POINT OF VIEW

A terrific outfit on its own merits, what is truly remarkable about Israel's Lord Flimnap [the Lilliputian treasurer from Gulliver's Travels] is that it was a trio of teenagers. Drummer Alon Weissman and bassist/guitarist/singer Itay Eyal, both 16, joined with 15-year old keyboardist Ohad Goldbart in 1989. After less than fifty hours of studio time in Kfar Saba, they produced a tight and inspired collection of prog relics that seem to be bursting with the excitement of a time at least ten years earlier. A time these kids had missed but fallen hard for.

The material reflects their fondness for Anglocentric prog in all its forms with much folk, symph and Hatfieldisms, and by doubling themselves on multiple instruments, the band was able to create an incredibly mature and well-developed product released on tape by The 3rd Ear label and later on CD by German prog company SPM. Though glimpses of Genesis and the Crims as well as Greenslade, U.K. and even American band Hands are spotted, Flimnap does not bow to those icons as much as emulate the era it felt had been ruined by an industry. The rub of a cricket's legs and the fall of evening introduces 'The Wilderness' with troubadours Goldbart and Eyal on dual steelstrings, Weissman in the pocket and all three adding their voices to a very decent round of harmonies, the prog spirits coming alive with cool electric guitar lines, strong organ and a smart arrangement. Weird and slow 'Trapped in the Marsh' reminds of Lake and Emerson's dreamier moments. And biographical 'Prodigy' surely reflects the experience of musical wunderkindship featuring the jazzier aspects here with a splendid middle where organ-rock dances with fusion.

Big boy 'Out of My Way' has its flaws; a somewhat disjointed arrangement, less than perfect vocals and a kind of dance rock that doesn't quite suit things. But at over ten minutes has room to offer a few good scraps now & then when the kids just let go and play. Folk lament 'December' creaks along in a weepy Beatles way, and 'Solution' is a walking jazz bit souped-up by Goldbart's lovely classical piano breaks.

A rare item nowadays and certainly one of the more desirable lost prog artifacts, Lord Flimnap's Point of View is highly recommended but not to everyone... if you know what I mean. A very strong three stars.