The Poet, The Piper, and the Fool (91), Pulling Strings and Shiny Things (94), Poppy (96)

Very simplistic neo-prog, their only CD is decent but nothing really new creatively. Very English/folk sounding, some nice melodies. For some reason they sounded much better live, more unique and sinister than their studio sound.

I've heard Grace described as Celtic prog. They're not; at least not if you want to compare them to the ranks of other prog musicians who have explored traditional Celtic music, such as Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull, Mike Oldfield, Dan Ar Braz, Alan Stivell, or Horslips. In truth, Grace plays neo-prog that sounds most similar to that played by other neo-prog bands If you like Pendragon, IQ, Galahad, Aragon, Twelfth Night, Jadis, etc., you'll probably like these guys. That said, they do have occasional passages that sound vaguely reminsicent of British folk music. So, Grace isn't just another Marillion clone, although the Marillion influence is undeniably omnipresent (especially in the keyboard- playing). The band does seem to be trying to come up with it's own distinct sound through an exploitation of folk music, although I don't think they've found it quite yet. Neither of their two albums really stands out, IMHO, but with some better song-writing, I could imagine them doing interesting things in the future. -- James Chokey

Grace's second release. Pulling Strings and Shiny Things is considerably stronger than their first offering and brings out the band's stage ability to create moods and spin stories, reminescent of Nursery Cryme-era Genesis. They also know how to rock - kinda makes you want to hop about on one leg. A thoroughly enjoyable album. Poppy is a rather disappointing album overall after the excellent Pulling Strings. Poppy is a rather apt description of this collection of 12 tracks, each 4 to 6 minutes long. The first three songs are somewhat tongue in cheek and show Grace's irritating unwillingness to take themsleves seriously which is a pity because they could be a really class act. There are some sparks of excellence in songs such as "Emily" (where lead singer Mac Austin does a creditable impersonation of Brian Ferry) and "Secret Garden" and the hallmark folk-rock rhythms are present in several tracks. Overall it might have been better though if the band had extended the work on some of the better songs (such as the one commenting on the Federal building bomb) and dispensed with the three or four rather silly fillers. -- Richard Barnes

Gracious! (70), This Is ... (71), Echo (96)

I know this will sound pretentious, but Gracious!' debut (of two) albums was probably the most progressive album that was released in 1970 (albeit VDGG, Soft Machine, and KC were close.) Why would I say this? Listen to it!

Lots of mellotron.

A great early 70's band. Sort of psych but not much with more than a smidgeon of early Gentle Giant in there. Roger Dean did the artwork for This Is ... and it is notable in that it looks nothing like a Yes album cover! I think I prefer their debut overall, mainly for the track "Hell" which has a riff that Crimson would have been proud of. Very eclectic with great songwriting. Get their debut, you won't regret it!

Grail (71)

Prog.

Hablo de Una Tierra (75), Espana Ano 75 (75), Valle del Pas (76?)

Excellent Spanish progressive rock band from the mid seventies who released three albums, all that found eventual reissue on the Fonomusic label. Remind me a lot of early Iconoclasta, and of course Spanish bands like Triana or Coto En Pel. The British influences of Yes, Tull, and other Italian bands also abound.

Spanish mid-70's instrumental band, very melodic and jazz-influenced, with strong folk overtones. Occasionally they do symphonic stuff as well, but that's the exception to the rule; more often than not they sound like Spain's answer to Soft Machine with some Camel and Spanish folk thrown in. Two of their best albums Espana Ano 75 and Valle Del Pas were reissued on 1 CD. Very worthwhile, does take a few listens though.

Espana Ano '75 is some fine fusion in the Canterbury vein. Not too impressive on first listen, but it gets better with subsequent hearings. Valle de Paz is a more symphonic offering, some tracks consisting solely of dramatic orchestral passages! They also add some Spanish folk music (but not flamenco) to their sound, using pennywhistles and gaitas (Spanish bagpipes) to create a totally original sound, not likely to be confused with anyone else. -- Mike Ohman

A spanish band very much in the vein of Iconoclasta. Strong keyboard and guitar dominated instrumentals. However where Iconoclasta presents the stronger guitar sound, Granada has more of an emphasis on keyboards.

Granada were an excellent Spanish band from the mid to late '70s, which was the hey-day for Spanish Prog. While Italy was winding down, Spain was gearing up to unleash some excellent Prog on the world. In addition to Granada, other "must haves" from this time include Gotic, Mezquita, Crack, Triana, Atila, Iceberg and Iman. I have two Granada albums, Espanda Ano 75 and Valle Del Pas. Both are excellent examples of Spanish progressive and strongly recommended. Granada's emphasis is on keyboard (including an abundance of moog and a fair amount of mellotron) and guitar, though I'd say keyboards dominate. Sounding like a blend of fusion and symphonic ideals, I am reminded mostly of the excellent Mexican progressive band, Iconoclasta. I suppose the common cultural influences of these two bands also accounts for some of the similarity. However, there are also several classical flourishes on Espana Ano 75 ranging from string sections to oboe to xylophone and vibe. Granada jump back and forth between spacy and intensity with ease. Both of the albums I have have several shorter (4-5 minute) and a few longer (7-8) minute songs so there are no side-long epics just solid instrumentals all around. While I feel Gotic, Mezquita, Atila and Iceberg are better bands, certainly Granada ranks up there with Triana, Iman and Crack. All of these bands are essential to any symphonic collection. Definitely check them out. -- Mike Taylor

Una Citta' Possibile (72)

An uninteresting rock band.

Granfalloon (89), Ca-Co-Pho-Nia (90, w/ other artists)

From Detroit, Michigan. Influences of '80s King Crimson and early Genesis.

Gravy Train (70), The Ballad of a Peaceful Man (71), Second Birth (74), Staircase to the Day (74), The Dawn Years (??)

The flute draws the obvious Jethro Tull comparisons, and indeed, some of the music does reflect such influences, but I can't say that this band is predominantly Tull-influenced. The rhythm section is more based in early British blues with some progressive influences in the longer cuts. The vocals are also a far cry from Anderson stylings, again being more in the UK rock and roll line. Though it is the flute that draws the Tull comparisons, the style here is also non-derivative of Anderson. It's as if this band got some good ideas from Tull's This Was and decided to carry on in that tradition while Anderson and Company explored other avenues. Plenty of extended bluesy guitar jams. This early UK prog band is definitely worth a listen.

I got the opportunity to preview (A Ballad Of) A Peaceful Man, and am I ever glad I did, I might have bought it! Musically it's pretty mediocre, just bluesy rock with the odd long track and lots of flute. Sort of like Jethro Tull before they were good, but not as good. Notorious for having one of the absolute worst singers in rock history! Honestly, this guy will shred your eardrums. Other albums are said to sound like Uriah Heep, and you know what that means--stay WELL away!!! (A Ballad... is called a "classic" of British prog. Obviously their standards aren't too high. -- Mike Ohman

The Dawn Years is Japanese compilation from Staircase and Second Birth.

Feeling Gray? (72)

Ex The Trip.

[See Trip, The]

Horizons (70), The Going's Easy (70), Greatest Show on Earth (75)

Brass/Prog Rock. The self-titled album is a double LP containing both previous albums.

Strings And Pottery (90)

Norwegian ethnic music duo, some of the tracks are upbeat, others are very low key - almost new agey. Reminds me of some of the early 80's Shadowfax albums, or the new Ragnarok. Interesting but nothing to get excited about.

Behind (90)

Very poppy french neo-prog band. Some good moments, but usually too commercial and mainstream for my tastes. Like some of the later Atoll albums (Rock puzzle, Ocean) but with neo-influences.

Greenslade (73), Bedside Manners Are Extra (73), Spyglass Guest (74), Time and Tide (75), Pentateuch of the Cosmogony (79)

Dave Greenslade, the leader of the group that bears his name, was the keyboardist for the ProgressiveBluesJazzRock band Colosseum, each of whose members went on to subsequent high-quality projects. Greenslade was the most oriented toward the budding symphonic-progressive style, and eventually produced five releases. Four of these have now been issued on Japanese CD, and cover the group's output very well. The self-titled album was recorded in late 1972, and is very representative of the organ/guitar dominated UK progressive rock of that period, comparable to bands such as Fields, Cressida, etc. The accent on Greenslade's organ-work also brings to mind The Nice. This, and the next release, Bedside Manners Are Extra, had sleeves drawn by Roger Dean. Bedside Manners Are Extra was released in late 1973, and featured a more polished style and a more visible mellotron presence (always a big seller with me!). The next year, Greenslade released Spyglass Guest, carrying on in the spirit of Bedside Manners Are Extra, with the classical symphonic progressive rock style, with Dave Greenslade borrowing his keyboard/organ solo styles from ELP (Keith Emerson). Certain passages are slightly "jazzier" in nature, yet the overall effect is well within the confines of "rock." The fourth release, Time And Tide, released in 1975, was their most accessible work, featuring shorter compositions, yet maintaining the melodic sensibilities of their prior output.

One thing I noticed immediately about Greenslade's first album were Dave Lawson's shrill, whiny, strained vocals. Ooh boy, this is going to be difficult, I thought. Fortunately, there is some fine music here. Naturally, the instrumental passages are the best, and being frequent enough to make the album bearable. The dual keyboards are somewhat ELP/Egg influenced but original, consisting mostly of Hammond organ, mellotron, and various electric and acoustic pianos. No guitar, but multi-tracked bass on a few tracks (most notably the instrumental "Melange") makes an excellent substitute. Ex-King Crimson/Fields drummer Andrew McCullough does some good percussion work here. "Sundance" is a great instrumental. -- Mike Ohman

[See Colosseum | Fields | King Crimson | Samurai | Stackridge | Web, The]

Cold Cuts (71)

[See Khan]

Cities In Fog (85), Places Of Motility (86), Timbral Planes (87), Changing Skies (89?), Ear-rational Compilation (90?), Crossing Ngoli (91?, W/Angus), Lost Terrain (92), In Another Place (93)

Ambient ala Eno, but darker.

The Crime (94), Forces (95)

These guys are a newer band on the UK scene, frequently opening for bands like Jadis and Pendragon, and have recently release their first album. The sound centers around the keyboard of Louis David. He only uses a few boards, mostly analog, which, along with the unpolished production, can evoke an 80's retro sound to my ears. However, they probably weren't on a huge budget. David also makes some use of some analog type sequences on a couple songs for a unique flavor. He also makes frequent use of the Mark Kelly sawtooth type Minimoog sound. Julian Hunt provides able guitars, making good use of effects, and the warm distortion rhythm guitar used by Andy Latimer and Nick Barrett. The drummer seems capable. The bassist? I have no idea, as there is not much low end. The vocalist is a pleasant suprise. One is that he has a great voice and two is not trying to be a Fish or Gabriel clone, which runes the originality of many a band. In fact his vocal stylings have more in common with Michael Sadler of Saga.
The opening track, 12:02 starts out with a rousing minimoog type line reminiscent of "Market Square Heroes." Mostly an upbeat and positive tune, it makes a good opener, but stronger material is yet to come. In the middle of the tune, the guitarist uses some wah-wah rhythm, which to my ears sound a little funny. But maybe that's just me. "All Join Hands" starts out with a cool arpeggiator/sequenced line which drives the song, with a Pendragonish Chorus. I like this song a lot. The third track, "Thrill of it All," starts out with a Greg Lakeish acoustic guitar bit, with the first part of the tune being an acoustic ballad. After the second chorus, the singer hangs on a note, and it kicks into a 3/4 Marillion type feel (like the feel on "Garden Party") with an analog lead driving the track. It then switches into a psuedo-reggae(!) type feel, then returns to the "Garden Party" type feel and eventually fades out. Another good tune. "The Ballad of Billy Grey" is the first of the "epic" tunes. It opens with another cool analog type of sequence with some long filter sweeps, then kicks into gear. This track has a slightly darker feel than the previous ones. Another Kelly type analog lead sets up the tune, which settles into a Marillionesqe minor chord progression ( like "He Knows You Know"). Three verses follow in this format, gradually building and adding more orchestration. The latter part of the tune kicks into more of an upbeat Pendragonish feel. A very satisfying tune. "Circus of Thieves" opens with a delay guitar line, with keyboards coming in with a Clive Nolan-like lick (whatever that means). This tune sounds like it would be at home on Pendragon's The Jewel. Next comes "Annabel," which a little more rockish at the start. It then contrasts this with a softer verse going into a Pendragon-like chorus. The closing track, "The Fugitive" is the other longer epic track, which is another great tune. It opens with just an eight note keyboard figure and simple drums, then moves into a Pendragon type chord progression. After repeating this figure, it states the main keyboard theme driven by the rhythm guitar. I am reminded of Saga here. Great feel. It settles down into a slower verse without rhythm, like a slower Jadis tune. It picks up with another great minimoog type line again. Mark Kelly fans who miss his use of Minimoog will sure appreciate this. The slower verse then returns, followed by a dramatic Genesis-like section. This eventually segues back into the beginning feel of driving rhythm guitar and keyboards carrying out to the end.
Although these guys are not overly complex, I found the music to be very satisfying. Their main influences seem to be the bands I have mentions, but combine that with some of their own traits to have a sound to their own. As this is a debut album, perhaps for future releases they can continue to diversify themselves and get some better production (can we here the bass next time?). That could certainly put them over the top. -- Alan Mallery

Grime (79)

Grime were a French band similar to Ange, Mona Lisa, and the like, for the dramatic nature of their presentations, both vocally and musically, though I detect an additional influence from UK groups of the mid-seventies, including Greenslade and Genesis. The CD contains six live bonus tracks.

Grime was a French art rock band formed in the mid-seventies. Intended for sale at their concerts, their first and only album was a privately released limited edition LP of 1000 copies. Consequently Grime received very little notice in the press and outside France. Now thirteen years later this Musea CD reissue contains their original LP Grime with six live bonus songs recorded at the "Panespo Club" in Neufchatel, Switzerland on 12 December 1981. Conceived as a concept album, Grime tells the story of a man on a subway who discovers that he can no longer get off. After falling asleep he awakes and looks outside to find the train stranded on a beach. This confusion between dream and reality is the departure for a musical odyssey to worlds of the fantastic. In the end the man wakes to find that he is still on the train in the same dull world. Grime was Didier Morando: drums, percussion, and vocals; Thierry Duval: keyboards, and lead vocals; Nick Vicente: bass, piano, and vocals (studio); Didier Duval: 6 and 12 string guitars, acoustic guitar, and vocals; Marc Nion: alto sax, flute, vocals, and sketches; and Michel Munier: bass (live). Didier Duval chose Grime as their name because in Greek theater it signifies an actor made up as an old man. This image intrigued Didier and he tried to incorporate it in their live performances. Grime's music is an example of French progressive rock with a subtle blending of poetry, music, and theater. Their music is a mixture of complex melodies, vocals, and instrumentation similar to other popular contemporary progressive bands: Camel, Genesis, H. P. Lovecraft, King Crimson, Le Orme, and Supertramp. Only the brutal opening song "Cauchemar" (Nightmare) stands apart from the rest of the music. This punk influenced song opens with French shouting representing the trapped man's awareness of his dilemma. The live music recorded 2 years later documents their growth as musicians and as a band. Grime's music is great. They give good sax but no violins! I commend Musea for resurrecting this lost masterpiece from obscurity.

Fool's Mate (70)

Features Carol Grimes (vocals), Phil Miller (guitar), Steven Miller (piano), Pip Pyle (drums), Roy Babbington (bass) and Lol Coxhill (saxophones). Said to be a great early prog jazz-rock album with excellent lyrics and singing.

[See Ayers, Kevin | Caravan | Coxhill, Lol | Gong | Hatfield and the North | Matching Mole | Nucleus | Soft Machine]

discog (99)

They sing in French and English. A lot of their stuff sounds like Jethro Tull circa Passion Play or Il Balleto di Bronzo. They also do some searing thrash metal (but then again, so does Happy Family) and even a ska number or two now and then. I'd love to find out what they are like live. -- Kenneth Newman

As the World Grits (93, recorded '72-'76), Rare Birds (97, recorded 76)

Because this band follows the vocal verse-chorus format, it can't really be described as "progressive." But let's cast off those restrictive prog criteria for a moment and look at what's really going on here. Yes, this is a band that tried (hard) to "make it." Too bad they did it with thoughtful, intricate songs and flawless musicianship, or they might have "made it" after all. Grits created a cerebral jamming sound combined with extremely personal, savagely bitter, and often hilarious lyrics. Imagine Flo and Eddie-era Mothers crossed with Crown of Creation-period Jefferson Airplane, and you should have a good idea what this album sounds like. Yet this comparison is far from superficial: Tom Wright's guitar work emulates Zappa yet becomes his own; Amy Taylor's vocals recall Grace Slick, but the feelings and nuances expressed are hers alone. Composer and keyboardist Rick Barse reveals himself as an eloquent yet tortured artist. For what this album lacks in complexity or unorthodoxy, it makes up for with guts and sincerity.

Grobschnitt (72), Ballermann (74), Jumbo (75), Rockpommel's Land (77), Solar Music Live (78), Merry Go Round (79), Volle Molle (80), Illegal (81), Razzia (82), plus several more during the 80's

Grobschnitt had many elements that made them so special - a great dual guitar sound, good keyboards, and a strange drummer/effects man (Eroc) who brought an element of silliness and humor to the group (one of the things that made Gong so fascinating in their heyday.) Their first five albums are all classics and are for various different reasons. Deriving from early seventies space rock and the best of Santana, Grobschnitt's first album (self- titled) is a fantastic album that builds and releases tension in style and may be one of my personal favorites (I am a huge Santana fan - this band is way too overlooked in progressive circles.) A change of style into more symphonic realms occured on their double second (reissued on 1 CD) Ballermann which featured one record of varying length symphonic songs and one record that contains the cosmic suite "Solar Music" Maybe their least immediately accessible album, subsequent listens reveal this album's majesty. Moving to a more "accessible" sound on their third LP Jumbo, Grobschnitt moved into the realms of Yes-styled symphonic progressive while remaining very German. Funny voices (by Eroc) permeate the album on the minute long cuts which balance the epics (especially "The Excursion of Father Smith") quite well. A German version of this album exists as well. Maybe the one Gibraltar readers will like the most is the band's fourth, Rockpommel's Land that moves even closer into the Yes realms, featuring a beautiful Roger Dean-styled cover. Four tracks here, including a 20 minute same-titled, epic, this concept album is basically about a young boy and a hugebird (the maraboo) that consistently helps him and bails him out of trouble. This album is also very symphonic and has more of a keyboard presence than the first three. In my opinion, a landmark in space/cosmic rock is Grobschnitt's fifth, a live rendition of the classic "Solar Music" from Ballermann - Solar Music Live. This album is almost wall-to-wall guitar solos that shimmer and glide along a space rock backdrop - absolutely amazing music. I haven't bothered to find any of these guys later albums - sources say they fall short of these five - but their sixth Merry Go Round can't be much worse than Solar Music Live can it? Rockpommel's... and SML have both been reissued on CD as well as Ballermann and are all musts. I hope to see the first and third get the same treatment.

This classic Germand band produced a long string of great and not-so-great albums during the 70's and early 80's. Their sound is characterized by fairly original overall style, colorful melodies, and a very unique lead voice. Most of their albums have some bizarre clowning-around on them. Lyrics are sometimes in german, sometimes in english, but never mixed on the same album. Jumbo comes in both english and german versions. Rockpommels, Ballermann and Jumbo are three of the more dynamic, colorful and typically progressive of their albums. Solar Music is a more spacey and experimental live album. Illegal and Merry Go Round are mixed bags, both with a somewhat harder edged sound, and both get very strange at times. Their second live album Volle Molle pretty much sucks all around, and their first album is classic german hard rock, not all that progressive. The indespensible ones are Ballermann and Rockpommel's Land.

German band which seems to have been *very* symphonic, and of the worst pretentious kind. At least their Rockpommel's Land is of that kind and is no fun at all. On their 1981 effort Razzia they are, like so many other bands, oriented towards more straighter rock is much better. (It's not straight without a twist, though.) Although you'd better not know German when you listen to "Wir wollen leben."

Excellent, sometimes kooky German band. Comparable to Yes in many ways, my favorite is Solar Music Live which is one power break after another. "Solar..." reminds me a lot of Steve Howe's solo in "Yours is No Disgrace" from YesSongs - except it's about 40 minutes longer. Great stuff.

Grobschnitt were one of the crop of German bands that fell into the Krautrock category, mixing progressive rock influences with improvisational elements and humour to create a very compelling brand of music. The irreverence was evident in their music, but not at the cost of technical and compositional proficiency. All the musicians were masters of their instruments, and created cohesive albums that showcased their talents. Ballermann is a prime example of this music. Recorded in 1974, it featured keyboard/guitar-based progressive rock delivered with intensity, but interspersed with quiet, melodic passages, and anchored by the drumming of Joachim Ehrig (Eroc), who went on to further fame with his solo releases. This work also contains 33 minutes of "Solar Music," a Grobschnitt concert staple. This is a very adventurous piece that moves through a variety of musical moods, with enough room for all the members to display their respective talents. The vocalist, a gentleman nicknamed "Wildschwein" adds a further Arthur-Brown-like dimension to the music, which, in turn, adds to the unpredictability. However, his appearance is quite limited, and the music dominates through most of the 73+ minutes of this CD. Illegal, Rockpommel's Land and Solar Music Live are all from their middle period, where they were at their best. Their music is keyboard/guitar oriented, with standout drums and percussion by a gent who went by the name of Eroc. Illegal is the most improvisational of the bunch and recalls the somewhat psychedelic sounds of groups such as Amon Düül II and the like. Rockpommel's Land is a "concept" work, about the fantasies of a boy lost in a strange land. For those who enjoy lengthy, symphonic works, this would probably be the best recommended. The music has a backdrop that recalls bands such as Genesis, but the ability of the musicians in this band to improvise adds something more to the sound. Solar Music Live is a live recording that captures the musical virtuosity of the band very well. Volle Molle also contains live recordings by the band which offers proof of the power of the group to improvise and put together a powerful performance. The music is raucous at times, but mostly fast-paced progressive rock with long instrumental passages driven by guitar, keyboards, and drums.

I have two Grobschnitt albums, Solar Music Live and Rockpommel's Land, two very different albums, both excellent. Solar Music Live is incredible. Grobschnitt apparently went through several phases, nearly one for each album, so SML can hardly be considered representative. It can be high recommended though. Shimmering guitars over a mesmerizing backdrop, this album is considered by some to be one of the best space rock albums of all time. The album is nearly 60 minutes of flowing musical thought, with a little bit of silliness thrown in for fun. Judging by the CD cover, they must have had an interesting stage show. Rockpommel's Land is a concept album and much more symphonic in nature. If you've heard Novalis's classic Sommerabend, you'll have a feel for this album. The concept is of the travels of a boy and a strange bird. Some have said this album is very Yes-like but I think it's a little more similar to Novalis than Yes, plus they have their own quirkiness and sense of humor. Perhaps it's just my ears. Though I prefer the spacey texture of Solar Music Live, this album is well worth a listen, particularly if you are a symphonic fan.

Grobschnitt are one of the better Brain-label bands. Ballermann, originally a double LP, includes the 33-minute guitar-prog classic "Solar Music". Lots of people will want it just for this, great keyboards too! "Magic Train" is another great long piece, with varying dynamics in the different passages. "Nickel-Odeon" is pretty good, even though there is a chord-progression that blatantly rips off Yes' "Yours Is No Disgrace" in the middle. "Drummer's Dream" is a nice softer, acoustic tune. And "Sahara" is a weird piece with fine guitar work and slowed down vocals by drummer Eroc (On the spoken intro, he reminds me of Sgt. Schulz from "Hogan's Heroes"!) Rockpommels Land is a concept album, apparently about a young boy who rides a giant bird to the land of stone-people, or something like that. The story notwithstanding, there is some fine music on this one, with more excellent guitar playing and more keyboards than Ballermann. Yes is strongly in evidence, but this reminds me even more so of the McDonald and Giles album, especially the side-long title track, which is not unlike "Birdman". Excellent stuff. Solar Music Live is, as the title indicates, a live version of the title song, but extended out to about 50 minutes, with odd experimental tricks by Eroc and great slabs of dual guitar jamming. I, who normally don't care too much for live albums, really love this album. The experimental tendecies first explored here were further developed not only on Eroc's solo albums, but reportedly also on the next couple of Grobschnitt albums: Merry-Go-Round and Illegal. Keep that in mind when you find these. Razzia was recorded without Eroc, and apparently was the first of their lame neo-prog LPs. I have a couple of these: Kinder and Narren (1984) and Fantasten (1987). The first is a concept album, both are comparable to Genesis of the same period, i.e. pretty pop orientated and boring. The live Last Party is supposed to be the only worthwhile document from this period. -- Mike Ohman

[See Eroc | Reichel, Hans]

Grosso Autunno (76), Almanacco (77)

Not very good players.

The Group (78)

Pekka Pohjola's group just before releasing his first solo LP.

[See Made in Sweden | Pohjola, Pekka | Uni Sono | Wigwam]

Agemos Trip to Mother Earth (68), Paradise Now (69), Polyandri (74), others?

Very obscure band who somehow had their first and 1969 album reissued on the German SPM label. This album is one of the most innovative of its time, and while verging psychedelic very often, there are enough surprises to keep everyone happy!

The master tape for Polyandri (74) was lost, so a transcription for the CD reissue was made from an LP. The sound quality is not too good but the music is excellent! One of the most floating psychedelic albums I've ever heard. -- Andras Sumegi

Group 87 (80), A Career In Dada Processing (84)

Never heard this band, but since its roster is VERY similar to that of the studio musicians in Mark Isham's Castalia album (including MI), I think they're New-Age. BTW, anyone know where to find their stuff (CD or LP)?

Falling somewhere between lightweight new-age fusion and proto-techno-pop, this instrumental group featured Peter Maunu (guitars, keys and violin), Mark Isham (brass, keys), Patrick O'Hearn (bass), and guesting Terry Bozzio (drums) on some tracks. Comparisons mught be made to Jerry Goodman's Ariel or some of the later solo projects by any of these guys. Overall pretty good.

[See O'Hearn, Patrick]

Skoklan (74)

Electronics.

Out Off (72), Frrrrrigidaire (73)

Keyboard-based prog. Out Off is a instrumental soundtrack.

En Busca de una Nueva Flor (??), El Hombre Extraño (??)

Mellow symphonic.

L'Alba Di Domani (72)

Acoustic-vangard sound.

Gryphon (73), Midnight Mushrumps (74), Red Queen To Gryphon Three (74), Raindance (75), Treason (77), The Collection (92), The Collection II (93), (The band will tentatively have a reunion album out in mid-93)

Super and very overlooked British prog band that were well into the classical realms. Remind me a lot of Gentle Giant on the Red Queen To Gryphon 3 which is often quoted as their very best. If you like prog rock with a very classical and jazz sensibility, with a sense of Gentle Giant, you got the right band.

I've never been more impressed with such a (at least to me) undernoticed band. All I have is The Collection and this group captures the beauty of medieval/folk type music better than Dead Can Dance and even Gentle Giant. Highly recommended, I haven't heard more symphonic oriented later stuff yet. If you like medieval music this is the best prog band that I've heard do this style. The music is simply great.

Gryphon started out as a medieval folk band, and ended up as progressive- rock band several years later. The basic lineup was: Richard Harvey (recorder, krumhorns,keyboards,etc), Brian Gulland (Bassoon,Krumhorns,keyboards,vocals), Dave Oberle (drums and vocals), and Graeme Taylor (guitars, recorder, vocals). Beginning with the second album various bass players came and went, and the last album features an expanded six-piece lineup with a new drummer, Oberle being a full time vocalist by this time. The first album is strictly a folk album, featuring mostly covers of anonymous traditional english folk tunes, although their unusual baroque instrumentation makes them more interesting than you might expect. Midnight Mushrumps began to move more into a progressive musical direction, although their folk roots are still the strongest element. With their third album, the folk element diminished and they became more influenced by the likes of Gentle Giant and Yes (who they toured the US with in 74): Red Queen To Gryphon Three is truly their masterpiece, a 35 minute four-part progressive instrumental opus without one dull moment. Raindance reintroduced vocals on about half the album's tracks, and offered more variety of style than any of their previous outings. Treason, the final album in their first incarnation, retained the general musical style of its predecessor, maybe a bit more acessible, all with vocals, and a more polished production. It's an album that would've broken the band beyond their cult status had it been released a couple years earlier, but by 77 it was no longer fashionable for big record companies to have fledgling progressive bands on their roster, so they were dropped and at that point it seemed like as good a time as any for the band to call it a day. The Collection is a retrospective containing mostly material from their first second and fourth albums, the longer tracks being edited. Collection II is similar, offering the balance of material from the first two, some selections from three and four, plus some unreleased material from the vaults. The place to start is RQTG3, most will agree this was their finest moment, it stands as a landmark of originality.

An amazing collection of Musicians (capital M). Gryphon started out by performing 13th century dances, jigs and reels and later moved into a more progressive vein. Their music is very complex, yet *very* listenable. The Collection is a good introduction.

I have Red Queen to Gryphon Three. This album combines medieval influences with progressive rock tendencies. That statement simply doesn't do justice to the magnificent music on the album. They blend krumhorn (in the oboe family), bassoon, and recorder with the traditional rock instruments of guitar, bass, synth, and drum. The conceptual album consists of four long songs, based on chess themes. The closest comparison would be to Gentle Giant in that there is incredible contrapuntal interplay between all instruments. Should you get the opportunity to snag the CD or LP, I strongly suggest you do so at that instant. You will not be disappointed.

Any band that features a krumhorn player is worth checking out! Oboes and bassoons as well, I think. In a similar vein to Gentle Giant, but Gryphon probably played more of the medieval flavoured stuff. More folky, I guess.

I've heard Red Queen To Gryphon Three. If you take away the neo-classical references from Gentle Giant and just leave in the mediaeval stuff, namely the recorders, you might come up with something very like this. They also use bassoon and krummhorn (!) to a great extent, giving them a style not likely to be confused with anyone else. All instrumental. -- Mike Ohman

I know this is old news to a lot of people, but with the re-issue of the first four Gryphon's on CD via Japanese import, many more people have a chance to hear this remarkable music. Unlike their first two, this, Gryphon's third album, does not take such a folk/medieval approach, but instead combines the listenability of progressive rock with their folksy roots. The result is a well-written, complex, light-hearted 40 minutes of music, consisting of only four tracks. There is counterpoint galore, enough to please a hard-core Gentle Giant fan, but no vocals to distract you from the brilliance of the music. When taken at once, it's hard to follow the mesh of interweaved harmony, but each instrument alone shows a restrained playing since their individual lines must fit into the pattern of the counterpoint. This is one of the most exciting recent releases. If you don't want to spend $25 on the CD, a taste of Gryphon can be found on their two Collection CDs, both of which are domestic in the US. Speaking of which... Collection is a compilation CD put out by Progressive International. Yes, those honest, uncorruptable businessmen who brought us Aragon are actually putting out some killer CDs these days. I bought this as a money saving attempt, rather than buying the first two Gryphon CDs on Jap import. Many of the tracks on Collection are from Gryphon and Midnight Mushrumps. If you like the folkier side of Gentle Giant, or if a progressive rock version of the Pogues or Steeleye Span interests you, this disc is worth checking out. Several of the tracks are arrangements of traditional and/or anonymous pieces of music from 200-500 years ago. Back then, your average bit of music was more complex than what passes for popular music today. It may have intricate polyrhythms and counterpoint, but still be accessible enough to dance to. But the rest of the tracks were composed by the band members, and - surprise! The originals are as wonderfully complex as the covers! Two members of Gryphon being graduates of the Royal Academy of Music may have something to do with this (isn't that where a certain Mr. Wakeman attended class?) There are few bands that combine the writing and performing talent of Gryphon. They surpass bands like Yes, King Crimson and Reniassance in pure virtuousity. This is a very worthwhile CD from a great band. Listen with an open mind an you'll be rewarded.

This British band is known for a music with folk themes and strong medieval influences. The five solid musicians, on Midnight Mushrumps, offer a varied instrumentation that includes keyboards, guitars, assorted flutes, bassoon, bass, drums, percussions, mandolin and krumhorn. The tracks usually feature lively melodies with delicate symphonic arrangements. The originality of the music lies in the successful presentation of traditional melodies and sounds in the usual rock context. This timeless production still sounds very fresh. -- Paul Charbonneau

Guadalquivir (78), Camino del Concierto (80), Despues del Silencio (83)

Slightly new ageish prog-jazz all instrumental band. The album is dedicated to the memory of Hesus de la Rosa (Triana's keyboardist and leader). Nice, but not up to par with the great groups from Spain. -- Juan Joy

A La Vida Al Dolor (75), Vericuetos (76), Otros Dias (79)

Psych-prog, , guitar, sitar, violin.

[See Smash]

Guercia (82)

Good old band, the album was themselves produced.

Guerilla Welfare (85)

Canadian avant-garde, music is created from taped, sampled and found sounds, along with some conventional instruments. Bits and pieces of dialog are spliced together and such. Pretty bizarre, me likes it but most would not enjoy.

Pazapa (91)

Magma's horn section. Alain plays saxes, Yvon plays trumpet, flugelhorn, etc. The music is straightahead fusion with very little zeuhl influence, despite the fact that Francis Moze, Bernard Paganotti and Klaus Basquiz are all over the album. The sound is hard, funky and brassy. Pip Pyle plays drums and wrote lyrics for two of the songs - the rest are all instrumentals.

[See Magma | Weidorje]

The Guitar Orchestra (91), A Pernod For The Bamboo Man (91)

The whole concept here was to create an album using guitars and only guitars, no voices, no keyboards, no synths and no samplers. The only other instrument is hand percussion... The sound falls somewhere between David Gilmour and Mike Oldfield, with layers upon layers of soaring guitar leads and delicate acoustic parts, this album is a must-have for all guitar junkies that are and ever were! The driving force here is one Chris Baylis, who produces, engineers, and plays all guitars except the Bass, capably handled by Simon Edwards. The Percussion is provided by Hossam Ramzy or Ricky Edwards (track depending). One of the best guitar albums ever, right up there with Steve Tibbetts Yr.

The Guitar Orchestra is actually Chris Bayliss plus bass and percussion. As the insert says, "Every sound you hear on these tracks (excluding percussion) was created by the playing of real acoustic and electric guitars... no voice, no midi hook ups, no samplers, no synths, no keyboards... just guitars.." Bayliss accomplishes some very full sounding compositions using multi-tracked guitars and a variety of effects. The songs are all very melodic, and the inventiveness certainly makes it stand out in comparison with the stuff that is coming down the "new age" pike these days.

Gun (68), Gunsight (69)

Early group w/ Ginger Baker.

[See Bond, Graham | Three Man Army]

Gunesh (80), Looking At The Earth (84)

Unusual fusion from Turkmenistan.

UFO (70), Hinten (71), Kang Guru (72), Guru Guru (73), Don't Call Us, We'll Call You (73), This Is.. (73), Der Elektrolurch (74), Dance of The Flames (74), Mani Und Seine Freunde (75), Tango Fango (76), Globetrotter (77), Live (78), Heydu (79), possibly more

Guru Guru started out around the same time and on the same label as Tangerine Dream, and the second lp I have, Hinten, is really spacey guitar rock with some effects and radio thrown in. Definite Hendrix influences and really really fun but simple space rock. Dances of the Flames (? from memory) is so much like a Mahavishnu sound that a friend of mine flipped when he heard it. The line up changes over time and the hit another peak on Mani und Seine Freunde, which is drummer Mani Neumier(sp?) with members of Kraan, Karthago, and Harmonia (which is basically Cluster, otherwise known as Mobius and Rhodelius). This one reaches a funky jazz rock sound that has that germanic tinge, I dunno how these german guys do it, but there's a sincerity these german groups that shines through even though they usually sing in English with funny accents). The follow up was Globetrotter, which still has some members of Kraan involved and which I think is a very polished effort. My LP is overplayed to death, I really hope these make it to LP or have. English lyrics on most of their stuff. I recently found a 1988 LP by them that sounds pretty different that anything else by them and I'm not too fond of it yet.

I personally prefer the early and more rare material by this psychedelic Kraut Rock trio. Both UFO and Hinten are Ohr records in the finest tradition of early German music and remind me what Jimi Hendrix may have sounded like if he wouldn't have keeled over. Fantastic throbbing bass, screaming guitar and pounding drums highlight these excellent releases. Their first two Brain albums Kan Guru and Guru Guru are also excellent yet more conventional. Watch out for the cover of Hinten though, which has pictures of a man's naked ass on both sides AND in the gatefold. If it wasn't so rare, I'd throw it away!

I heard a little of Hinten, which is very Hendrix-inspired but spacy. The self-titled album from 1973 features a side of straightforward power trio rock, but done in German style, and even including a medley of old Eddie Cochran songs! The other side is more of the sound-effect laden German space-rock we've come to expect. No keyboards, but a fine celestial sound that will appeal to many. Drummer/leader Mani Neumeier was supposed to have posessed the world's largest drum kit, he also had an over-the-top stage act involving elaborate headdresses and burning drumsticks. Dance Of The Flames is a really outstanding one I heard one time. The band adds a fusion element that somewhat reminds me of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and it's just stunning. The guitar and drums are all over the place! Some of the later albums, Mani und seine Freunde and Globetrotter for example, have a lot of people from Kraan guesting on them, so it ought to come as no surprise that they sound a lot like Kraan of the same period. -- Mike Ohman

Guru Guru were one of the long-lasting bands of the German underground, aka "Krautrock." I have three of their albums, Kanguru, Der Electrolurch and Dance of the Flames. Kanguru is an excellent experimental/heavy psych album with some spacy elements. Consisting of four long songs (each more than 10 minutes) the music consists of heavy guitar riffing ala Hawkwind (as oppsoed to the acid-drenched excursions of Ash Ra Tempel) only not as plodding as Hawkwind. I like this much better. A sense of humor pervades the entire album. These guys are a must of the early German scene but symphomaniacs will want to listen before they buy. Der Electrolurch is a compilation album that contains three songs from Kanguru and I assume it represents most of their other albums prior to 1974 as well. Many of the songs are similar to the style heard on Kanguru, some are a bit spacier and a couple come directly from Chuck Berry/Yardbirds/Jeff Beck school of blues-rock. Quite a variety can be heard on Der Electrolurch and would serve as a good introduction to the band, particularly if you are sketchy about this style. Finally, Dance of the Flames shows the band changing directions. Gone are the humor, the experimentalism and even the space elements. Replacing them are furious guitar solos, some of which are *very* reminiscent of John McLaughlin and Mahavishnu Orchestra circa The Inner Mounting Flame. Coincidence in titles? You decide. Other solos are grungier and bluesier and seem more akin to German Oak circa their self-titled release though with more direction. Elsewhere there are occasional Hendrix-like riffs solos though without his unique vision. This is a great album. So, while Der Electrolurch would be a good introduction to Guru Guru (their earlier years, anyway), any of these albums would be good purchases.

I have Kan Guru, and it doesn't do much for me. Pretty good jams, but I didn't hear anything in there that made me think it was worth what I paid for it.

Jaloa Ylpeyttä yletän, Ylevää Nöyryyttä nousen (7?), Valon Vuoksi (7?), Toden Toistoa (81), Bluesion (8?), Kadonnut Häviämättömiin (8?)

After disbanding Wigwam, Gustavson made an instrumental album Jaloa Ylpeyttä yletän, Ylevää Nöyryyttä nousen (a long name...) which is a whole-record-lasting composition based on Bible (the creation, arch, etc.). Next was Valon Vuoksi, which was also instrumental. Then, in 1981 he made a prog album with Finnish lyrics: Toden Toistoa. Unfortunately, no one wanted to publish it, so he made it with at his own expense. It flopped and Gustavson went totally bankrupt. This is sad, because the music is really good Weather Report-influenced prog. After a ten year recording break (due debts and bankruptcy) he has published two cds: Bluesion and Kadonnut Häviämättömiin. Both include songs in Finnish and English, and instrumentals as well as concrete sound effects. Bluesion is almost a "man and a piano" project, Kadonnut is made with a band featuring old Finnish prog-jazz musicians. I recommend listening to them, although his style is nowadays much simpler than in the '70s. If you can get any of his old solo albums, buy them! People haven't yet understood their value. As a conclusion I'd like to say that Jukka Gustavson was the major creating force in Finnish progressive rock, and no one will deny him being the most brilliant and imaginative keyboardist in Finnish rock ever! -- Sasha Mäkilä

Gwendal (74), Gwendal (75), A Vos Desirs (77), 4 (79), En Concert (81), Locomo (83), Danse la Musique (85), Glen River (90)

The first albums were strictly Celtic folk music, and excellent if you like that genre. Comparable to the Chieftains or to the more folk-oriented Horslips albums. The third one however is a mixture of Celtic folk, prog rock and jazz, which makes it much more interesting. All the musicians are top notch. If you like prog and Celtic music, this may be for you. -- Juan Joy

Legend of the Kingfisher (73)

Another major rarity, Legend of the Kingfisher had only 140 copies originally pressed. This album is a psych album with some progressive touches. The opening cut contains plenty of Farfisa organ, vocal harmonizing and some Jefferson Airplane-styled fuzz guitar. After that the sound becomes a little more Progressive though still firmly in the psychedelic. The Farfisa isn't very prevalent; the guitars lead the way. In fact, there are a couple instances of some nice, intertwined dual guitar leads. There is plenty of flute and bird songs and other summer sounds between each song. But it's not as summer breezy as Ithaca, for example. Overall, not bad but I'd say check out the Ithaca first.

Live at the Bar Maldoror (85)

A strange project that involves Steve Stapleton remixing bits from concerts by Nurse With Wound, Current 93, Annie Anxiety, John Balance, D&V, Diana Rogerson and others. Steve Stapleton claims it's not really a NWW album but it apparently sounds like one. Nothing to do with the NWW album with the same title and also nothing to do with the NWW album entitled Gyllensköld, Geijerstam and I at Rydberg's. Confusing eh?

[See Nurse With Wound | Stapleton, Steve | Rogerson, Diana | Current 93]