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Tracklist :
1. The Purple Speed Queen (1:32)
2. Elfin Boy (4:13)
3. Metamorphosis (10:38)
4. World (3:43)
5. Armin (3:42)
6. U.H.F. (5:07)
7. Two-Three-Two (4:10)
8. Easy (6:40)
Credits :
Kirby Gregory - Guitars, Vocals
Eddie Jobson - Keyboards, Violin, Vocals
Sonja Kristina - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Jim Russell - Drums, Percussion
Mike Wedgwood - Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals (Lead Vocal on Two-Three-Two)
Jethro Tull and Comus had a baby, and they named it Gravy Train. That's not strictly accurate, of course, but as the band's eponymous debut opens with the fluid changes of "The New One," it's not too far of a reach, either. Richly harmonic, daringly jam-laden, and peppered with guitar roars that simply defy comparison, Gravy Train is the sound of the British underground at its most joyously liberated peak -- a time when a bunch of apparent freaks could simply go into a major recording studio and let rip. Except Gravy Train's concept of "letting rip" has more in common with a symphony orchestra than the Edgar Broughton Band. Without, of course, the orchestra. But there's a moment in the midst of "Think of Life" that cannot help but put one in mind of later Deep Purple, as the flute and guitar battle for supremacy, while the blues workout "Coast Road" is as breathtaking as any of that genre's better-feted exponents. If Gravy Train has any faults whatsoever, the fascination with peculiar vocal effects can grow a little wearing, especially as frontman Norman Barrett already appears to have a fabulous range of his own -- "Dedication to Sid," in particular, glories in such trickery, although the heartbeat bassline that runs through the number is so hypnotic that it's easy to forget everything else that's going on. In fact, Gravy Train is littered with moments like that, an album of so many surprises that even when you think you know it, you can still find something else you'd never noticed. And it all adds up to a genuine minor classic. Dave Thompson
Tracklist :
1 The New One 5:15
2 Dedication To Sid 7:17
3 Coast Road 6:46
4 Enterprise 6:20
5 Think Of Life 5:10
6 Earl Of Pocket Nook 16:11
Credits :
Bass, Vocals – Les Williams
Drums – Barry Davenport
Engineer – Keith Harwood
Flute [Alto, Simultaneous Alto And Tenor], Vocals – J.D. Hughes
Lead Vocals, Guitar – Norman Barrett
Written-By, Composed By – Gravy Train.jpg)
Again, this is the album that does not have prog component in the music. However, it's nice to enjoy this classic rock band. The music offered here is similar with bands like Tea (Germany), Humble Pie, or Mountain with unique singing style of its lead vocalist, Wrener Stephan. The opening track "Come Down to the Riverside" (3:13) is like a combination of The Beatles and Lynyrd Skynyrd. It seems like the band tried to explore the southern rock style, especially through the guitar licks as well as singing style. It's really enjoyable. It moves in similar vein into next track "Don't Force Your Horse" (3:46) where guitar still plays critical role in putting the music style of the song. Supported with vintage recording quality, enjoying this track gives me a "different" experience that brings me back to the glory days of seventies where rock music dominated the music industry.
The Beatles cover "Come Together" (6:00) is another place that I can find joy of listening to this album. No, it's not that due to the original version of this song it's already excellet, but the re-arrangement by Kin Ping Meh makes it "something new" for me and it has made me repeating this song over and over whenever it reaches third track. I like the fact that the guitar sound has been made different than those of original version. It reminds me to the guitar player of a band named as MAHOGANY RUSH - the guitarist is Frank Marino. The guitar solo at the end of this track is really stunning.
"Together Jam" (4:55) starts with jamming mode through guitar solo supported with bass guitar and drums, plus organ. The use of two guitars separated with left and right channel has made this composition is really excellent. The guitar solo is really the main thing from this track and it satisfies me to the bone! The bass guitar is also given a chance to perform its solo. It's an uplifting track!
"Liveable Ways" (8:00) is probably the progressive attempt that the band tried to make. The combined guitar and bass guitar works at the opening of the track is truly stunning. The vocal line is also excellent, performed with energy. The song also inserts some ambient portion right after intro part. "Day Dreams" (7:56) provides musical break through ambient nuance at intro part with guitar fills. "Very Long Ago" (2:54) is a country rock music, using banjo as main rhythm section. The album concludes nicely with "I Wanna Be Lazy" (2:58) in Southern style. progarchives
Tracklist :
1. Come Down To The Riverside 3:13
Written-By – Groß / Stephan
2. Don't Force Your Horse 3:46
Written-By – Dr. Gassenmaier / Groß
Bagpipes [Dudelsack] – Dieter Kuhlmann
3. Come Together 6:00
Written-By – Lennon/McCartney
4. Together Jam 4:55
Written-By – Kin Ping Meh
5. Livable Ways 8:00
Written-By – Frank Dostal /Groß
6. Day Dreams 7:56
Written-By – Dr. Gassenmaier / Groß / Stephan
7. Very Long Ago 2:54
Written-By – Willie Wagner
Banjo – Erich Doll
8. I Wonna Be Lazy 2:58:5
Written-By – Reichel / Dostal
– BONUS TRACKS –
9 Sometime (Single Version) 4:33
Written-By – Wagner / Schmitt
10 Sunday Morning Eve 3:58
Written-By – Wroe /Mrozek / Groß
Credits :
Bass, Vocals – Torsten Herzog
Drums, Percussion – Kalle Weber
Electric Guitar, Guitar [Fingerstyle Guitar] – Uli Groß
Guitar – Gerhard (Gagey) Mrozeck
Guitar, Vocals – Willie Wagner
Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion – Werner Stephan
Organ, Piano, Electric Piano, Mellotron 400, Vocals – Fritz Schmitt
Backdoor Possibilities emerges as a rather fragmented and patchy concept album about a businessman who becomes trapped in an elevator with death himself, who, in turn, tries to convince the man that life is more important than schedules and the blandness of everyday ordinance. With 14 tracks that mostly fall under the five-minute range, Birth Control's main story line loses its grasp quickly, but the music itself almost instantly takes over and blurs the band's allegorical idea, replacing it with detours of jazz- and rock-styled excursions. The album arises as an art rock piece with progressive rock penchants surrounding the perimeter, using a multitude of peculiar instruments like finger cymbals, congas, sand blocks, and sonor drums to instill the abstractness of the intentioned concept. Both of the six-minute tracks, "Behind Grey Walls" and "No Time to Die," are the best at keeping the anecdote intact while dishing out the album's heartiest example of Birth Control's progressive flair. Zeus B. Held's entourage of synthesizers, as well as his sporadic use of the alto saxophone, grant the majority of the songs their ornamental appeal. Some of the shorter pieces, like "Subterranean Escape" and "Legal Labyrinth," have the band trying so hard to catapult the philosophies of their esoteric yarn to the forefront that some of their instrumental resolution is thrown to the wayside. Although a few of the songs are a minor diversity, Backdoor Possibilities still ingrains the root of Birth Control's progressive sound, and the relevance of the album's concept really isn't missed. Brain's 1997 reissue includes two additional bonus tracks that are noticeable additions. Mike DeGagne
Tracklist :
One First Of April :
1. Prologue
2. Physical And Mental Short Circuit
3. Subterranean Escape
Beedeepees :
4. Film Of Life
5. Childhood Flash-Back
6. Legal Labyrinth
7. Futile Prayer
La Cigüena De Zaragoza:
8. The Farrockaway Ropedancer
9. Le Moineau De Paris
10. Cha Cha D'amour
11. Behind Grey Walls
12. No Time To Die
– BONUS TRACKS –
13. Fall Down
14. Laugh Or Cry
Credits :
Bass, Vocals – Peter Föller
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Bruno Frenzel
Lead Vocals, Drums, Marimba, Timpani, Vibraslap, Finger Cymbals, Percussion [Guero], Cabasa, Percussion [Flexitone], Congas, Claves, Percussion, Instruments [Sand Blocks] – Bernd 'Nossi' Noske
Organ, Organ [Hammond], Electric Piano, Synthesizer, Organ [Farfisa], Grand Piano, Alto Saxophone, Tubular Bells, Vocals, Synthesizer [Arp String Ensemble] – Zeus B. Held
Written-By – Bernd Noske (tracks: 5, 9), Bruno Frenzel (tracks: 4 to 11, 13, 14), Zeus B. Held (tracks: 1 to 7, 11, 12, 14)
Still only in her mid-twenties, Diahann Carroll had a varied career leading up to her sole Atlantic Records album, including nightclub app...
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