury sound. Saying this, all the music on this album is of the same high quality as the first album, and for me, the two of these albums make up a core essential listening for the Canterbury sub-genre. I give Rotter's Club 9.0 out of 10 on my 10-point scale, which is just 0.1 less than their first album.

The nascent seedlings that started with the naive jazz-rock attempts of a fledgling band called the Wilde Flowers in the mid-60s was ground zero for what would become England's unique contribution to the world of progressive rock which would be called The Canterbury Scene and after that band's initial formation and seemingly instant demise, the members which included the stalwarts of Robert Wyatt, Richard Sinclair, Hugh Hopper, Brian Hopper, Kevin Ayers, Richard Coughlan, Pye Hastings and David Sinclair would go on to attract new talent and set forth to cross-pollinate them into a fertile blend of jazz inspired improvisation that was indoctrinated into the disciplines of progressive rock with quirky pop sensibilities that adopted a healthy dose of humorous self- deprecation right out of the Zappa playbook.

After several members of the Wilde Flowers split and created two distinct strains of the Canterbury Scene in the distinct sounds of Soft Machine and Caravan, the scene didn't waste any time evolving into a powerhouse of musical complexity and innovation unlike anything else attempted in the early years of the progressive rock and jazz-fusion scenes. Through bands like Egg, Gong, Gilgamesh and Delivery, the scene was stubbornly self-contained and as incestuous as a soap opera script with almost every member of the scene having played with the other at some juncture of the journey. While 1968 would be the first inklings of a fully fueled style of jazzy prog rock that can be called The Canterbury Scene, it would only take a few short years for the quirky brand of jazz-rock to reach its logical apex of creative expression in the form of the supergroup HATFIELD AND THE NORTH.

This band that was the who's who of Canterbury consisted of ex-Delivery, Caravan and Matching Mole guitarist Phil Miller, ex- Arzachel, Egg and Khan keyboardist Dave Stewart, ex-Wilde Flowers and Caravan bassist Richard Sinclair, ex-Delivery and Gong drummer Pip Pyle. The band stunned the world with their dazzling self-titled 1973 album that consisted of a continuous flow of tightly constructed musical motifs that effortlessly blended the intricacies of jazz and progressive rock with serpentine melodies, challenging harmonies and utterly hilarious lyrical goofiness. Adding to the eclectic consummate endeavors of the bigwigs were the supplemental talents of several guest musicians and vocalists including Robert Wyatt and the sublime angelic beauty of the Northettes which consisted of Barbara Gaskin, Amanda Parsons and Ann Rosenthal. The album has remained an essential classic of the entire 70s prog scene.

While the band would seemingly dissipate as soon as it began, HATFIELD AND THE NORTH had another masterpiece up their sleeves before calling it a day and followed up the epic eponymous debut with this sophomore release THE ROTTERS' CLUB which followed in the footsteps of the debut and created another fascinating eclectic gumbo of the disparate musical elements that made the debut so over-the-top in its idiosyncratic outpouring of jazz-prog on steroids. With the main cast returning for the reprise, the guest musicians were trimmed down a bit with cameos from Henry Cow's Tim Hodgkinson (clarinet) and Lindsay Cooper (oboe) along with Mont Campbell on French horn who also performed in such Canterbury bands such as Arzachel and Egg. Also joining the team on this second endeavor were the magical vocal charm of the Northettes and although limited to a mere two tracks made a welcome reprise with another captivating performance. The sax and flute sounds are generated by the Pye's brother Jimmy Hastings.

If the debut of HATFIELD AND THE NORTH got fans of complex music completely salivating then THE ROTTERS' CLUB only added to the musical state of ecstasy with an even more challenging array of progressive rock, jazz fusion, pop sensibilities and avant-garde silliness all entangled into elaborate facades of musical munificence that found lighter-than-feather melodies zigzagging around and glazed with Minimoog runs, bass grooves and cleverly interlinked musical segments that conspired to create an unthinkable sum of the individual parts that constitute its magnanimous nature. While the album starts out with vocal led melodic jazz-rock on 'Share It,' the album drifts off into extended musical jams completely improvised and decorated with warm jazz fuzzies and avant-garde hairpin turns that ultimately culminate in the closing touches that include the exuberantly bubbly 'Underdub' and the monstrous 20 minute finale 'Mumps' which provides a masterful summary of the band's two album run and in retrospect the most brilliant note to end a short but explosively ambitious band effort.

After a soft and ethereal beginning which finds the angelic Northettes providing an atmospheric mood set, 'Mumps' meanders from energetic outbursts of keyboard profundity to guitar driven riffing. The lengthy track implements the thematic transitions of classical music but steered into jazz-rock directions which flirts with third stream sensibilities that would provide the blueprints for the next phase of Canterbury superstardom to evolve in the future National Health albums that would find Dave Stewart, Phil Miller, Mont Campbell and Amanda Parsons finding solidarity once again in achieving unthinkable Canterbury greatness. While the original album ended with 'Mumps,' the newer CD releases contain excellent bonus tracks that perfectly fit into the overall album run and offer an obviously intended extra roster of tracks that were most likely excluded only due to the technological limitations of the era.

When it comes to progressive rock classics, one can hardly scroll too far down the list without finding the two HATFIELD AND THE NORTH albums on the list. Each is a masterpiece in its own right with THE ROTTERS' CLUB usurping the debut in terms of complexity and ambitiousness rarely achieved even with the most talented bands of the era. This second offering is clearly the more difficult of the two to understand and requires a lengthy conditioning process as it is more convoluted and entangled with adventurous musical meanderings that walk the tightrope between jazz, progressive rock and experimental 20th century classical. While the pop melodies are instantly catchy, the labyrinthine compositions find them shapeshifting and hybridizing into strange new creatures but despite the monstrosity that THE ROTTERS' CLUB presents itself as, it still retains a warm and fuzzy feeling to it which is quite inviting for consistent return visits that allow its charm to sink in. Simply one of the best of the best!

HATFIELD & THE NORTH were a two-album Canterbury Scene band, named after the well-known A1 Motorway sign on the Great North Road from London to Edinburgh. Their first eponymously-titled album passed by virtually unnoticed at the time of its release in 1974, but their second album "The Rotters' Club" (1975) is much better-known. The line-up for this second album featured Dave Stewart on keyboards, Phil Miller on guitar, Richard Sinclair on bass and lead vocals, Pip Pyle on drums, a 4-piece brassy horn section and a 3-piece female choir of Barbara Gaskin, Amanda Parsons & Ann Rosenthal, collectively named The Northettes.

The opening song "Share It" sounds strangely familiar, even upon first hearing. This upbeat jaunty Jazz-Rock number is very reminiscent of both Caravan and Camel. There's no doubting that Hatfield & the North are an English band from Richard Sinclair's clear-cut vocals, which sound as English as fish & chips. The obscure lyrics are a riddle wrapped in an enigma though, but that only adds to the quaint English charm of this catchy tune . Here's a brief opening taster of the lyrics:- "Tadpoles keep screaming in my ear, Hey there! Rotter's Club! Explain the meaning of this song and share it" ..... The bizarre meaning of this particular song will perhaps forever remain shrouded in mystery, when even the singer sounds baffled by the abstruse lyrics. And now for a little instrumental lounge music with "Lounging There Trying", which sounds like the kind of sophisticated improvisational Jazz you might listen to whilst coolly sipping a gin and tonic in a trendy cocktail lounge. There's no clue as to what the strangely-titled "(Big) John Wayne Socks Psychology on the Jaw" might be all about, because it's a brief 43 second instrumental, and the slightly discordant music bears little relation to the bizarre song title. This leads us into the even shorter "Chaos at the Greasy Spoon", which does indeed sound chaotic and a bit of a tuneless mess to be absolutely honest, so it's something of a blessed relief that it's less than half-a-minute long. Next up is "The Yes No Interlude" which is not so much an interlude, but more of an extended 7-minute instrumental jam session, where the musicians throw caution to the wind with gay abandon and let loose with some wild and improvisational Canterbury Scene Jazz. We're back to more familiar territory with "Fitter Stoke Has A Bath", which sounds like a typical lively Jazz-Rock song that Caravan might have recorded, although the meaning of the weird song title and lyrics are just as obscure as Hatfield & the North's instrumental numbers. Here's a brief example of the totally nonsensical lyrics:- "Bing billy bong - silly song's going wrong, Ping pong ping, clong cling dong, Tie me up, turn me on, Bing billy bang, Desperate Dan, frying pan, Cling clong cling, Bong bing bang, Michael Miles, Bogey man," ..... Yes indeed! Song lyrics don't come much sillier than that! They sound like the kind of wacky lyrics you might have heard in a typical Eurovision Song Contest entry from the 1970's. There's a return to some kind of normality - or whatever passes for normal in the bizarre musical world of Hatfield & the North - with "Didn't Matter Anyway". This is a gentle Caravan-esque song floating on a mellow wave of flute and delicate keyboards. It's the most approachable and easy-to-listen-to song on the album. You can just relax and let the worries and cares of the day slip away listening to this gorgeous insouciant song, because whatever might have been troubling you, it probably "Didn't Matter Anyway".

It's time now to don a dinner jacket and order a dry martini - shaken not stirred - for the Side Two opener "Underdub", because it's another pleasant cocktail lounge diversion to while away four minutes of spare time whilst waiting for your dinner date to arrive for the evening. And finally, we arrive at the 20-minute long suite "Mumps" to close out the album. The music is divided into four parts with the kind of weird and crazy titles that we've come to expect by now:- 1. "Your Majesty Is Like a Cream Donut (Quiet)"; 2. "Lumps"; 3. "Prenut"; 4. "Your Majesty Is Like a Cream Donut (Loud)". The Jazzy Canterbury Scene music is just as eccentric and off-kilter as the titles suggest, featuring another wild excursion into uncharted realms, occasionally sounding atonal and disjointed, but always unexpected and totally unpredictable. It's an endlessly complex arrangement that deserves to be listened to several times to truly appreciate the musical diversity on offer here.

"The Rotters' Club" is undoubtedly an essential album for fans of the Canterbury Scene sound, but it's not so essential for Prog-Rock fans generally. The album won't be to everyone's taste, because this is wild and improvisational Canterbury Scene music that's nowhere near as approachable and easy to listen to as the more melodic and harmonious sound of Caravan and Camel for instance. "The Rotters' Club" album is not for the uninitiated. If you've dipped your toes into the Canterbury Scene with Caravan, then Hatfield & the North by contrast are like jumping into the deep end. Their complex music veers more towards the Jazz Fusion end of the musical spectrum, than the more traditional British Jazz-Rock sound. On the other hand, if you're in the mood for some uninhibited and unrestrained Jazzy flights of fancy, then head on up the Great North Road to the sound of Hatfield & the North.

Fantastic album, 4.5/5. I only small issues with this album. These are 1, the lyrics suck. 2, Share It. Other then these 5/5.

The lyrics are cryptic and armed with innuendo which I wish was replaced by lyrics as good as those featured on the works of bands like Egg. I still like the songs but the lyrics hurt. Thus I simply can't give 5/5. Furthermore the opening song Share It has this Moog solo that just comes out of nowhere and is unbelievably cheesy.

Canterbury Sound Score 5/5, duh.

Overall this album is fantastic a clear improvement over the debut, tracks like Mumps are at the pinnacle of beauty.

"The Rotters' Club" is the second full-length studio album by UK progressive rock/jazz-rock act Hatfield and The North. The album was released through Virgin Records in March 1975. It's the successor to the band's eponymously titled debut full-length album which was released in February 1974. Hatfield and The North formed in mid-1972, released two full-length studio albums and disbanded in 1975. So it was a relatively short-lived act, but at the time it was a sort of Canterbury scene supergroup featuring members and ex-members of acts like Delivery, Matching Mole, Gong, and Caravan, which meant that Hatfield and The North got some attention. The four-piece lineup who recorded the debut album is intact on "The Rotters' Club". Phil Miller (guitars), Dave Stewart (Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, piano, MiniMoog, tone generator), Richard Sinclair (bass, lead vocals, additional guitar), and Pip Pyle (drums, percussion)...

...all of the above incredibly accomplished and experienced musicians and it's audible. "The Rotters' Club" is a very well performed release featuring many great musicial moments and details. Stylistically Hatfield and The North play a soft progressive rock/jazz-rock style, which is often laid-back and pleasant, but definitely not devoid of musical experimentation. Opening track "Share It" is a bit deceiving with it's nice pop melody and Sinclair giving a polished vocal performance (not completely unlike some of his most "light" work with Caravan), but already from track number two "Lounging There Trying", the band start showing their true colors. Jazz/fusion rhythm work, odd time-signatures, and a general disregard for regular vers/chorus structures or normal pop/rock compositional rules. In that respect Hatfield and The North are definitely closer to jazz music than they are to pop/rock. The album features several sections with improvised jamming ("The Yes No Interlude" is probably the best example of that) but also more structured compositions.

While it's a step up from the rather incoherrent debut album, "The Rotters' Club" does suffer from some of the same inconsistency issues as the debut album did. It's predominantly the songwriting which could have been more memorable, because as the case is with the debut album, "The Rotters' Club" is a both well produced and well performed album. There's no arguing that it's through and through a quality release featuring many intriguing musical ideas, but to my ears it often sounds a bit random and it's sometimes hard to know where the improvisation and the structured composed parts start and end. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.