WIGWAM

1. "Proletarian" (2:10) (4.375/5) 2. "Inspired Machine" (1:25) back to music theater? cabaret music? (4.375/5)

3. "Petty-Bourgeois" (2:58) like something straight out of a HATFIELD AND THE NORTH album--only with the vocal theatricity of Peter Gabriel. (8.875/10)

4. "Pride of the Biosphere" (3:15) pure vocal theatre--all performed over solo theatre organ. (8.875/10)

5. "Pedagogue" (9:11) definitely music that could have come from one of the Canterbury Scene's vocal masters: The early Soft Machine, Matching Mole, Hatfield and the North or Caravan--perhaps more this latter band, though the vocal sounds more like something IAN ANDERSON would've done around this same time with Jethro Tull. (18/20)

6. "Crisader" (4:47) the next song sounds like a little more organ-dominated continuation of the previous song. (8.75/10)

7. "Planetist" (3:08) an instrumental in which the wind instruments play a huge role. Very FOCUS-like. (9/10)

8. "Maestro Mercy" (2:32) flowing straight out of "Planetist," Jim's vocal here seems to harken back to some late 1960s blues-rock psychedelia--the organ-based opening like PROCOL HARUM. (9/10)

9. "Prophet" (6:11) another more-vocal/lyrics driven song that has some very nice music to fill the copious spaces between the lyrics. Nice to hear the vast improvements in sound engineering as well the band members' new instrument acquisitions. (8.875/10)

10. "Marvelry Skimmer" (2:32) another song that launches without break straight out of the previous song, this one is much more blues-centric as the organ and LEON RUSSELL-like vocal lead the way over the fairly straightforward 1960s blues-rock dirge. (8.75/10)

Total Time 38:09

I would have to categorize this music as more consistent with the parameters of avant/RIO music vocal or early vocal Canterbury music (à la Robert Wyatt or Kevin Ayers). The music is all ver ypleasant--very melodic--and highly entertaining, and the musicianship of the contributors is top notch (which is necessary to accomplish such demanding, sophisticated song structures). I love the band's improved sound engineering as well as the assorted new instruments they've added to their repertoire--and I love the confidence Jim Pembroke has gained in his quirky vocal storytelling as well as the band's new proclivity for more complicated time and key signature shifting. There are a lot of significant steps forward the band has made to get here--for which I offer my sincerest admiration and congratulations.

B+/4.5 stars; of all the WIGWAM albums, this is easily my favorite. However, it is another album that I won't be able in good conscience to include in my Jazz-Rock Fusion lists--not because it's not prog: no! It's pure prog but far more of a Canterbury or avant garde/RIO nature than J-R Fuse. Still, highly entertaining and highly recommended.

The band had Mats Huldén on bass for two singles and this album, with Nikke Nikamo on guitar. Nikke did not really stand out, and had to be pushed to do a solo, such as on Luulosairas from this era. If you buy the remastered album on CD, the song was tacked on as a bonus. It was a good example of the band spontaneously coming up with a song. The lyrics were labled by singer Jukka as juvenile, but I do not have a problem with them.

Jukka was responsible for most of Side one, and Pembroke barely appears there. The lyrics reflect the spiritual journey Jukka was to undertake. He is quite religious and left the band after a few albums. But not before we had several masterpieces with Jukka on organ, Pekka on bass (album 2 and later) and Ronnie on drums. On this album we hear quite tight work by Huldén and Ronnie on bass and drums. I would even describe it as a Wigwam sound, as much as the organ was at the time.

On side two we get Pembroke working on the psychedelic saga. I guess they were trying to be hip and with the times with this concept. Producer Donner padded the psychedelic effect well with an orchestra. A Finnish dixieland band pops on the Hard n' Horny All-Niter track.

Some reviewers hear Pembroke using American expressions in his songs of this period. To me it was the opposite. Though I understood about ninety percent, I was happy see the lyrics in the remastered CD booklet. I had not even figured out "tuppence a ton" myself. I enjoy the word play that Jim came up with, though some images still puzzle most listeners, even in England.

I found a link to the lyrics if you do not have the version of the album with them, or are just streaming the music. Just google "lyrics genius" and "Wigwam-fin-cancelled-holiday-plans-lyrics."

It was an experiment, with the side 1 quite a laboratory for Jukka to experiment with where he was headed in music. Though the suite is ambitious, Pembroke's effort is more conventional. The lyrics stand out, with Pembroke mastering the craft by the next album. He wrote music on the piano at the time, but with Jukka in the band there is very little in the final album from Jim's piano. His first solo album features more of that.

Henry's Highway Code was the single b-side from this album, featuring a good effort from the band. You can hear how Jukka's organ was to help out Jim's later music.

First we hear hilarious introducing from host Calle or Pentti and those short speeches continues during the album in the middle of songs. Show starts with cover song from the Band that was the main influence to the Wigwam and they played many of their songs. Have to say even 'King Harvest (Has Surely Come) is originally very great song, Wigwam put into it even more groove! But killer comes next: the best live version from 'Losing Hold'! It's so fast that even Jukka Gustavson drops in the downcoming passage in a few seconds! Jukka has later said 'Losing Hold was our power song.' To me it goes ahead of for example Yes`s 'Roundabout' or Genesis's 'the Musical Box' of the same year! 'Nothing Shows' is really rare song: it's the only recording of this Pembroke- piece! It seems all three Wigwam composing members had a lot awesome material those days, when this very melodic, the Band-style piece was never recorded in the studio!

Pembroke's 'Captain Supernatural' starts the vinyl second side. It's much heavier than the original studio version in 'Tombstone Valentine'. You really don't miss that very taut sounding guitar of the studio version, the sound of this bass-organ-drums -trio is so mellow! I believe there is mistake in albums information, there is said Pembroke was also playing electric piano, but I think Pembroke was just singer these days. Really don't hear any piano there. Last piece is the most interesting! I believe it's the first live version of the tittle song of forthcoming album and also first time released! I can understand, why they didn't take this into 'Fresh Garbage'-compilation, because it's very same kind of version as the studio. I think there are all the members in vocals in the chorus parts in the begin of the song. All the way they play this so great! It's sad band hasn't play this piece after 1974.

I believe there are listeners, who think this is not the most perfect Wigwam live recording, specially the recording quality is not as great as it is in 'Töölönranta'-live or 'Pop-Liisa'. But this was the greatest time of Wigwam, their organ-bass trio was so talented and also grooving, that it sounds they could play whatever they wanted! And it's not just playing, 'Losing Hold' & 'Fairyport' are the greatest prog ever made, also Pembroke's pieces were the awesome quality poprock songs! After Gustavson-Pohjola Wigwam just couldn't achieve this same intensity anymore, this was the most magic period of the band. Yeah, I have admitted I am big fanboy, but this just can't be anything else than 5 stars record. There are still lots of live material specially after 1974, I really hope they all will be released in the future!

Originally gig started with "Just My Situation". They started most of their gigs after 1974 with that Pembroke´s solo album piece, it was already played in the last "old" Wigwam´s gigs. But again YLE failed and not recorded it, I am not sure, did Wigwam started too early or what was the reason. So the first song in this LP is "Wardance". It was really great moment in that gig, when Rekku´s great riff started! But then Jim started to sing that "I couldn´t care less of this song"-style and I was little disappointed. Originally he sang very tight in this great funky piece. In "Talking Brought Me Here" I really wondered what the h... they´re playing? Later I found out it was Jim´s eighties "Filthy Rich" bands song. It became one of the highlights in Wigwam´s 1993 "Light Ages"-album. But after that they gave relief to me and also others in the audience: "Save My Money And Name" was played and sang as it should. Some reason Pedro played accordion already in this, but it fitted well. I read from this album, that in "Nuclear Nightclub"-song studioversion had accordion, I just haven´t ever recognised it. Anyway version in Provinssirock was again just fine! Then came another piece that I wondered: "No New Games to Play". I hadn´t got Pembroke´s "Pigworm" then, so really didn´t know what song it was. Now listening this record they play it quite the same way as in Töölönranta-live. Great solo from Rekku! One of the concerts highlights to me was next song: "Eddie and the Boys". All the way so good feeling version!

The second vinyl of this release consist just classic material of 1974-77 line-up, mostly from "Nuclear Nightclub". In "Kite" Pembroke´s singing is again quite false for some reason. I really would have hoped Hietanen had taken moog with him in this concert, because the song intro sounded just awful. But it´s ok he uses organ sound in "Do Or Die"´s solo. But even Rekku hadn´t got his Hoyer-guitar and phaser effect, his playing was absolutely great all the songs! It´s same in "Freddie Are You Ready": really miss the moog, but Rekku´s magic chords sound like they should! Pembroke´s singing goes better song by song. In the gigs last piece "Bless Your Lucky Stars" intensity rises really high! And again terrific solo from Rekku! Of course they got encore and it was "Grass For Blades" that ended their gigs in the seventies and also was played by "old" Wigwam. Pembroke forgets words in the first verse, but all the way this version is very good with solos both Hietanen and Rechardt.

When I put this album first time on, I had really warm and nostalgic feeling! I think this is the first concert, where I have been that has released as album! In Provinssirock Wigwam wasn´t at it´s best, but still it´s such a great live album! I recommend "Live at Provinssi" much more than "Wigwam Plays Wigwam"-album, because drummer Jan Noponen is so much better than Jari Kettunen. Although Kotilainen has the original keyboards in that other live, Hietanen can´t ruin everything with his too modern synth in this album. After Jim Pembroke´s death I believe we haven´t got possibility to see Wigwam concert anymore. But it´s great there comes these old live albums! There is already coming "Live At Natsa 1971" in November. Although other pieces of that album except "Fairyport" have released already in "Fresh Garbage"-collection, I really wait that! Naturally one big reason is that it is from the greatest Wigwam line-up!

"a Better Hold (and a Little View) starts without any audience noise or introductions. Maybe they did cutting afterwards in the YLE studio. This song was never released in Wigwam album, but in the great Pembroke´s third solo "Corporal Cauliflowers Mental Function". Never been my big favorite, but I think there is best version of the song in this album! It can be heard musicians really enjoy their playing! Next we hear YLE hoast Erkki Lehtola telling this is the first of many concerts broadcasted straight by YLE and also introducting the band. His style was very typical of that time in that only Finnish radio channel, quite official, rigid and maybe little bit arrogant (pop music wasn´t recpected that time in that channel). Then they play "Do Or Die" in a very same terrific way as in "Nuclear". It´s great Hietanen had moog this time as Esa Kotilainen had in the album, I think he later didn´t use it in gigs. His solo is quite short, but Rekku´s is so magnificent! "Never Turn You In" is my big Wigwam favorites! They made little bit shorter arrangement in their next "Lucky Golden Stripes and Starpose"-album. This is the only live version from this great song! Next comes little bit embarrassed Måsse´s interview, I am glad most people don´t understand Finnish!

Vinyl B-side starts with their recently released single piece of that day. It´s as perfect as studio version, of course you can miss studioversion´s marimba. "Simple Human Kindness" is together with "Bless Your Lucky Stars" the most prog songs in this album. Both are played just so great! Last song in the gig and also in this album is "No New Games To Play" that was originally in Jim Pembroke´s "Pigworm"-album. But in this version there is long Rekku´s solo where he really shows his talents! I believe if Rekku had lived in UK, he would have become same kind of guitar hero as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck etc. He really had style, to me it sounded he never played juts showing his talents, there was always ideas in his playing, also love that phased sound! Sadly this song will fade out just after Rekku´s solo, because the program time was finished. It seems they didn´t record the whole song in that straight broadcast.

Although my favorite Wigwam period is 1969-74, I just had to give five stars into this! Just because it is so perfect live album! But really that doesn´t mean some kind of clean coldness, there really is warmth in their awesome playing! Yeah, I am big Wigwam fanboy, but hard to believe anyone who likes seventies artists like Roxy Music, ELO and David Bowie can not also love Wigwam´s music of this time! This release really hasn´t got nothing to do with jazz rock/fusion, the category where Wigwam has put into Progarchives. "Live Music From the Twilight Zone" and also "Pop Liisa 3" will stay my favorite live albums from them, but really you can hear how the band got back the great atmosphere when comparing "Live at Töölönranta" into "Twilight Zone" times! Absolutely this is their best live recording after 1974! But I hope there will come also vinyl release of their 1976 Liisankatu studio recordings.

The Band was a big influence to Wigwam, maybe even bigger than Beatles or other 60 bands group members listened. You can really hear that in "Wishful Thinker". But although influences are clearly heard, it´s really beautiful song, really one of the Pembroke´s best! Also Pembroke´s BS piece "Call Me On Your Telephone" is one of his great ones, when it came first time 1967 in Finland, it really put Finnish music into another, very international level! So it´s very easy to give this single four stars.

True Confession really is "End Of the Poem" from the first Blues Section album and Helsinki is "East Is Red" from the same album. Blues Section was the same kind of originator of Finnish prog scene as Wilde Flowers was to Canterbury scene, members of Blues Section will become to Wigwam and Tasavallan Presidentti. Although "True Confession" is composed by BS guitarist Hasse Walli, it´s very near of the beauty of Pembroke´s compositions. String arrangement made by Otto Donner really fulfill the greatness of this piece! "Helsinki" is originally short, Chinese trad song so it´s typical B-side of that time. Although A-side is not true Wigwam, it´s just so genius piece that I have to give it four stars!

When Wigwam recorded their final album "Some Several Moons" they have understood they will never become internationally succeeded, so they didn´t release any single from that. This was the final single from the band in it´s active years. I am glad they add "Lizard King" into this, so it rise this single into three stars.

But then there are songs like this they released as first single from the album. Stadium rock with "vooou" in the chorus - nooooo. I believe it was again the same hope: maybe the polar bears will buy fridge´s in the US? Really didn´t buy this single when it came, so I don´t know does radio edit version differ much from the album version. But have to say "Heaven In a Modern World" is not the worst song in Titans Wheel, they left it into next single.

I believe when Wigwam made comeback very soon there were still hopes that international success would be possible to achieve, because it never happened in the seventies although the record deal in Virgin etc. So the songs chosen this single really are those new ones, that are made with some kind of commercial thought. All the way these both are perfectly arranged and also produced when thinking this kind of music. But very boring to me and really that part of Wigwam music, I have never cared much.