EPIC FOREST

"Epic Forest" had been RB's third album and the first one after Field and Ashton left the band. Actually its title was promising more than this record could finally deliver. Gone were the Hammond-drenched sound from their first two releases reminding much of Procol Harum making place for a more guitar-based singer/songwriter style with the inclusion of some groovy and funky rhythms at times. Though being quite nice to listen to most of the songs on here cannot really fascinate me any longer I've to say. Far from being original let alone to be considered really progressive in the real sense since during those days numerous bands played stuff similar to that they sounded here at times a bit like Grand Funk or at others like a more rocking CSNY, especially in the first three songs. Nonetheless even if this album wasn't that much "real Prog" anymore compared to the two previous one it was an excellent one if considered more a standard pop/rock one with a couple of fine songs like the title track, "Turning The Lights Out", "Her darkest hours" , "Turn It All Around" or the great long-track "You're Lost". Overall this one could be still a nice addition for a Prog collection but not really an essential one what I doubt to be for this band in general I'm afraid to say. IMHO Rare Bird can be rather considered like Procol and Wishbone another quite fine group more in the Prog-Related or Proto-Prog mold.

Not really rare, but very good rock music in a slightly progressive vein and worth 3,5 stars I would say!