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Latest news: Work has begun on The Strawberry Bricks Companion, a curated and annotated discography of the artists and groups from the timeline, 1967 to present. Due sometime in 2025.

Buy the book: The third edition of The Strawberry Bricks Guide To Progressive Rock is available for individual purchase through your country's Amazon website, including local shipping and Prime benefits: Amazon.com (US) | Amazon.co.uk (UK) | Amazon.ca (CA) | Amazon.de (DE) | Amazon.fr (FR) | Amazon.es (ES) | Amazon.it (IT) | Amazon.jp (JP) | Amazon.com.au (AU)

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Reviews for the Third Edition

Reviews for the third edition of The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive rock (will be updated).

Totally missed this review! Thank you Pete Pardo and Sea of Tranquility!

Starless And Bible Black > King Crimson

Artist: King Crimson
Label: Atlantic
Catalog#: SD 7298
Format: Vinyl
Country: United States
Released: 1974-02
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Appearing a little over a year after their last album, Starless And Bible Black was the second album from the new and improved King Crimson. Most of the record was based on live recordings from the previous fall in Amsterdam. It's no wonder, as Crimson spent the better part of March through November 1973 on the road, with only a few weeks in the summer to rest. The first side contains shorter instrumental pieces, as well as a few songs proper.

The Long Hello > Long Hello, The

Artist: David Jackson , Guy Evans & Hugh Banton
Label: United Artists Records
Catalog#: UAS 29718
Format: Vinyl
Country: Italy
Released: 1974
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
While Peter Hammill was off and busy with his solo career, The Long Hello offered a rare glimpse into Van der Graaf Generator without him. The initial impetus for the project revolved around Guy Evans and Dave Anderson's Foel Studio. Along with David Jackson, they got together in Wales with some Italian friends to record the resulting album. Jackson wrote most of the material and graces the record with sax and flute, while Nic Potter lends his bass.

Electronique Guerilla > Heldon

Artist: Heldon
Label: Urus Records
Catalog#: 000 001
Format: Vinyl
Country: France
Released: 1974
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
The debut album from Heldon introduces French electronic rock pioneer Richard Pinhas and the larger Parisian counter-culture he piloted. Though he left his teaching post at the Sorbonne, Pinhas never left his philosophy behind. His work would always remain left of center, as the title Electronique Guerilla attests; and the spirit of the May 1968 student revolt remained the key to both his musical invention and dedication to his uncompromising spirit—Heldon sound like little before it.

Floating World > Jade Warrior

Artist: Jade Warrior
Label: Island Records
Catalog#: ILPS 9290
Format: Vinyl
Country: United States
Released: 1974
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Story has it that after listening to Jade Warrior's music, Steve Winwood convinced Chris Blackwell to sign the band to his Island Records. Now reduced to the core of Tony Duhig and Jon Field, the duo left most of their musical past behind, including vocals and any trace of psychedelia. On their 1974 release, Floating World, each track is presented as wide and cinematic in sound as it is descriptive in title. After the introductory "Clouds," "Mountain of Fruits and Flowers" emerges with a stirring bass line.

We Keep On > Embryo

Artist: Embryo Featuring Charlie Mariano
Label: BASF
Catalog#: BC 21865
Format: Vinyl
Country: United States
Released: 1973
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Munich was an especially fertile breeding ground for rock music in the late 60s, perhaps because of its reputation as a jazz center in Europe; also, groups as diverse as Amon Düül I & II, Popol Vuh, Passport and Embryo all called it home. Percussionist Christian Burchard founded Embryo in late 1969, following a brief stint in Amon Düül II. After releasing their debut album Opal on Ohr, the group essentially solidified with drummer/vocalist Burchard, bassist Roman Bunka, flautist Hansi Fischer and saxophonist/violinist Edgar Hofmann.

Dance Of The Flames > Guru Guru

Artist: Guru Guru
Label: Atlantic
Catalog#: Atl 50 044
Format: Vinyl
Country: Germany
Released: 1974-06
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Following Ax Genrich's departure, Guru Guru added Eiliff's Houschäng Nejadépour on guitar, releasing the histrionics of Dance Of The Flames. It's a great record, combining guitar-heavy, instrumental fusion with the band's usual goofiness. "Dagobert Duck's 100th Birthday" contains the typically quirky Guru Guru melody; but here, a heavy arrangement dominates, with Hans Hartmann's bass up in the mix.

Don't Call Us - We Call You > Guru Guru

Artist: Guru Guru
Label: Atlantic
Catalog#: ATL 50 022
Format: Vinyl
Country: Germany
Released: 1973-11
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
For their fourth record, titled Guru Guru and again released on Brain, Bruno Schaab replaced Uli Trepte on bass. Transitional, the album reflects the move toward further structured arrangements, and away from the free improvisation of their earlier works. It featured the epic "Der Elektrolurch," a track named after Mani Neumeier's amphibian alter ego and a highlight of the band's live performances from here on out. Hans Hartmann then replaced Schaab, and the band signed to Atlantic Records.

Sommerabend > Novalis

Artist: Novalis
Label: Brain
Catalog#: BRAIN 1087
Format: Vinyl
Country: Germany
Released: 1976-05
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Novalis were reduced to a quartet for their next album, Sommerabend. Produced by Achim Reichel, the symphonic record again bypasses the overt complexities of most prog rock of the day. Written by Lutz Rahn, the instrumental "Aufbruch" opens. After the spicy intro, Novalis' large, sweeping and melodic lines take over, propelled by Hartwig Biereichel's powerful drumming. Detlef Job's guitar is at the fore, and Rahn lays his hand on a few more keyboards.

Novalis > Novalis

Artist: Novalis
Label: Brain
Catalog#: BRAIN 1070
Format: Vinyl
Country: Germany
Released: 1975-05
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
In 1974, Achim Reichel rediscovered Novalis for his Gorilla Musik production company. New to the band were two guitarists, Detlef Job and Carlo Karges. The latter, previously with Tomorrow's Gift, would make a significant impact with both his songwriting and German-language lyrics. In fact, Novalis would be one of the first German groups of the era to shun the prevailing trend of English lyrics to instead explore the lyricism of their native tongue. Back with the Brain label, they released their second album, simply titled Novalis.

Banished Bridge > Novalis

Artist: Novalis
Label: Brain
Catalog#: BRAIN 1029
Format: Vinyl
Country: Germany
Released: 1973-05
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Novalis took not only their namesake from German poet Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr von Hardenberg, but also drew from his concepts of lyricism and romanticism to form their highly original music. The band was unique among German progressives in that they generally bypassed the British idiom of prog rock to offer something uniquely their own. The band formed in the early 70s in Hamburg, combining the talents of bassist Heino Schünzel, vocalist Jürgen Wenzel, keyboardist Lutz Rahn and drummer Hartwig Biereichel. Their debut album Banished Bridge was released on the Brain label in 1973.