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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!

Andy Nogger > Kraan

Artist: Kraan
Label: Passport Records
Catalog#: PPSD-98006
Format: Vinyl
Country: United States
Released: 1975
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Kraan’s third record, Andy Nogger, was their first recorded with legendary producer Conny Plank. It’s a significant relationship, one that would extend across many years and projects together, both as a producer and musician. As the excellent “Stars” demonstrates, Kraan has a highly energetic and original sound—somewhere between rock and jazz, but nowhere around the then-current idiom of fusion.

Down To Earth > Nektar

Artist: Nektar
Label: Passport Records
Catalog#: PPSD 98005
Format: Vinyl
Country: United States
Released: 1975
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Though based in Germany, Down To Earth saw Nektar back to recording in the UK at Chipping Norton Studios, with producer Peter Hauke in tow. The album revolves around the concept of a circus; popular at the time, Argent would also use this theme. The band leave behind most of their psychedelic trappings and long-form jamming, and instead deliver an album of expertly-crafted songs. The lively "Astral Man" glibly sets the stage; these British expatriates may have been taking a stab at their countrymen's otherworldly opuses, or perhaps even a little at their own.

Todd Rundgren's Utopia > Utopia

Artist: Utopia
Label: Bearsville
Catalog#: BR 6954
Format: Vinyl
Country: United States
Released: 1974-11
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Hailing from Pennsylvania, Todd Rundgren was first heard in Nazz, a band whose 60s-garage rock styling was released to no particular acclaim. In 1970, he formed Runt with Hunt and Tony Sales, and scored a hit with the blue-eyed soul of "We Gotta Get You a Woman." In 1972, Rundgren released the double-album Something/Anything? It provided another couple of hits: "I Saw the Light" managed to chart on both sides of the Atlantic, while a re-recording of Nazz's "Hello It's Me" entered the US Top 5.

Portable Madness > Sensations' Fix

Artist: Sensations' Fix
Label: Polydor
Catalog#: 2448 034
Format: Vinyl
Country: United States
Released: 1974-09
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Hailing from Florence, Sensations' Fix was really a front for Franco Falsini; in addition to playing guitar and keyboards, he also wrote and produced most of the band's music in-wait for it-Virginia. Joining him were two Americans: bassist Richard Ursillo, previously with Campo di Marte, and drummer Keith Edwards. Their debut album, Fragments Of Light, was released in 1974 on Polydor, and is certainly the most un-Italian of all the progressive rock to come out of Italy.

Einsjäger & Siebenjäger > Popol Vuh

Artist: Popol Vuh
Label: Kosmische Musik
Catalog#: KM 58.017
Format: Vinyl
Country: Germany
Released: 1974
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Under the guise of Popol Vuh, the Munich-based Florian Fricke created one of the most original bodies of work during the 1970s. His first two records were krautrock of the most kosmische type. Released in 1970, Affenstunde ("Monkey Hour") saw Fricke's hand on the Moog synthesizer; he was one of the first in Germany to own one. By 1972, he had switched to organ for the following In Den Gärten Pharaos (now recording for the Pilz/Ohr label), but had yet to find the quintessential Popol Vuh sound.

Being > Wigwam

Artist: Wigwam
Label: Love Records (4)
Catalog#: LRLP 92
Format: Vinyl
Country: Finland
Released: 1974-02
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Hailing from the Finland, Blues Section was (you guessed it) a blues-inspired band fronted by British expatriate Jim Pembroke, drummer Ronnie Österberg, bassist Måns Groundstroem and others. They released an eponymous album in 1967, on the Finnish Love Records. But soon after Pembroke and Österberg left, and after a few more singles, the band broke up. Österberg then set out to form Wigwam, drafting Pembroke and organist Jukka Gustavson, with bassist Pekka Pohjola arriving in 1968 for their second album, Tombstone Valentine.

Now We Are Six > Steeleye Span

Artist: Steeleye Span
Label: Chrysalis
Catalog#: CHR 1053
Format: Vinyl
Country: United States
Released: 1974-02
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
The arrival of ex-Gnidrolog drummer Nigel Pegrum on 1974’s Now We Are Six saw Steeleye Span’s music take a nod towards the progressive. Of course, having Ian Anderson in the producer’s chair certainly pushed things along: “Thomas the Rhymer” has that complex meter that is quite like Jethro Tull. Whether this is vindication of their progressiveness or proof positive that Anderson was a folkie at heart is another matter. Whatever the setting, and despite rather strange production, the band presents first-rate music here.

Au-Delà Du Délire > Ange

Artist: Ange
Label: Philips
Catalog#: 9101 004
Format: Vinyl
Country: France
Released: 1974
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
France never really took to rock ‘n' roll the way other Europeans did; in the 60s, French rock bands were few and far between, the yé-yé of Johnny Hallyday notwithstanding. Yet in the early 70s, "rock progressif" slowly infiltrated French culture; and of those bands that did emerge (Atoll, Catharsis, Mona Lisa), Ange was certainly the most quintessential. Formed in 1970 by brothers Christian and Francis Décamps, the band had consolidated into their most classic lineup in 1971, with Jean-Michel Brézovar on guitar, Daniel Haas on bass and Gérard Jelsch on drums.

Star's End > Bedford, David

Artist: David Bedford
Label: Virgin
Catalog#: VR 13 - 114
Format: Vinyl
Country: United States
Released: 1974-11
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
David Bedford's classical credentials included study at London's Royal Academy of Music and tutelage under Italian avant-garde composer Luigi Nono. He crossed over into the rock world as the keyboard player for Kevin Ayers and the Whole World in 1969. In 1970, that band performed Bedford's The Garden of Love, written—in true avant-garde form—for "pop group." This association led to further collaboration with guitarist Mike Oldfield and others on the Virgin roster.

Crac! > Area

Artist: Area
Label: Cramps Records
Catalog#: CRSLP 5103
Format: Vinyl
Country: United States
Released: 1974-11
Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Area was another of Italy's finest exports, albeit rooted in fusion rather than progressive rock. The band was formed by Greek singer and organist Demetrio Stratos in 1972 and included main composer Patrizio Fariselli on keyboards, Paolo Tofani on guitar and Giulio Capiozzo on percussion. The bassist at this point was Patrick Djivas, who would later end up in PFM, while Eddie Busnello added saxophone. Their debut album Arbeit Macht Frei was released on the Cramps label in 1973.