Decameron - Mammoth Special… Plus (1974 uk, incredible progressive folk rock)

Released in 1974, Mammoth Special was Decameron’s follow up to Say Hello to the Band and saw the four-piece add another member, while pursuing a more progressive sound.

The title track sets the tone for this evolution, providing for a beefier, more dynamic outing than before, although the harmonising prevalent on the first album, reminiscent of American artists such as CSN and The Byrds, remains largely intact and even allows for an (almost) a cappella cover of Buffalo Springfield’s ‘Rock and Roll Woman’.

The baroque-tinged ‘Jan’ is a fine folky throwback, which, along with melodically haunting ‘The Stonehouse’ and the previously mentioned title track, is an album highlight. The infectiously quirky bonus track ‘Twinset and Pearls’ rounds Mammoth Special off nicely.

Head-Full-Of-Snow

Tracks
1. Mammoth Special (Johnny Coppin) - 3:48
2. Rock And Roll Woman (Stephen Stills) - 2:13
3. Just Enough Like Home (Dave Bell) - 3:53
4. A Glimpse Of Me (Johnny Coppin, Dave Bell) - 2:43
5. Late On Lady Day (Johnny Coppin, Dave Bell) - 3:53
6. Breakdown Of The Song (Dave Bell) - 3:06
7. The Cheetah (Johnny Coppin, Dave Bell) - 4:57
8. Jan (Johnny Coppin, Dave Bell) - 3:10
9. The Stonehouse (Johnny Coppin, Dave Bell) - 4:30
10. Parade (Johnny Coppin, Dave Bell) - 5:05
11. The Empty Space - This Side Of Innocence (Johnny Coppin, Dave Bell) - 5:58
12. Twinset And Pearls (Johnny Coppin, Dave Bell) - 2:23

Decameron
*Dave Bell - Six, Twelve String Acoustic Guitars, Fender Bass, Lead Vocals
*Johnny Coppin - Six, Twelve String Acoustic Guitars, Piano, Lead Vocals
*Dik Cadbury - Twelve String Acoustic Guitars, Lead Guitar, Tiple, Bass, Guitar, Harmonica, Mandolin, High Strung Guitar
*Geoff March - Organ, Piano, Violin, Cello, Tenor Sax , Vocals, Tin Whistle
With
*Mongezi Feza - Percussion
*John Halsey - Percussion, Drums
*Robert Kirby - String Arrangements
*Gaspar Lawal - Percussion
*Dudu Pukwana - Percussion
*Frank Ricotti - Percussion
*Shamsi Sarumi - Percussion

Decameron
1973  Say Hello To The Band  
1975-76  Third Light / Tomorrow's Pantomime

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