WALRUS

Tucked away in the darker recesses of any prog collection are sunk without trace gems from the late 60's/early 70's. I was surprised and pleased that over a dozen others have at least heard this and bothered to rate it. It has even had a couple of reviews. I shall add mine then! With previous reviews, especially from such an obscure 9 (or 8 depending on source)piece, you need a touchstone to base any potential purchasing decisions on. Without repeating what has been said before, the obvious Colosseum and early Chicago (Transit Authority) haven't been name checked....along with Blodwyn Pig and the criminally absent from PA Mick Abrahams Band. I think Ginger Bakers Airforce and Dada can be thrown in to the mix also....and of course the delightful Keef Hartley Band and the slightly more mainstream CCS. Without wanting to overload the comparisons, IF have to be mentioned and even Ashton, Gardener & Dyke! So what does that give us? A brassy, heavy prog masterpiece? Not quite, but not for want of effort! There are perhaps a little too many pop/psych hang overs (Tomorrow Never Comes could have been The Nice on a not quite their best day) and the brass parts are mostly just multi layered same riff rather than something counterpointal and longer tracks feel more like different ideas tagged on to each other rather than any meaningful bridged links making for a satisfying whole. Yes we get a prog/blues feel a la early Tull but without their playful and knowing nod and a wink so it can feel a bit leaden. Having said that, there are enough contrasts to make this an interesting listen with the more pastoral 'Why' being one such example. Yes it is firmly locked in a time and a place sound and content wise, but there are and were a lot worse places to be than a Marquee or college gig in say late 1970 with this lot in yer face/ears I imagine. Again, a 5 star review system makes it difficult as would want to give them a half star for sheer effort this pushing it firmly in to 3.5 area. It is what it (was) is.