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.
---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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