OLD BOOT WINE

After the stunning debut (they did sell quite a bit of it) Sirogyra had problems confirming it. The second album is rather tame and I would say un-inventive when compared to the other two albums. Cussack was listed as a guest musician in this album and replaced by Martin on guitars and KB. One of the most evident flaw, I can tell you about is the disastrous mixing of the drumming of Dave Mattacks (not one of my favorite drummer too), simply too loud and disruptive (the drumming in the other two albums is discreet and well- suited to the delicate ambiances).

Only parts opf songs work well! Dangerous Dave, Van Allen's Belt (mispelled above and refering to Diamond Dave's sexual exploits), Canterbury Tale (their home town), Disraelly's Problem (an answer to Cream?) all have their moments but click too rarely to be really enjoyable. Only the long track World's Eyes can remind you of their debut but actually announces the third album with the great use of the cello!

I rounded up this rating to the upper star simply because I regard highly the other two albums. But this one should be for confirmed fans, really!

Well, finally I have been lucky enough to track down an LP of this highly coveted album, however, its reputation exceeds its worth - to an extent. We are greeted with 'Dangerous Dave', which rocks out nicely, with a brief melancholic bit in the middle and back again. Hardly the stuff a prog-head looks for but the track is well composed. Van Allen's Belt is in a more sombre mood with acoustic guitar and piano. 'Runaway' strikes me as the most proggy piece on the album. It features 3 distinctive movements, some organ and lovely piano playing, vocals from Mark Francis and the beautiful Barbara Gaskin, and some bars in 7/8 !! Starting out uptempo, but finishing in a dreamy way with Gaskin's gorgeous voice - a well performed proggy-folk epic in under 5 minutes ! 'Grandad' is again a sombre piece of fragile beauty featuring a delicate Cockerham with his acoustic guitar, backed by Cusack's string arrangement. 'Wings of Thunder' is another rocker which is pleasant but without any 'twists and turns'. Side 2 opens up with the only long number, 'World's Eyes', of which the first half of the song recalls a bit of the eccentricities of their debut, 'St. Radigunds', containing a brief moment of manic energy which reminds me of zeuhl (don't ask how I get this, but it does), hyperactive bass from Borrill, some semi-tone riffs and strange vocals. The second half of the song settles into more conventional territory but still holds the attention. Most 'standard' track I find is 'Don't Let it Get you', a non-offensive ballad which doesn't out-stay its welcome. 'Disraeli's Problem' features more dreamy vocals from Gaskin, with mellow sections that I enjoy immensely. Last track, 'A Canterbury Tale', has a sombre first half which is beautiful, finishing with a multi-tracked Gaskin vocal backing with Cockerham singing over the top. A fine album for sure, but not quite the masterpiece I was hoping for.

Spirogyra for me sounds as great name from my teens. Returning now back to their second album, I am a bit disappointed.

Still great folk harmonies, nice arrangements and complex arrangements. Still nice balance between folk and rock elements. Still some psychedelic air all around. But - let be honest, it sounds more as evident from it's time than as music which can attract someone right now.

A bit sad feeling, but life is life. I believe that real band's fan still love them.

Despite the surreal cover art, Old Boot Wine actually feels a bit less adventurous and progressive to me than either of the other two albums of Spirogyra's original run. Those who enjoy folk rock with progressive sensibilities will still find the material here to be of interest, Barbara Gaskin still charms on the microphone, and Martin Cockerham and Marc Francis' instrumental sparring is still a treat, but the proceedings feel rather sedate and tame compared to the more unpredictable St. Radigund's - there's no departures into not-quite- Comus spookness, for instance. Call it three and a half stars - add half a star if you really like 1970s British folk rock, subtract half a star if you're here for the prog side of the Spirogyra equation.