CHRIS FARLOWE/FROM HERE TO MAMA ROSA WITH THE HILL 2425-029 (-70) UK

  Not sure about the billing for this LP.  The band The Hill was formed by former Thunderbirds bassist Bruce Waddell 1969, including keyboardist Peter Robinson (earlier with Episode Six https://monolover.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-sound-of-sixties-eva-1202122-83.html ), cellist Paul Buckmaster (who'd worked with Bowie), guitarist Steve Hammond and drummer Colin Davey. They got a contract with Immediate, but after releasing just one 45 the label crashed, whereafter they were picked up by Polydor to record an LP. However they lacked a good vocalist, so when Chris Farlowe returned to England after a US tour Waddell asked his old Thunderbirds mate if he could help out with the album and that was it. Apart from "Travelling Into Make-Believe" all cuts were written by the band which also had a style then new to Farlowe - heavy progressive blues rock. So with all that background it could have been billed "The Hill featuring Chris Farlowe" or something like that, but guess Polydor thought putting Farlowe in front would sell better. In any case this is good blues prog - top guitars, lots of adveturous organ and a Farlowe adapting to a genre that he later would help to consummate with Colosseum https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/12/colosseum-live-icd-12-71-uk.html .  Here I especially like "Questions" with its dark cello sound, "Black Sheep Of The Family" carried by prominent bass and howling guitars and "Travelling Into Make-Believe" because of the busy yet accurate organ. This became the first and last from the constellation. As Farlowe joined Colosseum, Buckmaster and Robinson went on to play with Quatermass, Hammond became a member of Fat Matress and Davey would later join Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance. To my taste not up there with my all time favorite prog band Colosseum, yet with so much going for it it's certainly worth while if you're into such music.  Also originally issued on vinyl in US (Polydor 24-4041), Canada, Downunder, Germany and Spain. UK 2017 CD on Repertoire Records (REPUK 1331) came with three bonus tracks. Premiere UK had label as shown here in a glossy fold/out cover with lyric insert.