Plain and Fancy: Supersister - Pudding En Gisteren (1972-73 holland, impressive canterbury prog rock, 2008 remaster with bonus tracks))

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Supersister - Pudding En Gisteren (1972-73 holland, impressive canterbury prog rock, 2008 remaster with bonus tracks))

Originally called Sweet O.K. Supersister, Supersister is formed in The Hague by Robert-Jan Stips (vocals and keyboard), Sacha van Geest (flute), Marco Vrolijk (drums) and Ron van Eck (bass). Supersister’s progressive sound sticks out among the beat and rock music and the band spearheads the local hippie scene. In the spring of 1970 Supersister’s first single She Was Naked is released. It’s the group’s first hit and it earns them a record deal with Polydor.

The third Supersister album is a big favorite with prog fans because it provides a good representation of the group's combination of Caravan-inspired jamming and Zappa-esque humor. Pudding and Gisteren consists of a pair of pop songs and pair of lengthy prog jams. The songs are instantly appealing: both "Radio" and "Psychopath" combine witty narratives with jaunty, hook-laden tunes that pack plenty of musical complexity into a compact space.

The longer-form jams show great technical prowess and the occasional element of wacky humor ("Judy Goes on Holiday" finishes with an unexpected but amusing parody of doo wop music), but they lack the cohesiveness and memorable themes that define the best prog rock epics. That said, fans of art rock are likely to enjoy this album thanks to the group's considerable instrumental chops: Robert Jan Stips in particular shines, coaxing a variety of sounds out of his electric piano to fit the shifting styles of the music. Ultimately, the appeal of Pudding and Gisteren will depend on the listener's tolerance for eccentricity and musical self-indulgence, but it will offer plenty of surprises and musical fireworks for the patient prog rock enthusiast.

by Donald A. Guarisco