FAR CANAL

JD's second album is a fairly different affair compared with their debut: gone are the heavy brass arrangements, leaving the group with a much sober (less jam-oriented) songwriting and a harder sound. The group will suffer two major line-up changes and by late 69, only Hinkley was left from the original group. Holland and Gavin were asked to join up.

Surprisingly enough, the opening We've Had It starts on a classical guitar, but soon veers towards a more realistic form of proto- prog. Bath Sister starts on a blues-rock guitar riff, and while foraying a little, it remains close to the starting motif. Much more enthralling is the 7-min Jumb Bed Jed where past the hard-riffing guitar intro; the track veers very elegantly towards a demonstration of superb interplay and soloing. However the side closer Paradiso is marred by a lengthy drum solo taking up half the track, and it is too bad, because the other half is quite pleasant.

The flipside starts with the live-recorded Plastic Shit, which is understandably rougher and rawer than the rest of the album. Vegetable Oblivion is bit of a short instrumental interlude, very pleasant with the guitar gently dominating but has an overall feel of one of those power ballads of the 80's, but much better. Red Worm And Lice is clearly the album's highlight is JD's best track, with its seven minutes of excellent instrumental interplay where Holland's doubled guitars soars like an eagle in the sky. The closing Ballad For Bridget is a short jazz-inflicted ballad that doesn't find its place easily in this album.

Both albums differing enough, it is difficult to find one superior to the other (most opt for FC over OSO, but this writer prefers the debut because it communicates its enthusiasm better. While both albums are anything but essential to progheads, they are both worth the occasional spin and will certainly add depth to their shelves.