Gordon Giltrap - Visionary. 1976 The Electric Record Company (LP). From the 25 cent bin at Independent (Dec). I remember seeing this album in the import bins going back to the 80s. Instincts told me to avoid this one, and this listen proved those instincts to be correct. Not to suggest it isn't a fine album - it is - but it's all a bit too formal for my tastes. Generously one could compare this to Mike Oldfield, but it misses that depth. It's more sketches than compositions. After each piece I feel obligated to clap. Ideally suited for a PBS music special. Cool 1930's styled artwork.
*Renaissance - A Song For All Seasons. 1978 Sire (LP). Found this last week at a thrift shop with an entire Renaissance drop (Aug). It was a weird find. Every one of them was close to Mint - and that's all that was donated. No other albums like it. With most of the Renaissance catalog, I was familiar with their albums as far back as 1994. But I never heard this one! In some ways this album brings more juice with it than their predecessors. It's clear they are making an AOR play, but they are still rooted deeply into prog rock. Especially the two longer songs (title track; 'The Day of the Dreamer'), both the clear highlights. Otherwise it sounds as if The Alan Parsons Project barged into the studio for a mix and match session, including orchestra. Which isn't such a bad thing, if you ask me. I think I might prefer A Song For All Seasons over most of their back catalog, though revisits are in order. Also contrary to my peers, I happen to love the cover. Very much a typical Hipgnosis styled design. I find the pensive young aristocratic pretty lady quite appealing myself, with the fall like backdrop adding a dose of melancholy. It fits the music. Comes with a full lyric inner sleeve, but alas my copy is missing the poster.
*Renaissance - Prologue. 1972 Capitol (LP). With the above (Aug). Prologue is not an album I have a long history with, only getting the CD as part of a discography buy online about six years ago (2016). But with this listen, I'm much more drawn in this time. In particular I'm enjoying John Tout's piano work alongside the driving rhythm section. This is new gal-on-the-block Annie Haslam's debut with the band, and she adds both wordless and lyrical singing. It's clear that she's a burgeoning talent. And is that hard psychedelia on the 11.5 minute 'Rajah Khan'? Too bad they didn't follow that direction further. OK, Prologue moves to the top of my Renaissance collection. Curious if anything surpasses it. As for the collection, the CD is on the shoddy One Way label (1991), which makes the decision easy. Keeping the LP, especially considering the fine gatefold cover. Yet another Hipgnosis design, though in this case, those "slats" look either like unused 80s computer components or leftover 60s asbestos cancer causing ceiling tiles. Hmmm.
*Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Nightingales & Bombers. 1975 Warner Bros. (LP). Thrift shop find (Aug). Confirmed what I instinctively knew and had been told: This is a very fine progressive rock album. I guess it's here that Mann broke Springsteen's 'Spirit in the Night', but otherwise most of this would have fit comfortably on any number of mid 70s UK prog albums. What propelled the South African Mann to continue on in this space, when essentially he was a pop star, is anyone's guess. Perhaps he felt trapped by the establishment and wanted to put his brand of creative rock on the map? Whatever the reason, he certainly is good at it. None of the tracks he writes ever goes anywhere commercially, but they will transcend time better than 'Do Wah Diddy Diddy'.
Eden's Taste - Meilensteine. 1983 private (LP). Online acquisition (Aug). There aren't too many of these kind of 80s neo prog albums that I haven't heard by now. I remember the name from the 80s and 90s, but no one really spoke highly of it, and every dollar had to count back then. Over the years, I've acquired a fondness for the 80s neo prog sound, so let's see if this makes the cut. Well, first thing I have to say, is thank goodness I didn't get this 35 years ago. I would have hated it immediately. But today I hear an album of worthiness, but still not to my personal taste. When listening to Bavaria's Eden's Taste, it's hard to imagine them not being from East Germany. They sing in German (which was de rigueur in the DDR), the pace is Pink Floyd-dog-slow, the instruments sound cheap, and the production is quite muddy. It's definitely neo prog, and the Genesis-isms are out in full force. So what you end up with is this weird combination of Stern Meissen and Electra mixed with Marillion. Certainly the album has some fine instrumental moments, and I really don't mind groups singing in their native tongue (I prefer it reall). But it lacks the kinetic spark that accounts for the best of the 80s neo bands.
Wally. 1974 Atlantic (LP). Thrift shop find (Jul). Here it is. I was wondering when I was going to find Wally. This album was constantly pitched to me in college as a great prog album. Of course it was from used record store owners itching to dump it on suckers like me. I didn't like it back then (never did buy it nor did I have it rated) - and honestly I still don't think much of it. Though English, it sounds like an American folk rock band that occasionally stretches out into the prog world. Especially on the two lengthy pieces 'The Martyr' and 'To the Urban Man'. Certainly it is good on the whole, but considering I have an enormous collection of worldwide prog, I'm not sure there's any room for the middling Wally. Now maybe I'll try to hock it at the next record show. What goes around comes around.
*Hawkwind - Space Ritual. 2015 Parlophone (UK) (LP) (1973). Trade credit from What's Left (Mar). Hawkwind is a band that I was first turned onto in late college, by a mutual Philosophy student/friend (I minored in Philosophy and History, much to the chagrin of my Engineering professors who thought it a waste of time - best thing I ever did in college fwiw). I have to say that while I've always enjoyed Hawkwind, they were never a favorite, or anything I feel a huge urge to listen to. The first album I bought, and remains my favorite by them, would be In Search of Space. Believe it or not, I have never owned Space Ritual until now. I would often see it in the used bins in Lubbock during this time, always in terrible shape and not cheap either. My buddy back then played it for me, but it didn't move the needle enough for me to pursue. Now we move forward some 35 years later. I dedicated one evening listening session to it, and my initial impression of Hawkwind, and this album, holds tight. Basically they produce a wall of sound with guitar chords, saxophone noises, synthesizer swooshes, and mumbling vocals. The only guy it seems that is working hard is Lemmy, using his bass to drive the music forward. Their songwriting is almost non-existent. The two tracks that stand out, seem to be the same two tracks that always stand out: 'Master of the Universe' and 'Brainstorm'. '7 by 7' should also receive mention, and their best "song" 'Silver Machine' isn't to be found here. Gong would take this formula to much more interesting heights soon after. And in the late 80s, Ozric Tentacles took the sound to its logical conclusion, with many followers tagging along. Hawkwind are to be commended for being pioneers, but they aren't really my kind of space rock. Of course I'm keeping this, if for nothing else than to consider the incredible 6 panel poster cover. A lot folks sing the praises of this reissue for sound quality. I'll take them at their word.
*Argent - Nexus. 1974 Epic (LP). From an estate sale (Mar). As noted in one of last year's commodity reports, I've been completely negligent on Argent. So I'm picking them up as I see them - as long as they are in nice condition. This whole collection was pretty much stone mint, so it checked that box. By this point, Argent are two completely different groups. One is lead by Argent and bassist Chris White; the other by guitarist Russ Ballard. And never the twain shall meet. Argent and White are pretty much in full-on Yes territory by this point, and all their compositions are very satisfying. Ballard is busy trying to create hits, though mostly he succeeded at writing some good hard rockers this go round, especially on side 2, which he pretty much owns. I found myself enjoying this one quite a bit.
---2020
Rick Wakeman - Journey to the Centre of the Earth. 1974 A&M (LP). From a thrift shop in Pueblo (Nov). I bought my first copy of this album when initially discovering used record stores in the early 80s. Eventually I found it to be an embarrassment of the collection and dumped it. OK, I see it at a thrift - has the insert - what the heck, let's try it again. After all, I've always been fond of Six Wives and the King Arthur album is pretty good. Then again, Wakeman also released what I consider the all-time worst album ever (I'm serious) with Rock'n Roll Prophet. Journey Centre foreshadows that infamous work. It's almost a parody of progressive rock. Ridiculous really. Goodbye.
* - Keeping for the collection
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