Santana - Welcome (1973 us, fusion rock masterpiece, 2003 remaster with extra track)

The choice of “Welcome,” a John Coltrane composition from Kulu Se Mama, as the title tune of the new Santana album is a natural follow-up to Carlos’ album with Mahavishnu John McLaughlin. Coltrane pioneered the direct rendering of spirituality through music in performances like “A Love Supreme” and “Welcome,” and the recent resurgence of interest in his work by spiritually inclined rock musicians is scarcely surprising.

But Welcome covers more territory than Love Devotion Surrender, which was simply a series of ecstatic jams on Coltrane and Coltrane-influenced material. Unlike the latter album, it refers explicitly to its various inspirations. Carlos has apparently been impressed by Airto’s Fingers, Chick Corea’s Light as a Feather and recent recordings by Leon Thomas, Alice Coltrane and Lonnie Liston Smith. In fact, Welcome begins with an Alice Coltrane arrangement, and both Leon Thomas and Airto’s vocalist, Flora Purim, make brief appearances. None of these is integral to the album, suggesting an intended tribute to sources of musical enlightenment rather than an all-star session or a round of hip name-dropping.

The two outstanding qualities which have separated Santana’s music from that of its competitors—Carlos’ expressive abilities as a guitarist and the talents of the band’s various percussionists—are much in evidence throughout Welcome. The qualities which characterize the “new” Santana are the keyboard work of Tom Coster and Richard Kermode and the broad range of the material. As examples of the latter, “Yours Is the Light” is similar in both design and execution to Airto’s current style of hot, neo-samba percussion with jazz keyboard solos, while “Mother Africa” departs considerably from Herbie Mann’s original with a kalimba introduction, thundering Afro-percussion, and a boiling, post-Trane soprano saxophone solo by Jules Broussard. “Going Home,” the Alice Coltrane arrangement, is a sea of organ sounds: “Samba De Sausalito” is a meeting of Brazilian and Puerto Rican rhythmic thrusts with an extended electric piano solo by Coster riding over the top, and “Love, Devotion and Surrender” sets words to the theme of the Santana/Mahavishnu album and builds to an impassioned, gospel-inflected chorus by Leon Thomas.

Carlos himself has never played better. On “Flame” and “Welcome,” he displays a resourceful guitar adaptation of the flutter-tonguing techniques introduced by Coltrane on the soprano sax; there is now more content and less effect in his solos, without the slightest diminution of the delicate touch and bell-like tone which make his work so unmistakable. The rhythm section is at its loosest and best; veteran Afro-Cuban powerhouse Armando Peraza and the much younger Jose Areas interact beautifully, and Michael Shrieve is developing a bag of his own out of directions laid down by Airto and Elvin Jones. There is more use of suspended time, different rhythmic structures and percussive colorations, making Welcome the most rhythmically satisfying rock recording since Professor Longhair’s.

Conceptually, the album sprawls somewhat, due to the occasionally divergent pulls of its various inspirations. But Carlos’ devotion to the musical substance of the Coltrane legacy is admirable, and he seems less inclined toward the superficial treatments which marred Love Devotion Surrender. There may not be another “Black Magic Woman” here, but there is enough of the old Latin fire to satisfy the fans, as well as a promising expansion of sources and resources.

by Bob Palmer, January 3, 1974 

Tracks

1. Going Home - 4:11

2. Love Devotion And Surrender (Carlos Santana, Richard Kermode) - 3:38

3. Samba De Sausalito (Jose "Chepito" Areas) - 3:11

4. When I Look Into Your Eyes (Maitreya Michael Shrieve, Tom Coster) - 5:52

5. Yours Is The Light (Maitreya Michael Shrieve, Richard Kermode) - 5:47

6. Mother Africa (Carlos Santana, Tom Coster, Herbie Mann) - 5:55

7. Light Of Life (Carlos Santana, Richard Kermode, Tom Coster) - 3:52

8. Flame-Sky (Doug Rauch, Carlos Santana, Mahavishnu John McLaughlin) - 11:33

9. Welcome (John Coltrane) - 6:35

10.Mantra (Carlos Santana, Maitreya Michael Shrieve, Tom Coster) - 6:11

Bonus Track 10

Santana

*Carlos Santana - Electric, Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Kalimba, Percussion, Vocals

*Tom Coster - Yamaha Organ, Hammond Organ, Electric, Acoustic Piano, Organ, Marimba, Percussion, Strings Arrangements 

*Richard Kermode - Hammond Organ, Mellotron, Electric, Acoustic PianoMarimba, Shekere, Percussion

*Douglas Rauch - Bass 

*Michael Shrieve - Drums 

*José "Chepito" Areas - Percussion, Congas, Timbales 

*Armando Peraza – Percussion, Congas, Bongos, Cabasa

*Leon Thomas - Lead Vocals, Whistling

With

*Alice Coltrane - Piano, Organ, Farfisa 

*Wendy Haas - Vocals

*Flora Purim - Vocals

*John McLaughlin - Guitar 

*Joe Farrell - Solo Flute 

*Bob Yance - Flute 

*Mel Martin - Flute 

*Douglas Rodriguez - Rhythm Guitar 

*Tony Smith - Drums

*Jules Broussard - Soprano Saxophone 

*Greg Adams - Strings Arrangements 

1972  Santana - Caravanserai (2011 MFSL Ultradisc) 

1972  Carlos Santana And Buddy Miles - Live! (2005 japan remaster)

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Premiata Forneria Marconi - Photos Of Ghosts (1973 italy, magnificent prog rock, 2010 remaster with extra tracks)

 

PFM were already Italy's premiere progressive rock band when Emerson, Lake & Palmer signed them to the British trio's own Manticore label in 1972 and turned to King Crimson alumnus Peter Sinfield to write English-language words (sung phonetically) for this, the Italian group's debut international release. 

A phantasmagorical creation, Photos of Ghosts is filled with lush melodies and rich musical textures, all wrapped around Sinfield's frequently surreal lyrics, which seem an extension of some of his better work from King Crimson's Lizard and Islands albums. In contrast to ELP's music of the same period, PFM's music still retains some loud echoes of psychedelia, and the music has a refreshingly airy, open sound, free from the thick, heavy-handed Germanic textures generated by most of the rival U.K. classical rock bands of the period -- this album can stand next to competing works by Genesis, Yes, et al. from the same period. 

Additionally, PFM were not only unafraid of doing songs that changed time signatures radically, but reveled and thrived in such unusual structures, as demonstrated by "Il Banchetto," the one song on the album transferred -- at least in terms of lyrics -- intact from the original Italian release. The phonetically sung English lyrics also take on a special eeriness on track such as "Promenade the Puzzle." Oddly enough, the group actually became a better rock band in the year following this release, with a shift in personnel and the addition of bassist Patrick Djivas, and subsequent releases rocked harder and better, but they never had a finer, more consistently rewarding body of music in one place to their credit than this album. T

he various CD editions have been a major improvement over the fuzzy, indistinct mastering (and accompanying poor pressings) of the original 1970s-era U.S. vinyl release. The 2010 CD re-release also features significant bonus tracks, consisting principally of early mixes and unaccompanied backing tracks from much of the album -- all of which bring the running time up past 70 minutes -- and reveal a wealth of inner detail and instrumental textures that were otherwise masked on the finished album, plus the single edit of "Celebration." 

by Bruce Eder

Tracks

1. River Of Life - 6:59

2. Celebration - 3:51

3. Photos of Ghosts - 5:21

4. Old Rain (Flavio Premoli) - 3:41

5. Il Banchetto (Mauro Pagani, Franco Mussida, Flavio Premoli) - 8:34

6. Mr. 9 'til 5 - 4:09

7. Promenade The Puzzle - 7:30

8. Photos of Ghosts - 5:22

9. River Of Life - 7:07

10.Old Rain (Flavio Premoli) - 3:40

11.Il Banchetto (Mauro Pagani, Franco Mussida, Flavio Premoli) - 8:34

12.Mr. 9 'til 5 - 3:54

13.Celebration - 2:13

All songs by Franco Mussida, Flavio Premoli, Pete Sinfiled except where indicated

Bonus TrackS 8-13

Premiata Forneria Marconi

*Franz Di Cioccio - Drums, Vocal

*Franco Mussida - Electric, Acoustic Guitar, Vocal

*Mauro Pagani - Flute, Violin, Windwood, Vocal

*Giorgio Piazza - Bass

*Flavio Premoli - Keyboards, Hammond Organ, Piano, Mellotron, Moog, Vocal

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Lindisfarne - Happy Daze (1974 uk, fine folk soft rock, 2008 remaster with bonus tracks)

This album was recorded by the Mk 2 line-up of Lindisfarne and, as such, reveals a widening choice of possible directions for them to follow. Tonight is a big, brash and joyous opener, much noisier than many of their original fans would have expected. After this, however, things settle into more familiar territory with an effective midtempo In Your Head and the gentle delights of Alan Hull’s The River. The latter, written some years previously, would have reassured some of the fans as Alan Hull and Ray Jackson represented the spirit that originally made the band stand out so delightfully.

From there on the album balances Alan Hull songs with more strident ones from new members Ken Craddock and Thomas Duffy, all of which reflect a band undergoing changes and partially feeling their way in their new clothes. Everything is well played and sung, with pleasing arrangements, but taken as a whole Happy Daze may well have confused as many as it satisfied. Market Square have added seven original Alan Hull demos, including Dingly Dell, as pleasing fare for Lindisfarne fans.

by Kingsley Abbott , 13 October 2008

Tracks

1. Tonight (Tommy Duffy) - 3:25

2. In Your Head  (Kenny Craddock) - 3:08

3. River - 4:15

4. You Put The Laff On Me - 3:53

5. No Need To Tell Me - 2:22

6. Juiced Up To Lose (Tommy Duffy) - 2:48

7. Dealer's Choice - 2:57

8. Nellie (Kenny Craddock) - 3:51

9. The Man Down There (Kenny Craddock) - 3:50

10.Gin And Tonix All Round - 3:24

11.Tomorrow (Kenny Craddock) - 5:12

12.Dingly Dell - 3:55

13.Where Is My Sixpence? - 2:23

14.Do Not Be Afraid - 1:57

15.Smile - 1:49

16.Picture A Little Girl - 3:20

17.Doctor Of Love - 4:00

18.Alright On The Night - 2:19

All songs written by Alan Hull except where indicated

Bonus tracks 12-18 unreleased Demo by Alan Hull, recorded at Impulse Studios, Wallsend, in the late 1960s by David Wood.

Lindisfarne

*Alan Hull - Guitar, Vocals

*Lindsay Raymond Jackson - Vocals, Mandolin, Harp, Percussion

*Charlie Harcourt - Lead Guitar

*Thomas Duffy - Bass, Vocals

*Kenneth Craddock - Piano, Electric Piano, Organ, Guitar, Vibraphone, Vocals

*Paul Nichols - Drums

1970-73  Lindisfarne - The Charisma Years (2010 four disc set edition)  

1973  Alan Hull - Pipedream (2005 remaster and expanded)  

Related Acts

1970  Junco Partners - Junco Partners (2007 reissue)  

1970  Jackson Heights - King Progress  

1971  Bell And Arc - Bell + Arc  

1972  Gary Wright And Wonderwheel - Ring Of Changes (2016 release)  

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Alan Hull - Pipedream (1973 uk, grandiose meditative, reflective, folk rock, 2005 remaster and expanded)

With half of Lindisfarne having scampered off to form Jack The Lad, Alan Hull's first solo venture, recorded with cohorts Ray Jackson and Kenny Craddock, was first released in 1973. Reissued to mark the tenth anniversary of Hull's death, Pipedream is by far his most self-assured work: the playing and production beingless folk-driven than on Lindisfarne's classic early albums.

Most of the tracks deal with real-life situations, around themes that permeated much of Hull's writing over the years -booze, relationships, politics - and this gives them an earthy colour. "Breakfast", a morning-after tale of waking up with your mistress, kicks off the album with an energetic humour. The similarly comic "Country Gentleman's Wife" was inspired by the posh housewives he met back in the 60s, as he cleaned windows in one of Newcastle's richer quarters. The story, he once explained, is one that could have happened, but didn't.

Hull was a conscious voice for the underdog and the working man and woman. "Money Game" and "Song For A Windmill" are paradigmatic of his peculiarly northern English take on the protest song: caustic fables of mill owners and brass in pocket. "Drug Song", which became a staple in Hull's live set until his death in 1995, was one of his personal favourites and one he considered (rightly) to be among his best. Although Hull admitted that it was written under the influence, it's neither pro nor anti drugs.

The beautifully cracked and broken "I Hate To See You Cry", which closed the original album, is now followed by some B-sides and tracks from a 1974 BBC session. "Dan The Plan" and "One More Bottle Of Wine" both surfaced on Hull's second solo set, Squire. After Pipedream, Hull never again articulated such pathos and passion.

by Rob Webb 2005

Tracks

1. Breakfast - 3:39

2. Justanothersadsong - 2:54

3. Money Game - 2:48

4. STD 0632 - 3:07

5. United States Of Mind - 3:06

6. Country Gentleman's Wife - 3:36

7. Numbers (Travelling Band) - 3:56

8. For The Bairns - 2:27

9. Drug Song - 3:08

10.Song For A Windmill - 2:47

11.Blue Murder - 5:06

12.I Hate To See You Cry - 3:27

13.Drinking Song - 2:34

14.One Off Pat - 0:50

15.Down On The Underground - 2:39

16.Gin And Tonics All Round - 2:57

17.One More Bottle Of Wine - 3:12

18.Dan The Plan - 4:04

Music and Words by Alan Hull

Bonus Tracks 13-18

Personnel

*Alan Hull - Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Harmonium

*John Turnbull - Guitar

*Colin Gibson - Bass

*Ken Craddock - Piano, Organ, Harmonium, Electric Piano, Guitar

*Ray Laidlaw - Drums

*Ray Jackson - Harp, Mandolin, Vocals

*Dave Brooks - Saxophone 

Related Act

1970-73  Lindisfarne - The Charisma Years (2010 four disc set edition)  

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Various Artists - Shapes And Shadows (1968-72 uk, marvelous psych and other rare flavours, 2014 remaster)

Not content with co-writing some of the most cherished soft-pop hits of the 60s (It’s Not Unusual, The Last Waltz, There’s A Kind Of Hush), Les Reed also funnelled his largesse into establishing the Chapter One imprint. Shapes And Shadows dips an exploratory finger into the label’s archives to reveal that it was a typical independent operation of its era: hardly bursting at the seams with “psychedelic pop” per se, but certainly issuing material indicative of the provender that skulked around the chart perimeter during Chapter One’s momentary lifespan.

If it’s popsike ye seek, try Lifetime by The Bliss, borne on a zephyr of flute (courtesy of Harold McNair) and strings, not dissimilar to the Ramases of Glass Top Coffin. Thereafter, head straight for the Episode Six selections, famously featuring the pre-Purps Ian Gillan and Roger Glover. The rubicund melody and pillowy harmonies of Lucky Sunday establish a UK branch of The Association, while Gentlemen Of The Park is a comparably luscious genuflection at The Beach Boys’ altar.

We’re also partial to Spring Never Came Twice by Jason Cord – chest-beating balladry with a paisley cravat – and Big Bare Beat by The British Lion Orchestra: a blaring defector from Les Reed’s Girl On A Motorcycle soundtrack, replete with an inexplicable musique concrète interlude. 

by Oregano Rathbone, 05 November 2014

Artists - Tracks

1. Putney Bridge - What's It All About - 3:15

2. Episode Six - Lucky Sunday - 3:43

3. The Bliss - Lifetime - 2:45

4. Philwit And Pegasus - The Elephant Song - 2:45

5. Jason Cord - Spring Never Came Twice - 2:37

6. Episode Six - Mozart Versus The Rest - 3:00

7. Putney Bridge - Your Turn To Die - 2:36

8. Christopher - The Race - 2:24

9. Sad People - Turn Around - 3:08

10.The Matchmakers - Lover's Congregation - 3:14

11.The Californians - You've Got Your Troubles - 3:16

12.Episode Six - Mr Universe - 4:17

13.Christopher - Sharkey - 2:01

14.The March Hare - Cry My Heart - 2:57

15.Morning Glory - Marjory Daw - 3:07

16.The Bliss - Courtyards Of Castile - 2:56

17.Brother John - Brother John - 2:37

18.Sad People - Lonely Man - 2:39

19.Episode Six - Jack D'Or - 3:15

20.Putney Bridge - The Meaning Of Love - 2:54

21.The Matchmakers - Thank You Baby For Coming - 3:25

22.Morning Glory - Munday Street - 3:50

23.The March Hare - With My Eyes Closed - 2:49

24.Episode Six - Gentlemen Of The Park - 3:12

25.British Lion Orchestra And Les Reed - Big Bare Beat - 2:16

26.Tandem - Shapes And Shadows - 2:31

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Alamo - Alamo (1971 us, solid hard psych blues rock)

Memphis Tennessee not only reeled in country styled rock but also quivered under the savaging thunder of Alamo.The roots of Alamo go back to guitarist Larry Raspberry who played with the Gentrys in 1965 when they charted with “Keep On Dancing”. The strength of Alamo was largely due to the mountainous vox and grinding hammond of ex Cosmos Ken Woodley coupled with the gritty guitar breaks of Larry. Larry Davis played bass while drums was highly charged by Richard Rosebrough.The groups 1971self titled album powers forth with the massive opener “Got To Find Another Way” in the same energized spirit as Scotland’s Writing On The Wall or Germany’s Karthago.

This thunderous opener has Larry ripping the hell out of his axe with no prisoners taken. “Soft And Gentle” is a determined effort from the band to slow down with Larry sliding in a heavy toned Bloodrock manner. Ken Woodley reaps some great riffs on his hammond through “The World We Seek” with Larry not far behind on his gator growling axe. “Been Some Changes” also allows Larry to spit out some riveting leadbreaks that would have suited the likes of Grand Funk or Rare Earth while “Get The Feelin’” is a vibrant supercharge of percussion and bass where each member has his slice of solo.The group disbanded after the album and Larry formed Larry Raspberry & The Highsteppers while Richard Rosenbrough joined Lee Baker &The Agitators.

Hippyland

Tracks

1. Got To Find Another Way - 4:36

2. Soft And Gentle - 6:59

3. The World We Seek (Ken Woodley, Larry Davis) - 3:36

4. Question Raised - 4:43

5. Bensome Changes - 3:34

6. All New People - 4:49

7. Get The Feelin' - 6:01

8. Happiness Is Free (Ken Woodley, Larry Raspberry) - 4:18

All songs by Ken Woodley except where noted

Alamo

*Ken Woodley - Vocals, Organ

*Larry Raspberry - Guitar

*Larry Davis - Bass

*Richard Rosebrough - Drums, Percussion 

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Rontheo - Rontheo (1976 canada / germany, fresh folk rock with psych drops, 2012 korean remaster)

If the unique Rontheo album has succeeded to stay in the top charts of collectors item records - still after 35 years - here are some good reasons for that. Firstly, it is the outstanding quality of its sound recording - not too many of the good folk musicians of the seventies have had the luck to get free access to a full 24-track recording studio for over an entire year.

The studio, located in the German town of Wiesbaden, had been provided by the prestigious and century-old music editor Breitkopf & Hartel. No other than the composer Peter Muhlbauer - also the editor's delegate producer - had written the fine vocal arrangements which give the album its unique and special character. Unfortunately. due to internal management issues, the company closed down its folk division after only 1,000 copies of the album had been printed and sold.

Ever since they met in 1974 at the fanmous "Steckdose" - a renowned folk club in Germany's Saarland - Rontheo have been touring and recording with different formations, such as Noah's Road Show, Jacara, Abbittibbi, The Groove Merchants and many others, sometimes together, sometimes apart, all over Europe, Canada, and the USA.

Presently, Ron lives in the Rocky Mountains in Washington State, where he plays with his band Franken Horse. Theo works with two other folk musicians, Jesse Ens and the country singer Bobby Dove; he lives in the Appalachian Mountains near Montreal, Quebec. 

CD Liner Notes

Tracks

1. Music - 3:51

2. Live! - 4:09

3. Lady From Heaven - 2:54

4. Do It Again (Theo Busch, Walter Krennrich) - 3:28

5. By The Side Of A Clear Crystal Fountain - 3:46

6. Zyclus (Theo Busch) - 3:55

7. Although It's Fine - 4:45

8. Clouds Everywhere - 5:17

9. Tomorrow Will Know - 6:46

All songs by Ronni di Tomaso except where indicated

Rotheo

*Ronnie di Tomaso - Guitars, Vocals

*Theo Busch - Violin, Guitar, Percussions, Organ

*Yedz - Guitar

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Mike Fiems - I Would Drem (1974 us, impressive mixture of sunshine folk, 2012 japan remaster)

Wanting to “mellow” out in the early ’70s, Link Wray’s elder brother Vernon moved to Tucson, Arizona. There, he reassembled the infamous Wray brothers’ Three Track Shack, rechristening it his “Record Factory.” There, he recorded his classic, Wasted. In December 1973 and January 1974, he welcomed a Tucson-based songwriter named Mike Fiems into the Factory, where he served as the producer of Fiems’ I Would Dream. While the LP — recently posted in its entirety by the Tyme-Machine — shares a certain dusty sensibility with Wasted, also released on Tucson’s Vermillion Records in scarce quantity, I Would Dream is an entirely different beast than Wray’s busted heart record.

Mastered by a mysterious “Graybeard,” this is kaleidoscopic sunshine pop as played by sand-caked types. Fiems augments his natural child incantations with folk, soft rock and Sonoran country timbres. He plants his feet in two worlds, one wistful and one jagged. Opener “I Would Dream” sounds appropriately dazed, that is until Fiems curses and steers his sidemen — bassist Charlie Gould and guitarist/drummer Bill Kennedy — into rougher territory.

The lyrics, written by Fiems and his wife (or sister?) Coleen, are alternately naturalistic and doggedly rowdy. “The world is my woman, woman and my child,” Fiems sings on “My Lady,” with a piano that bears a resemblance to the elegiac barroom piano featured on Wray’s “Lonely Son.” Occasionally the record veers into theatrical territory: “Sing It” sounds like it wouldn’t be out of place in the hippie-fied Broadway musicals of the day. But mostly, Fiems mines a unique intersection between cosmic wanderings and rural grooves.

by J. Woodbury

Tracks

1. I Would Dream (Colleen Fiems, Mike Fiems) - 2:13

2. I'll Be  Star - 4:07

3. Touch Me (Colleen Fiems, Mike Fiems) - 2:53

4. Seven Years (Colleen Fiems, Mike Fiems) - 3:55

5. Desert Sands - 3:42

6. Feelin Fine - 2:37

7. My Lady - 3:10

8. Life In The City - 2:54

9. I'm Here (Colleen Fiems, Mike Fiems) - 2:15

10.Sing It (Colleen Fiems, Mike Fiems) - 3:09

11.How Will It Be - 3:30

All songs by Mike Fiems except where noted

Personnel

*Mike Fiems - Twelve-String Guitar, Acoustic, 6-String, Rhythm Guitars, Percussion, Bass, Vocals, Piano

*Bill Kennedy - Drums, Percussion, Electric, Acoustic Guitars

*Charlie Gould - Bass, Lead Guitar (Track 9)

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Gringo - Gringo (1971 uk, exceptional prog rock, 2012 remaster)

Gringo were formed in 1970 from the ashes of Toast and Utopia and played with Black Widow before they record their sole album. It was released through MCA in the summer of 1971 and then they shared the stage with Caravan and Barclay James Harvest. The self-titled album of Cringo is one of the best examples of the Canterbury prog scene without a trace of jazz and the peculiar, almost androgynous lead vocals of Synge fitting perfectly with those of the rest members. Off this magnificent album, two songs stand out, Cry the Beloved Country and I’m Another Man.

Although plans had been laid for a second album with Jon Hiseman as producer, the band split permanently in the summer of 1972 and the four members followed different paths. Synge (as Casey Synge) sang as a session musician in Leigh Stevens, Pilot, Lou Reed, Mott The Hoople, Cockney Rebel, Marsha Hunt and Maggie Bell, Henry Marsh (guitar, keyboards, vocals) was the founding member of Sailor, Simon Byrne (drums, vocals) released a solo album and John G. Perry (bass, vocals) did important things as a member of Aviator, Caravan, Spreadeagle and Quantum Jump while his debut solo album, the stunning Sunset Wading, is one of the most interesting and prominent records of the Canterbury prog scene.

Prog Rocks

Tracks

1. Cry The Beloved Country - 5:55

2. I'm Another Man - 4:16

3. More And More - 4:43

4. Out Time Is Our Time - 5:06

5. Gently Step Through The Stream - 3:55

6. Emma And Harry - 3:56

7. Moonstone - 4:40

8. Land Of Who Knows Where - 4:06

9. Patriotic Song - 5:18

10.I'm Another Man - 3:39

11.Soft Mud - 3:16

All songs by Casey Synge, Henry Marsh, John Perry, Simon Byrne

Gringo

*Casey Synge - Vocals

*Henry Marsh - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals

*John Perry - Bass Guitar, Vocals

*Simon Byrne - Drums, Vocals

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Druid - Toward The Sun (1975 uk, fine prog rock, 2015 japan SHM remaster)

Formed in 1971 by old schoolmates Dane Stevens and Cedric Sharpley, along with local bass player Neil Brewer, Druid spent years playing clubs as a trio before winning a competition by Melody Maker for the best unsigned band. At this point they added Andrew McCrorie-Shand, a recent London College of Music graduate.

The Melody Maker prize included new instruments and a recording contract, and their debut album appeared in July 1975 among envious whispers by rival bands and music publications. The band had a difficult time shaking the charge of hype, and they were also charged in some quarters as being Yes soundalikes -- Starcastle in the U.S. was later to be tarred with the same brush. () - In fact, Druid was an opening act at a number of Yes concerts. The Yes comparison, though an obvious one, is not entirely accurate. While Dane's vocals are clearly styled after Jon Anderson, and Neil Brewer's bass has the classic pick-driven Rickenbacker growl associated with Chris Squire, the rest of the band departs from the formula; McCrorie-Shand's unadorned keyboard parts, for example, have little in common with the lavishly baroque flash of Rick Wakeman or the martial Hammond pounding of Tony Kaye.

With the release of their second album in the spring of 1976, the band distanced themselves from their production and Melody Maker connections. It couldn't make up for the weaker material on their sophomore effort, and the band finally called it quits. Cedric Sharpley was to find success soon afterwards, though, by joining up with a new and unusual band led by an strange fellow named Gary Numan.

by Paul Collins

Tracks

1. Voices (Andrew McCrorie-Shand, Dane Stevens) - 8:14

2. Remembering (Dane Stevens, Neil Brewer) - 5:24

3. Theme (Andrew McCrorie-Shand, Cedric Sharpley, Dane Stevens, Neil Brewer) - 5:26

4. Toward The Sun (Dane Stevens) - 5:08

5. Red Carpet For An Autumn (Andrew McCrorie-Shand, Neil Brewer) - 3:09

6. Dawn Of Evening (Andrew McCrorie-Shand, Neil Brewer) - 10:03

7. Shangri-La (Dane Stevens, Neil Brewer) - 10:08

Druid

*Dane Stevens - Guitars, Vocals

*Andrew McCrorie-Shand - Keyboards, Choral Arrangements

*Neil Brewer - Bass

*Cedric Sharpley - Drums, Percussion

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