I remember getting their two Deram LP:s - "Mercator Projected" and "Snafu" - at first release and keeping them as part of my earliest period into prog, together with stuff from Zappa, Colosseum and Traffic. But for some reason they didn't hit me as hard as the others and I lost them after a while. For almost forty years the band was outside my area of interest till I found this their third LP a while ago. As it seems not much was left from the Deram years. Only violinist Dave Arbus remained fron the original setting and most of the creative work made by newcomer bassist David Jack who composed all songs and did lead vocals on the album. It's very good prog with top instrumentalists and fantastic guitars. Songs are rock/jazz blend having just enough unexpected twists and turns to keep up my interest, but lacking specific character. Some of it reminds of contemporary Traffic - impression enhanced by David Jack there sounding exactly like Steve Winwood - and others resembles stuff from Cream or Family - with vocals not far from Jack Bruce or Roger Chapman. There are a few moments though where they just sound like themselves and those are the ones that makes the LP. Favorite tracks - folk/psych "Take What You Need" and odd hard-rocker "To Mrs V". First US on Harvest (SW-806). German CD 2005 on Repertoire (REP 4877). Early UK had label as shown here and structured fold/out cover. (HÄVL*)
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar