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TIME AND TIDEGreensladeSymphonic Prog3.02 | 152 ratings |
From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website
Tom Ozric
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Prog Reviewer |
Time and Tide was Greenslade's last release as a band during their 70's triumph. As good as the album
is, it's quite short, clocking in at a mere 32.24 and features 10 (!) tracks, some of which took on a Pop
glaze. The gorgeous cover-art by Patrick Woodroffe wasn't enough to make this album a masterpiece,
and niether was the gatefold photograph of the band's stage set-up, complete with a clear perspex (?)
Drumkit and a keyboard rig on each side, which perhaps suggests an un-necessary flamboyance, but this
is often the case with Prog, and most of us wouldn't have it any other way. With the eye-catching
excesses aside, the compositions are mostly fine, the playing extravagantly laden with stunning
keyboarding, and a solid rhythm section, this time with newbie Martin Briley taking over the recently
departed Reeves on Bass and Guitar duties, and Andrew McCulloch is, as always, a great Drummer. The
songs are composed by the 2 Daves - Greenslade and Lawson, either by themselves, or together. Four of
the songs here are dynamic instrumentals, 'Time' (1.16) being an arrangement for Harpsichord and Male
Voice Choir - this one's a bit pompous. 'Tide' (2.51) follows on a low note Fender Rhodes rhythm, with
multi-tracked Mellotrons creating a lush and majestic atmosphere. 'Catalan' (5.03) cuts in like a sledge-
hammer, and kills the rather nebulous mood the previous tune created - it's rather chaotic arrangement of
sudden loud blasts, and brooding moments interrupting the flow somewhat, but when the song gets going,
Lawson turns in a fine, searing ARP synth solo and the band is firing on all cylinders. The last instrumental
track is the last on the LP, 'Gangsters' (2.27) and is a beauty. 'Doldrums' (3.42) is a jazzy piece (always
reminds me of Soft Machine, circa 'Softs') and is just Lawson alone at the keyboards and the microphone.
The remaining songs of the album are the Prog/complex Pop ones, but still offer up some great
moments. 'The Ass's Ears' (3.21) in particular highlights McCulloch's playing. The weakest point of the
album would have to be 'The Flattery Stakes' (3.57) with some cheezy female backing vox and rather
simple melodies and structure.. Overall, the album falls in somewhere between 3.5 - 3.8 so I'll go with a 4
(talk about splitting hairs...)
Tom Ozric |
4/5 |
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