Aleph ~ Australia

Surface Tension (1977)

Though from Australia, Aleph in reality sound more like a band from Ohio, and would have been a perfect fit for my USA Midwest / Ontario Progressive Rock (1970's/early 80s) list. Commercial FM radio meets progressive rock, with long tracks, mellotron, extended ideas, etc... Comparisons to Sebastian Hardie are compulsory, but not really accurate. Whereas that fine band were more attuned to a certain European sophistication, Aleph are a brash unit, very much like an American group would be. Despite featuring two females (on keyboards primarily), and the vocals are in a decidedly higher range, the lead singer is definitely male - yet another Midwest-American-covering-Yes trait. While Side 1 has a slight commercial slant, the flip goes all out progressive. A very fine album for those who like that uniquely late 70's American prog sound.

Ownership: 1977 Atlantic (LP). Fold out lyric inner that also contains a band photo. 

This LP replaced the CD that I purchased from a Japanese dealer at Prog Day back in 1996. It was on the dubious Poor House label, and was their very first release. As such it was a fully pressed CD, not a CD-R that they later succumbed too. All the same, it's clearly a bootleg and taken from vinyl. It's debatable if this album has ever been reissued properly. The M2U (Korea) release claims a license but questions have arisen to the contrary (Belle Alliance of Japan put their obi on this release as well). One wishes Aztec had covered this in their prime to remove all doubt. 

As of 3/29/25, the situation remains unchanged.

9//96 (first listen); 6/13/16 (review / new entry); 9/25/18; 6/23/21 (update)