Aphrodite's Child was a Greek singles group that had some success in the UK; but more importantly, they spawned two of Greece's greatest musical exports, singer Demis Roussos and composer/performer Vangelis Papathanassiou. By the time their seminal 666 (The Apocalypse of John, 13/18) was released, the beat era and any pop legacy were all behind them. Based on the Book of Revelation, the double-album was recorded in Paris, from late 1970 to early 1972. Musically it's all over the map; but what composer Vangelis offers is not only more psychedelic and progressive than his previous output, it is as wholly conceived as a concept album as any other record of the era. From great pop hooks ("The Four Horsemen") to heavy rock ("Do It") to Magma-esque prog rock ("Altamont"), the album covers a lot of ground while remaining unique, cohesive and even quite idiosyncratic of Vangelis's later solo recordings. "?" (Infinity), a female orgasm trip supplied by Irene Papas, was controversial upon the album's release, though that has certainly worn off with age. The performances are all top-notch—in particular, Silver Koulouris's psychedelic guitar work and Lucas Sideras's drumming. The album's magnum opus, the 20-minute finale "All the Seats Were Occupied," is transcendent. Drifting in and out of the mix, the track reprises the album's various themes as it gradually unfolds into a tight psychedelic groove. Unfortunately, this album would be the last for the band. Roussos left for a solo career in Greece after the recording, while Vangelis would eventually move to London to begin a long and distinguished career.
Khan was the brainchild of Steve Hillage. Previously in Uriel (aka Arzachel), the guitarist went off to complete his studies at the University of Kent in Canterbury, where much of the album was subsequently written. Gaining support from Caravan's manager Terry King, he formed Khan in 1971, with Nick Greenwood (ex-The Crazy World of Arthur Brown) on bass and Eric Peachey on drums. Dave Stewart replaced original keyboardist Dick Heningham just prior to recording Space Shanty, their first and only album. The title track reveals some heavy psychedelic rock, but with a fair amount of melody and hippie flair. Building on the Arzachel/Egg formula, the record showcases Hillage's distinct guitar style. Here, he first finds the echo effect that would provide the signature to his guitar work with Gong; but he also doesn't shy away from bending a few notes either. Stewart's organ, of course, is a fine complement, particularly on "Stranded." Hillage's first solo album, Fish Rising, would be the logical successor to this record; just check out the closing section of "Driving to Amsterdam." After the album's release, Hillage and Stewart carried on with a new rhythm section for a few short months; but an offer from Kevin Ayers lured Hillage away, and the band ended abruptly, with Stewart moving on to Hatfield and the North after a spell of unemployment. The album was originally issued by Deram in the UK and Brain in Germany, but also was reissued years later in the US on Passport Records. Following his departure, Greenwood released a solo album called Cold Cuts, featuring Heningham and Peachey, which he had recorded in California in 1970, prior to joining Khan.
In 1970, keyboardist Tony Pagliuca ventured to the Isle of Wight festival in Seaclose Park, UK, befriending noted photographer Armando Gallo from the Italian weekly Ciao 2001. Upon returning to Venice, he gathered Michi Dei Rossi and Aldo Tagliapietra and resurrected Le Orme as one of Italy's first progressive rock group. The band took off in a direction similar to that of The Nice and Quatermass, with keyboards at the fore. Supported by producer Gian Piero Reverberi and a contract with Philips Records, the band recorded a new album, Collage, released in 1971. Classically (and British) influenced, the heavy organ rock on "Cemento Armato" is not to be missed. Uomo di Pezza ("Man of Rags"), released in 1972, took an even bigger leap, presenting music that was not only unconventional, but distinctly Italian as well. After a resound start, "Una dolcezza nuova" descends into a moving melody, highlighted by Reverberi's beautiful piano and Tagliapietra's soothing voice. The gentle "Gioco Di Bimba" ("Child's Play") follows, with guitar and clavichord dominating. But "La porta chiusa" quickly changes the mood, with its powerful bass and organ chords: It's a veritable prog rocker and uniquely Le Orme. "Aspettando l'Alba" features Tagliapietra's guitar and Pagliuca's Mellotron, offering a mood so haunting it aches; while the closing "Alienazione" is a full-on prog assault, with Dei Rossi pummeling his drums. As a single, "Gioco Di Bimba" b/w "Figure Di Cartone" topped the Italian hit parade; the album also scored, rising to No. 1 on the Italian charts. At the year's end, Le Orme toured Italy with Peter Hammill (performing solo) as the opener.
Lucifer's Friend had their roots in Hamburg in a group called The German Bonds. Founded by organist Peter Hecht and bassist Dieter Horns, they were a typical 60s beat group, releasing a few singles to no acclaim; however, they also all worked as studio musicians in the bustling Hamburg music scene. By 1970, with guitarist Peter Hesslein and drummer Joachim Rietenbach, they teamed up with two singer, Englishman John Lawton and Tony Cavanna, and released an album of heavy rock for Decca Records as Asterix. Shedding Cavanna and gaining producer and former Rattle Herbert Hildebrandt, they recorded their debut album proper—which carried the band's new name, Lucifer's Friend. It's an excellent album of heavy rock, rivaling similar works from Deep Purple or Uriah Heep, and best encapsulated with the stone-classic track "Ride the Sky." Their second album, …Where The Groupies Killed The Blues, changed musical direction, something the band would continue to do throughout their career. Released in 1972, it features lyrics and music from John O'Brien-Docker, founder of The City Preachers (a band that morphed into Frumpy). Not surprisingly, the acoustic "Burning Ships" opens the album, with Lawton's robust voice to the fore. "Prince of Darkness" sports a heavy riff, but Hecht's piano tempers any potential sonic onslaught. "Hobo" is an instant classic, while "Mother" features Horns on bass-fiddle; the tense, shifting arrangement goes from hard blues to symphonic. "Summerdream" shows Hecht's hand at orchestration, but it's the diverse structure of "Rose on the Vine" that's the album's highlight. It's an interesting record: one that attempts to embrace the burgeoning progressive with mostly excellent results. Like many of their releases, the album did see a US release on Passport Records (with an improved track order), but not until almost three years after it was recorded. Lucifer's Friend carried on throughout the 70s, releasing several albums of mainstream hard rock; but Lawton left the band in 1977 to join Uriah Heep.
The Osanna story begins in Naples with the band Città Frontale. The original lineup consisted of vocalist Lino Vairetti, drummer Massimo Guarino, bassist Lello Brandi and guitarist Danilo Rustici. When keyboardist Gianni Leone left for Il Balletto di Bronzo in 1971, they added Elio D'Anna on sax and flute, and changed their name to Osanna. The band earned quite a reputation as a live act, as they were one of the first to wear costumes on stage and integrate theatre into their performance. In addition to playing the major Italian festivals, they opened for Genesis on their earliest tour of Italy. Their first album, L'Uomo, was released in 1971 on Fonit Cetra. It was a curious mix of hard rock with progressive overtones, and evoked the earliest of Jethro Tull's works. In 1972, Osanna teamed up with Luis Enríquez Bacalov to produce Preludio Tema Variazioni e Canzona, aka Milano Calibro 9: a soundtrack for the film noir by Fernando Di Leo. Bacalov of course, was hot on the heels of Concerto Grosso per i New Trolls. "Preludio" sets the stage: The contrast of flute and synthesizer yield to the sharp string arrangements, and when the band kicks in, the music shifts into high gear. Throughout each of the seven "Variatione," the band is potent and eclectic. The album ignores the British idiom of adding orchestral arrangements as a mere accoutrement; it's a true fusion of rock and classical music. In a valiant attempt to bring "Eurobands" to the US, the album was the first to be released on the Peters International Cosmos Label in May 1974.
Roxy Music was a pop experiment that, among other things, provided a fertile spawning ground for many progressive musicians. John Wetton, Eddie Jobson and John Gustafson, in addition to longtime members Andy Mackay and Phil Manzanera, all played in the band. But Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno were the dominant characters of Roxy Music, and their clashes would eventually lead to Eno's exit after their second album. With all this talent though, the band would prove to be an influential force for years to come. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Their debut album, produced by Crimson alumnus Pete Sinfield, was written entirely by Ferry; it offered pop music disguised as art rock. The Bowie-esque "Remake/Remodel" is a standout, as is the single "Virginia Plain" b/w "The Numberer." Neither is hard to digest; but given the full "Roxy" treatment, both gain another dimension beyond simple pop. Even Ferry's overwrought warble couldn't dilute its impact: The album made the UK Top 10. But it's a track like "If There is Something" that, despite starting off slow, descends into the type of instrumental workout that kept Roxy Music albums appealing to progressive audiences for years to come. The band would reach a creative zenith on 1974's Country Life before taking a break the following year, only to return with even smoother records beginning with 1979's Manifesto. In between, Ferry, Manzanera and Mackay would contribute to dozens of solo albums and side projects—again, all of interest to the progressive listener.
Supersisters' third album, Pudding en Gisteren, yielded a Dutch Top 40 single and again saw release in the UK, this time on Polydor. The single, "Radio" b/w "Dead Dog," evinces Robert Jan Stips's creativity and humor, while the ensuing "Psychopath" offers a nod to Kevin Ayers. Clocking in around the 12-minute mark, "Judy Goes on Holiday" covers a lot of ground, including some serious doo-wop that closes the piece. The title track gets back on course, charting a rousing melody of clavinet and flute, before slinking down to a funkier groove. From there, it's all over the place, with Stips's keyboards always at the fore and the ever-present rhythm section of Ron van Eck and Marco Vrolijk underneath. The album was successful, at least critically, as Supersister earned an Edison music award in their native Netherlands. As with the band's two previous albums, the record was produced by Hans van Oosterhout. However, due to creative differences on Supersister's following project, Sacha van Geest and Vrolijk left the band. Their next album—Iskander, a tribute to Alexander the Great—featured Charlie Mariano on sax and Herman van Booyen on drums, and was recorded at The Manor Studio with Giorgio Gomelsky producing. It's a powerful record, but one rooted in fusion and without the "Canterbury" charm. Oddly enough, Elton Dean of Soft Machine would join the band following Mariano's departure. A final album, Spiral Staircase (under the band name Sweet Okay Supersister), was released in 1974, with Stips and van Gest revisiting some of their earliest material; but after that, the band called it a day. Stips joined Dutch rockers Golden Earring for several albums (including the excellent To The Hilt) in the mid-to-late 70s.
Recorded during late 1971 and early 1972 between tours of the US and UK, Trilogy marks the third studio album from the trio of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. The album opens with one of their greatest compositions, "The Endless Enigma." Anchored by Greg Lake's bass, the fantastic interplay between Keith Emerson's blaring Hammond organ and Carl Palmer's spry drum work is economical, but also crisp and precise. Lake's lyrics are succinct and his double-tracked vocal delivery right on the mark. On the interning "The Fugue," his bass provides counterpoint to the melody of Emerson's solo piano, though the rest of the band return for the final refrain of "Part Two." Subdued electric guitar and synthesizer solos complement Lake's exceptionally bright guitar on the compulsory acoustic number "From the Beginning;" the song saw some chart action as a single in the US, hitting the lower reaches of the Top 40. Perhaps the time ELP spent in America had some influence on the band's choice of material, as the Wild West seemed to provide inspiration for the next two tracks. The indulgent but genuine rocker "The Sheriff" begins with a roll around the drum kit from Palmer, while "Hoedown" sports an effective arrangement of Aaron Copeland's "Rodeo." The overly romantic "Trilogy" opens, but changes gear swiftly, highlighting Emerson's multitracked keyboards. "Living Sin" is a welcome and hard-rocking throwback; while the circular motion of "Abaddon's Bolero," which slowly builds with each successive repetition of its main theme, relies so much on multitracking that it couldn't be performed live. Eddie Offord's production throughout is impeccable, but it's the sheer diversity of the album's compositions that renders it one of ELP's—and the entire prog rock genre's—most enduring works. The album reached the Top 5 on both sides of the Atlantic. The photograph of the band inside the album's gatefold was taken in Epping Forest.
This double-album offers a chronological retrospective of Jethro Tull's career to date, compiling non-album singles and recordings from 1968-1971. However, with only four tracks from the previous studio albums, many (myself included) consider it an album of nearly all-new material. So given the bulky proposition of Thick As A Brick, released earlier in the year, many also found Living In The Past much easier to digest. In fact, the album did break into the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic. The title track, a UK hit for the band in mid-1969, made it back into the US charts shortly before the album's release. The packaging also rivaled that of TAAB, with its thick cardboard cover resembling a hardcover book than a record jacket. But all of that aside, the compilation remains one of the most satisfying Tull records, due in part to the era it encompasses: their best. Much like the previous Benefit in composition and feel, the album focuses on Ian Anderson as singer-songwriter. The album contains some of his most delicate tunes: in particular, the primarily acoustic numbers on the fourth side, including "Life Is a Long Song," "Up The ‘Pool" and "Dr. Bogenbroom." The instrumental "For Later" is the sleeper track, however, speaking volumes about prog rock in its brief two minutes and eight seconds. The third side of the album contains part of a live concert recorded in late 1970 at Carnegie Hall; but (unfortunately) it's just a lot of soloing from John Evan and Clive Bunker. The remaining—and far more interesting—portions of that concert were released in 1992 as part of Jethro Tull's 25th Anniversary Box Set.
Love Affair were a soul band from London that scored a UK No. 1 hit with "Everlasting Love" b/w "Gone Are the Songs of Yesterday" in 1968. Following vocalist Steve Ellis's departure in 1969, keyboardist Morgan Fisher and drummer Maurice Bacon re-branded the group as L.A. to distance themselves from their pop audience and past. Adding bassist Bob Sapsed along the way, they recorded an excellent if uneven album, New Day, in 1970. Part soul and part underground rock, the album spotlighted Gus Eadon's strong voice and flute. But by the following year, the split from Love Affair was complete: Fisher, Bacon and Sapsed recruited vocalist Tim Staffell from the pre-Queen band Smile and as Morgan went full-on progressive. The band signed a lucrative deal with RCA Italy in early 1972 and then went off to Rome to record their debut album, Nova Solis. "Samarkhand the Golden" blasts off; Fisher's various keyboard tones are exquisite. The album follows the theme-based compositions of Morgan's keyboard-trio peers, but with Staffell's high tenor and Spased's rubbery, fretless bass, the band offers their own original and exciting take on prog rock. "Alone" is an acoustic-based number from Staffell, while the following "War Games" begins with a blast of VCS3 synthesizer. The second side is encompassed with the side-long "Nova Solis," Staffell's tale of space travel, with music from Fisher and his galaxy of keyboards. Morgan recorded a second album in 1973, but it was rejected by RCA; and after residency commitments to the Marquee Club, the band folded. The album did eventually find release in the US in 1976 on Import Records with its original title, Brown Out, and with its alternate title, The Sleeper Awakes, on UK's Cherry Red label in 1978. Fisher then went on to join Mott The Hoople and British Lions, but also curated the eclectic Miniatures album in 1980. Staffell, on the other hand, turned to a career of crafting models, including the trains on the original Thomas the Tank Engine television series. Meanwhile, Bacon followed his father's footsteps into artist management.
Not all progressive rock dealt with sci-fi fantasy, silver capes and airbrushed art; Family was proof positive of that. Their music lacked the overt virtuosity and accompanying pretentiousness of most prog rock music, but still contained more sophistication than most rock of the day. The previous year had been one of transition for the band. Released in March 1971, the compilation Old Songs New Songs contained remixes of songs from their prior albums, as the band had been unhappy with the originals. A new single "In My Own Time" b/w "Seasons" peaked on the UK charts at No. 4 in June 1971, and was followed by the excellent Fearless album in October. Bassist John Wetton from Mogul Thrash was the new blood, replacing John Weider who went off to play guitar in Stud. Bandstand—which, like the previous album, featured a unique die-cut jacket—is perhaps Family's finest recording. The symphonic textures of "Bolero Babe" and "Top of the Hill" are pure art school rock, while the simple meandering of "Dark Eyes" speaks volumes over its short two minutes. The single from the album, "Burlesque" b/w "The Rocking R's" reached No. 13 in the UK; however, the acoustic "My Friend the Sun" b/w "Glove" failed to chart (but certainly not to charm). And as the excellent "Broken Nose" demonstrates, Family could rock as hard as any peer. The album is another testament to Roger Chapman and Charlie Whitney's songwriting genius; however, even with a supporting slot for Elton John, the band couldn't change their fortunes in the US. Despite reaching No. 15 in the UK, the album did not chart in America. Both Wetton and Poli Palmer would depart shortly after the album's release; Family then added Jim Cregan and Tony Ashton as replacements and set up their own Raft label. They recorded one final album, It's Only A Movie, before breaking up in late 1973, never again to reform. However, Chapman and Whitney would later emerge as the hard-rocking Streetwalkers, recording a string of albums for A&M in the mid-to-late 70s.
Following the departure of Graham Field, Rare Bird, now signed to Polydor, shifted musical focus to a very guitar-centric sound. Steve Gould switched to guitar and Andy "Ced" Curtis was recruited as a second guitarist, while Fred Kelly joined on drums and Paul Karas added bass and additional lead vocals. The lead-off track, "Baby Listen," immediately reveals the difference: its funky groove, driving bass and dual-lead guitars are quite a change from their previous work. But change can be good, especially with songwriting of this caliber. "Hey Man" and "Turning the Lights Out" reveal more of Rare Bird's exemplary vocal harmonies; while the title track "Epic Forest" is indeed epic—and features some tasty electric piano from Dave Kaffinetti. "Her Darkest Hour" and "Turn It All Around" are hauntingly beautiful acoustic numbers, though the latter includes an explosively heavy middle section to great effect. The dueling lead guitars (à la Wishbone Ash) and vocal harmonies are back in full force for the driving "Title No. 1 Again (Birdman)," another potent rocker. The UK pressing included a bonus three-song 7" with initial copies, again filled with more-than-album-worthy tracks. All in all, the new musical direction was welcome, though it didn't reflect on the charts. With various new members (including Nic Potter), Kaffinetti and Gould continued, releasing a few more albums until 1976. Unfortunately, these are of lesser interest to the progressive listener, as the promise of Epic Forest was lost. Kaffinetti would famously appear in This Is Spinal Tap, playing the part of drummer Viv Savage, while Gould would play bass in Alvin Lee's band. Ced Curtis would participate in The Long Hello, featuring ex-VdGG members.
If both prior Yes albums had any shortcomings (and they had very few), it was due to growing pains. The Yes Album brought out the extended, epic composition, but suffered, perhaps, in execution. Fragile was well-executed, but only contained a half-hour of music—solo tracks notwithstanding. However, by the time their next album was recorded, the band had remained stable for almost a year. In the interim, Yes issued a massive arrangement of Paul Simon's "America" (similar to that of the pre-Clouds band, 1-2-3). Close To The Edge contains three tracks; the album's title composition fills side one: Steve Howe's blistering lead starts the opening section "The Solid Time of Change" with fury; and straight through to the second section, "Total Mass Retain," the intensity never lets up. Next are the gentle pulses and large chords of "I Get Up, I Get Down;" lyrically a bit twee, but it avoids any musical miscue. Fortunately, Yes knows how to end a piece and the final section of "Seasons of Man" is no exception. Rick Wakeman delivers an epic if speedy organ solo before the track resolves into its final symphonic refrain. From the moment the needle hits the first groove of the record, the four sections of the track flow seamlessly together, offering nothing short of definitive prog rock. Side two holds the other two tracks: The delicate organ beneath Howe's 12-string that opens "And You and I" is a typical example of the album's detail. The song was one of Jon Anderson's lyrical triumphs; his choice of words is as musical as the rest of the band's instrumentation. From here, however, their translation would garner biblical-like fascination. The final track, "Siberian Khatru," is another classic; dense and foreboding, Chris Squire's bass drives the particularly heavy song over Wakeman's chiming Mellotron. The album was another great success for the band, reaching No. 4 and No. 3 on the UK and US charts, respectively. Bill Bruford took his leave shortly after the album was recorded to join the revival of King Crimson. Later he claimed that he'd gone as far as he could go with Yes, and he may have been right, as this album was the culmination of Yes' musical progression to date.
Rather than rest his fate on Vincent Crane's whim, vocalist Pete French took an offer to join Cactus after a US tour in early 1972. Undeterred, Crane called a recently ex-Colosseum Chris Farlowe to join Atomic Rooster. The new band previewed material from the album on a particularly excellent set for the BBC in June, recorded at the Paris Theatre. The resulting Made In England album is again another strong effort, and one quite novel in the timeline. Here Crane ups the mixture of soul, something almost unheard of in progressive circles. The opening "Time Take My Life" is certainly funky, yet Crane's arrangements are progressive as well. "Stand by Me" and "People You Can't Trust" are great songs served straight up—the former as the album's single, and the latter with some cool wah-wah guitar from Steve Bolton. Farlowe has just the voice for the job, offering one of his best vocals efforts on record. The Rooster doesn't forget to rock out either; "Little Bit of Inner Air" and "All in Satan's Name" display the heavier side of the band's previous work. Yet somehow, the album failed to chart, which must have been a major disappointment for them. Guitarist Johnny Mandala (actually John Goodsall of future Brand X fame) replaced Bolton for the follow-up Nice ‘n' Greasy (released in the US as IV). Another solid effort, it too failed to chart despite a decent single in "Save Me" b/w "Close Your Eyes." After one final single, "Tell Your Story (Sing Your Song)" b/w "O.D.," Crane would shelve the band until 1980.
From Baden-Baden in southern Germany, the members of Brainstrom first got together as the beat group Fashion Pink in 1968. By the time the band signed to the Spiegelei label in 1971, bassist Harold Wagner had left following a road accident, but not before recording some tracks for SWF Radio. Now comprised of Roland Schaeffer on saxophones and guitars, Rainer Bodensohn on flute and bass, Eddy von Overheidt on keyboards and Joachim Koinzer on drums, the band recorded their debut album, Smile A While, at Intercord's Studio 70 in Munich. The record is a monster combination of jazz and rock, certainly influenced by their British contemporaries. "Zwick Zwick" features fuzz organ reminiscent of Mike Ratledge's powerful tone, while the three-part "Bosco Biati Weiss Alles" also has a Soft Machine vibe, as von Overheidt offers some scat vocal on top of his organ lines. The short "Snakeskin Tango" is full of humor, while the title track returns to serious jazz-rock over its 15 minutes. Koinzer proves an inventive drummer, laying down a solid groove with Bodensohn. The band recorded a second album in 1973, Second Smile, which picked up from where the first left off. The highlight is the opening track "Hirnwind" (roughly "brainstorm"), unfolding to a rising chorus of organ, guitar and gentle vocals before the band unleashes its full fury with Mellotron, angular guitar and flute in a sonic assault. Fantastic. Brainstorm never got around to recording what would have been their final album; and by 1975, the band called it quits, with Roland Schaeffer joining Guru Guru. Koinzer subsequently worked with Herbert Joos and was a member of the jazzy Open Music.
Peter Gabriel's appearance began to (literally) blossom during the summer prior to this album's release. After he debuted his partially shaven head at the Lincoln Festival in May, the costumes weren't far behind. His between song chatter—ostensibly done to allow time for the band to tune up—was as cryptic and incredible as his lyrics; and indeed, Foxtrot gave him the material to back it up. Led by Tony Banks's powerful Mellotron introduction, the incessant pulse of "Watcher of the Skies" immediately captivates; its massive arrangement and heavy rock posturing would remain a concert favorite for years. Both "Get ‘Em Out By Friday" and "Can-Utility and the Coastliners," written during the year's touring, are again typical of the band's quirky signature. The former would also shine in live presentation, while the latter's oddball construction would relegate it to vinyl only. The album's second side, the brief "Horizons" notwithstanding, comprises the band's epic-length masterpiece "Supper's Ready." Like all good album-side-long pieces of the era, Genesis merges each section together with ease, and the piece flows continuously. The 12-string guitars are in force, with delicate yet infectious melodies. After Gabriel's rollicking "Willow Farm," the band kicks it into high gear for "Apocalypse In 9/8 (Co-Starring The Delicious Talents Of Gabble Ratchet)," again highlighting both the instrumental dexterity and heavy rock nature of the album. The emotional finale of "As Sure as Eggs is Eggs" winds things up, its lyrics lifted (near verbatim) from the Book of Revelation, 19:17. The album is a milestone for the band; and in particular, Gabriel delivers one of his strongest vocal performances ever. But more than anything, the album presents the band's most unique and idiosyncratic songwriting in full bloom. Following the album's release, Genesis played their first concerts in the US before returning to a headlining tour in the UK, where the album had risen to No. 12 on the charts.
By the time Kingdom Come had gotten around to recording their second album, the band had slimmed down to guitarist Andy Dalby, organist Michael "Goodge" Harris and drummer Martin "Slim" Steer—all retained from their first album, Galactic Zoo Dossier. Bassist Phil Shutt, however, was new. Frontman Arthur Brown hadn't changed; and while the tracks approach a more linear presentation, the resulting self-titled album contains the same bizarre cut-up weirdness as their debut. The album kicks off with the slow-building atmosphere of "Water" before arriving at one of Brown's most enduring compositions, the slow and soulful "Love is a Spirit." From there, "City Melody" offers a classic prog rock workout from the band that ends in a wild frenzy of synthesizer and weirdness—something the short "Traffic Light Song" bypasses. The second side begins with the Vincent Crane-penned "The Teacher," with Dalby on vocals. The earthy "The Experiment" (complete with farting) is a mini-epic in and of itself, racing through several themes over the course of its eight-minute length. The band is again exceptional throughout, with Harris providing the classic organ tone. "The Whirlpool" is self-explanatory, though it does feature some plaintive guitar lines from Dalby. The album ends with another crooner from Brown, the heartfelt and stirring "The Hymn." Kingdom Come was unique among British progressives; though in all likelihood, the understated musicianship within the band was lost in the implausible weirdness! By all accounts, the live Kingdom Come experience was indescribable; thus, the band kept a constant touring schedule, as chart success eluded the band yet again.
Renaissance first appeared in the timeline back in the late 60s, as a group formed by ex-Yardbirds members Keith Relf and Jim McCarty. Quite incredibly, the same band reappeared years later with no original members. Their auspicious "re-debut" Prologue, the first of two albums for Capitol Records, builds on the premise of their predecessors, but with some changes: The title track bangs open with John Tout's grand piano, copping a quote straight from one of the Russian Kuchka ("mighty handful"). But Annie Haslam's voice, soaring high along with the melody, is the big news. Far more West End than Carnaby Street, her vocals would come to define the band. Propelled by the brisk rhythm of drummer Terry Sullivan and bassist Jon Camp, the McCarty-penned "Kiev" offers the band's typical romanticism in a rock ‘n' roll setting, while Haslam's voice breaks out on "Sounds of the Sea." The second side opens with the 60s throw-back "Spare Some Love," but does provide some electric guitar, something Renaissance music would rarely feature. "Rajah Khan" is the album's gem, a raga-flavored instrumental that features some cool VCS3 synthesizer from Curved Air's Francis Monkman. Fairly psychedelic, it crosses over into some interesting (and uncharacteristic) progressive territory for the group. Their next album, 1973's Ashes Are Burning, would see main songwriter Michael Dunford replace Rob Hendry on guitar. The songwriting also would undergo further refinement into what would become the classic Renaissance sound, particularly on "Can You Understand" and the excellent title track. The winsome "Carpet of the Sun" was the first to present string arrangements.
Formed by Guitarist Jukka Tolonen and drummer Vesa Aaltonen, Tasavallan Presidentti ("President of the Republic") also featured bassist Måns Groundstroem and a British singer, Frank Robson, both previously in Finland's Blues Section. After the band's debut album, Pekka Pöyry joined on flute and sax for the Swedish-only release (and somewhat overlapping) Tasavallan Presidentti II. Like their first record, there's a heavy debt to Traffic and even Procol Harum, though both contain world-class performances. Vocalist Eero Raittinen replaced Robson prior to the recording of their next album, Lambert Land. "Lounge" kicks the album off with a healthy cocktail of guitar, sax, flute and piano. Jazzy and tightly interwoven, the band offer a spry and progressive record full of originality and atmosphere—undoubtedly due in part to the production of American expatriate Sam Charters, best known for his work with Country Joe and the Fish. Raittinen's voice is a welcome addition, as it's one that avoids the clichés of his British counterparts. The title track traces a haunting organ line, offering something dark and deep, before breaking out into the jazz-backed "Celebration of the Saved Nine," the lone composition from Pöyry. The second side's "The Bargain" delivers a groove and interior monologue similar to Can (!) before relenting to Tolonen's epic "Dance." As the track's explosive solo attests, the Finnish guitarist is an exceptional talent, who indubitably helped propel the band to the West. "Last Quarters" closes; it's a splendid song, carried by a solitary flute, Leslie-fed guitar and Raittinen's double-tracked vocal. All in all, it stands as the classic Scandinavian album of the progressive era. Tasavallan Presidentti decamped to the UK in late 1972 and again in Spring 1973, where they ultimately recorded their final album at De Lane Lea Studios with Peter Eden. Milky Way Moses saw international release in 1974, along with a reissue of the 1971 solo album Tolonen! But with Tolonen now solo, the band splintered and Groundstroem went off to Wigwam. Tolonen would record a few albums in the early 80s with Samla Mammas Manna guitarist Coste Apetrea.
Continuing a creative peak for the band, Wolf City became Amon Düül II's second studio release for 1972. The lineup was mostly stable, with Peter Leopold as the odd man out here. Chris Karrer and John Weinzierl were the primary writers, and the first side shows off their craft. Karrer's "Surrounded by Stars" is chock-full of inventive AD2 sound and great vocals from Renate Knaup; while Weinzierl offers two of his best songs: "Green Bubble Raincoated Man," a classic in title and in execution, and the harder rocking "Jail-House Frog," complete with a mad-scientist middle section; the former also was released as a single. Starting the second side (flipped with the first for the US release), Karrer and Weinzierl's guitar work rides the dark and fantastic groove of the title track until the fade, where the next track, "Wie Der Wind Am Ende Einer Strasse" ("Like The Wind At The End Of A Street"), picks up and gently floats through sitar and tabla. The big-riffing "Deutsch Nepal" blows the proceedings back on course, offering a rare German-language vocal for AD2. Daniel Fichelscher's guitar-driven "Sleepwalker's Timeless Bridge" closes the album with authority and Mellotron. Unmatched by any group—German, British, progressive, psychedelic or otherwise—AD2 marked their finest hour when they released Carnival In Babylon and Wolf City in 1972. The following year saw the excellent Live In London album, which documented their late 1972 tour of the UK; the album was recorded at the Greyhound in London, where they were guests of Roxy Music. 1973 also saw the release of the Utopia album, which was essentially a side project of Lothar Meid that featured Jimmy Jackson, Olaf Kübler and members of AD2.
