THE HENRY COW LEGEND [AKA: LEGEND OR LEG END]

This, the first album by Henry Cow, is almost more like the sound of Soft Machine than the rock in opposition that the band came to represent. The music is much more jazzy, and jam laden than their subsequent releases, but still has the off the wall compositions, and free style playing that marks all of their albums.

The more organized compositions sound to me like Canterbury mixed with Frank Zappa's early avant garde pieces, with a bit of free jazz thrown in to the mix.

My favorite songs on this album are Teenbeat and Teenbeat Reprise, both featuring soloing over nicely off beat rhythms.

A good starting point from a great band.