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GORDON GILTRAP & PAUL WARD The Last Of England
With beds of synths crafting alluring soundscapes and orchestral arrangements, Giltrap mesmerizes with his nimble guitar flights, as on the folky prog of “Spring” or the epic title track, while “All the Days of May” is just gorgeous, melodic pop music that enchants on every level. It’s not all upbeat and wispy however, with “The Light of the World” having more of a somber tone and the solo Giltrap piece “Loren” also taking a more poignant, emotional course, but for the most part, this is a very uplifting album that tugs at your very soul. “Work” is just lovely, a symphonic prog ride littered with Giltrap’s deft picking, and Ward’s fine church organ adds a majestic touch to the grand “The Anna Fantasia”. Fairport Convention’s Rick Sanders even shows up as a guest on the final track “A Promise Fulfilled”, easily the albums brightest song and a lovely way to end this magical album.
…Filled with memorable melodies and fantastic instrumentation, it’s a can’t miss instrumental album for anyone into folk based prog music with killer acoustic guitar work and symphonic keyboard arrangements. Well done guys!
Sea Of Tranquility (October 2017)
This inventive pairing has resulted in a warm, pastoral record inspired by Pre-Raphaelite art. Ward’s synth flourishes and string arrangements are never obtrusive, serving to underscore each hypnotic guitar figure.
Ford Madox Brown’s haunting painting The Last Of England is the stunning cover of this limited edition vinyl album, 10 tracks that in the old days of prog rock, might have been called a suite. But it’s hard to get a handle on the music. Paul Ward lays down glorious melodic washes of floating synth, creating ethereal backdrops for Giltrap’s guitar work, always underrated and empathetic. And his neo-baroque licks mesh well with the grandeur of Ward’s keyboard creations. The result is a a rolling ambient soundscape of much beauty. Peculiarly it’s only at the end that you realise that there’s nary a tune in sight.
This uplifting album takes its name from an 1855 oil painting – ‘The Last Of England’ by Ford Madox Brown. Both painting and record supply feelings of light & flight and deliver a promise of a better tomorrow beyond brush strokes and detailed liner notes.
There is much Greensleeves and Lavender Blue in folk tempo – a delightful dilly-dally – the whole album acts as a whole and although each of the fourteen tracks bear their own names, such as ‘April Love’ and ‘Sadie In May’, the default position is always the ever faultless, ‘The Last Of England’. Highly recommended. 10/10
Mark Watkins (August 2017)
Giltrap remains one of the supreme folk guitar stylists of any era. This collaboration with keys meister Paul Ward brings out the best of both men. ‘The Last Of England’ is grounded by Ward’s vast cinematic keyboard sweeps (redolent of his film and TV work), while Giltrap’s intricate finger picking is pure English shires on a summer’s day . Indeed several of the tunes, including the title track, might be lifted from a film score about the Pre-Raphaelite painters whose work inspires much of this album. Meditative ballads like ‘This Father’s Love’ and the glorious hymn-like ‘The Anna Fantasia’ showcase Giltrap at his best.
Prog Magazine (April 2017)
All compositions and acoustic guitar work are by Gordon Giltrap while the keyboards (at least 16 types) are by Paul Ward. One is unlikely to distinguish between the various Moogs, Rolands and Mellotrons etc, but overall there is the effect of full orchestration without being overloaded.
Guitar carries the main tune each time and the guitars used were made by Roger Bucknell of Fylde Guitars except for a 3/4 sized instrument produced by Paul Brett of John Hornby Skewes. Giltrap’s technique is well known and recognisable throughout this disk but the track ‘Spring’ is the most in his tradition.
Tracks 1 to 7 are reflections on famous Victorian Pre-Raphaelite paintings and are subtitled ‘The Brotherhood Suite’, the original paintings being described briefly in the liner notes. The 8 1/2 minute title track ‘The Last Of England’ is a well-balanced piece introducing this section while ‘Work’ provides a percussive, lively conclusion…
Pipeline Magazine (Spring 2017)
…Giltrap starts in harmony on the atmospheric ‘April Love’, accompanied by the Mellotron flute. Acoustic guitar provides sweet nostalgic efflorescence in the opening of ‘From The Light Of The World’, there are some programmed drums which are happily fleeting – the acoustic guitar, accompanied by a translucent orchestration quickly returns. ‘Loren’ offers guitar arpeggios, with an opening in the vein of Anthony Phillips. The resemblance is striking, with the same sense of beauty and shade. ‘The Anna Fantasia’ has dreamy guitar in the introduction, keyboards providing an atmospheric counterpoint. ‘This Father’s Love’ begins with serene acoustic guitar, enhanced by a fine orchestration, offering a feeling of serenity…it should be noted that inspiration inhabits the entirety of this collection. A great success! 4/5 Stars
Highlands Magazine – Translated (March 2017)
Weaving silvery vignettes over a pastel backdrop, an unobtrusive mood-setter of sorts, the maestro’s acoustic guitars project a lucid pastorale to enchant the listener, while the ivories delicately spill pointillist drops on the landscape and elevate the panorama of the title piece, and the entire “Brotherhood” suite, to a 3D-vista. A meditative “Ania’s Dream” may suggest there’s a new-age kind of slow motion on display, what with instrumental voices almost turning “Plas Oriel” into a maudlin song, but melancholy doesn’t belong here: “The Anna Fantasia” is a solemn hymn, “Spring” a jovial minuet, and it takes “Work” to reveal a rock-minded contrast between drama and serenity. Still, Gordon’s Gordian knot of folk tunes and prog sophistication & Ward’s sentimental telepathy come to full fruition on “A Promise Fulfilled” with FAIRPORTS’ Ric Sanders violin leading them towards cosmic dance.
If this is the future of Albion they’re heading for, it’s not the last we’ve seen of England: until artists exist there, it’s going to rule aural waves. ****3/4
DMME.net (March 2017)
How can anyone fault the faultless? Anyone who’s into what Giltrap brings to the table – acoustically or electronically – will be truly endeared by this release. And the team-up with producer Paul Ward, who supplies the keyboards and expansive backdrop to this album, is an inspired success. Beautiful and gentle in the main, sometimes folky but unmistakably Giltrap. If you’re a fan or not, but appreciate acoustic guitar, this is most definitely your cup of English tea.
Classic Rock Magazine (March 2017)
…The delicate ‘Ania’s Dream’ is a wonderful marriage of guitar sympathetically underpinned by church organ, whilst the liveliest track is saved to the very end. ‘A Promise Fulfilled’ sees Fairport’s Ric Sanders adding his distinct violin, who along with Gordon and Paul offer a rousing conclusion to The Last Of England.
Gordon Giltrap and Paul Ward have produced something rather special here and a release that ranks very highly in the GG catalogue. The Last Of England is a wonderful testament to Gordon Giltrap and his music…
The Progressive Aspect (March 2017)
This is a different sort of album than what we’re used to hearing from Great Britain’s Angel Air label. A few years ago this probably would have been categorized as new age or world music. But in 2017, folks would probably just describe this as instrumental. Guitarist Gordon Giltrap has been making music for decades. He came to the attention of most of his fans with his 1978 hit “Heartsong.” Ever since, he has continued playing for his ever-growing fan base. For this album, Giltrap teamed up with keyboard player/producer Paul Ward. Together, the two present some very subtle instrumentals that feature excellent gliding melodies and articulate arrangements. If there’s a single word we would use to describe this music that word would be…inspired. Fourteen immaculate tracks here including “The Last of England,” “April Love,” “Sadie In May,” and “A Promise Fulfilled.”
babysue (February 2017)
Now Gordon has teamed up with keyboardist and producer Paul Ward to release an innovative new album that crosses several styles, from prog to rock to pop to classical, in the unique style that Gordon has developed and honed over his career.
Bev Bevan, Sunday Mercury (January 2017)
Giltrap and Ward serve up an attractive blend of old and new composition for your listening pleasure, including a suite of evocative instrumental pieces inspired by the significant pre-Raphaelite paintings hanging in the Birmingham Art Gallery, most notably ‘All The Days Of May’ and the epic title track.
Kevin Bryan, Regional Newspapers (January 2017)
Ward’s arrangements are never intrusive but always complementary giving an extra dimension to Giltrap’s solo guitar. It’s evident a lot of thought has gone into this aspect, and the informative liner notes highlight the mutually shared inspiration. Fairport’s Rick Sanders adds violin to the closing piece – and standout – ‘A Promise Fulfilled’.
A great way to usher in 2017 and Angel Air’s 20th anniversary. *****
Get Ready to ROCK! (January 2017)
ROBIN SARSTEDT TU
Away from music for a long time, as there was only a collaboration with Peter on 1986′s “Asia Minor” after “You Must Remember This” that had been out six years earlier, Robin’s comeback wasn’t overdue, to say the least – nobody could hope for a new album – but he’s on a roll again, and is good at it. Mostly acoustic, with keyboard providing a delicate backdrop to an exquisite guitar strum, the pieces on “TU” are brimful with gratitude to life that’s never taken for granted, and not for nothing, opening with the artist’s own “Love Can Hurt” whose bittersweet optimism is a light at the end of memory lane, the record is resolved with Dylan’s “Forever Young” because there’s a blessing in every experience Sarstedt has gone through to tell about now.
He’s no stranger to a singer-songwriter stance, but the concise autobiography “I Just Want To Rock ‘n’ Roll” betrays a rebel under a bard’s skin, and the jagged riff of “Back Again” scratches against its tanned complacence – a deceptive kind of veneer which can be easily broken when sociopolitical affairs come into romantic play on this track or a cover of brother Peter’s “Beirut” – while Robin’s take on Ric Grech’s “Kiss The Children” adds baroque air, that Gram Parsons’ version didn’t have, to the proceedings. And if “Song For Tessa,” a ballad dedicated to Sarstedt’s late wife, is straightforwardly lyrical, “Losin’ End” cuts the deepest, whereas the determination of “Doggone” has its harmonica-oiled bluesy twang shaping a bright tomorrow – or TU-morrow – for Robin. He persevered with this music, and it’s time for him to carry on. ****
DMME.net (February 2017)
His latest album ‘TU’ is a melodic one, featuring several self-penned compositions plus versions of two Peter Sarstedt songs – ‘Beirut’ and ‘Mellowed Out’ – two Bob Dylan – ‘Thunder On The Mountain’ and ‘Forever Young’ – and Michael McDonald’s ‘Losing End’.
Bev Bevan, Sunday Mercury (December 2016)
…There’s some lovely guitar playing, too; smooth and vaguely bluesy riffs on the electric guitar and some nice picking on the acoustic guitar. He opens with a selection of his own songs, all of which are strong compositions, before some covers, including ‘Beirut’ by brother Peter and Nobel Laureate Bob’s ‘Thunder On The Mountain’.
The Chronicle (October 2016)
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MUTTER SLATER BAND The Champ
The album finishes with a wonderful ballad ‘I’m Not The Man’ where Mutter SLATER offers a new song of love with a sequence of flute in the finale…The MUTTER SLATER BAND gives you the assurance of having a good time.
Highlands Magazine (Translated – August 2017)
…His second sees a five piece band – subtle guitar, rich sax, hammond – used to startling effect; a progressive West Country reinvention of Gulf Coast roadhouse rock ‘n’ soul music. The slow arm title track would make Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham smile. ‘Why Are You Talking To Me?’ rocks with selfish abandon and yet ‘Even Love?’, with Mutter’s echoing flute, could eerily be a modern Stackridge number. All with one of the greatest unsung voices in British music at the fore.
Record Collector Magazine (November 2016)
Champ is an album of sophisticated rock with a retro feel. In fact, there isn’t that much flute and the chief instrument is Clive Ashley’s tenor saxophone underpinned by Tom Hughes’ organ and a solid rhythm section. Nor is there much of the eccentricity of Stackridge, although ‘Icing On The Cake’ could well date from them, cleverly playing with a pun on ‘counter culture’. It’s a great song, as is ‘A Day On The Town’, which reminds me oddly of Ray Davies – world weary and bluesy with its finger on the pulse of a seedy pub, and restrained lead guitar from co-producer Chris Cleaver. The title track is pure melancholy with sax and organ playing a tired duet. The band is extremely tight, as it should be after ten years and three previous albums, and it all sounds effortless. If I called it laid back you might get the wrong idea because there’s an edge to all the songs and a sting in the lyrics.
R2 Magazine (November 2016)
The name Mutter Slater is familiar to many people, mostly in Great Britain as Slater was the frontman and flute player for many years in the critically-acclaimed pop band Stackridge. Now that the band is sadly no more, individual members are (thankfully) continuing to make music. As you might expect, Slater’s music has changed and evolved since his days playing pure pop in Stackridge. The Champ finds him writing and recording songs heavily influenced by American blues, soul, and rhythm and blues. Slater’s voice adapts beautifully to this style of music. These tracks have a nice smooth sound, and an overall laidback vibe. Joining Mutter on these recordings are Chris Cleaver, Clive Ashley, Dan Wheeler, Tom Hughes, and Ian Oliver. Nine relaxed pensive cuts including “Even Love?”, “Icing On The Cake,” “The Champ,” and “I’m Not The Man.”
babysue (October 2016)
In sound it’s still the 70s, a blend of the folk, rock and the psychedelic that reminded us of Traffic. It could be a little heavy handed but it’s not, Slater having a good ear for melody and still wielding a mean flute. Opener ‘Even Love?’ is a slower, bluesy rock tune that’s not the best but does indicate what’s to come, with flute and sax. The next song, ‘Your Love Affair With Pain’, is funkier and more on the pop side, with some nice sax. Elsewhere, the upbeat ‘Icing On the Cake’ has some good Dylanesque organ. ‘Jesus In The Backyard’ mixes prog and blues and showcases all the instruments; take a listen to that or the jaunty country-tinged ‘Why Are You Talking To Me?’ Overall, it’s a strong album, and for fans of 70′s rock, a good one to buy and tell all their friends about. But don’t believe us; Uncle Billy Bragg says: “Mutter Slater has one of the greatest voices of British rock, and he writes a mean song, too.”
The Chronicle (September 2016)
The Champ is filled with fine British rock with a main influence from classic R&B of the ’60s. What hit me right from the start was Slater’s excellent lead vocals. His voice is deep and clear with excellent tone and depth of feeling. Every song is strong but if I had to pick a few favourites I would choose the heart wrenching balladic title track, the tender “I May Not Be An Angel” with its lovely organ and guitar and the catchy R&B of “Icing On The Cake” with its nice acoustic flavour.
The Champ proves the old guard can still make some great music. In this day and age when it seems substance and quality is sorely lacking in popular culture, it is refreshing to hear music full of soul and passion. Another highly recommended release courtesy of Angel Air Productions.
Sea Of Tranquility (September 2016)
With Cleaver and Hughes producing and engineering, the nine tracks on The Champ take the listener through all kinds of bluesy rock terrain and Mutter’s lyrics are key to understanding the power and the glory behind Mutter’s latest rock classics. Best listened to several times to gain the full impact, with The Champ, The Mutter Slater Band has produced a 21st century music classic.
MWE3.com (September 2016)
The music can be described as “blue-eyed soul” and the lyrics are about human strength and tenderness, love, bars, train and bus rides, long walks and cosmic disintegration. Mutter’s voice has become more mature over the years, which is evident on “Icing On The Cake”. The title track is a ballad with a sax solo. “Jesus In The Backyard” is sometimes more rocky. For lovers of mixed forms of blues with soul and R & B.
Keys and Chords (September 2016 – translated)
The man who Billy Bragg once haled as ‘one of the greatest voices of British rock’ still turns out effortlessly melodic albums from time to time, marrying his enduring love of sixties blues and soul with a lyrical sensibility which couldn’t be more quintessentially English as he unveils the freshly minted charms of ‘I May Not Be An Angel’, ‘Even Love?’ and the majestic title tune.
Kevin Bryan, Regional Newspapers (September 2016)
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SNAKE EYE The Journey
Strangely for an album where they are buried deep within lengthy twin guitar interplay and booming rhythms, the vocals from Dave Ritchie offer a dreamy change of mood that fits the music well. Although there’s little doubt that it’s the fret work of Ritchie and Ron Hales, and how that melds keenly with Ken Giles’ bass, that is the key to what makes The Journey as engaging as it is. Drummer Steve Jackson holds up his end of the deal, eagerly adding emphasis and style – as does Gary Boroughs who appears behind the kit on two tracks to Jackson’s four…the six main album cuts are worth the price of entry alone, the easy mannered but pinpoint sharp and hugely memorable melodies this outfit were capable of weaving, really quite impressive.
Personally I’d never heard of Snake Eye before this welcome Angel Air release, something explained by the fact that these recordings have never actually seen the light of day before. The debut Snake Eye album coming some 44 years too late for them to hit the big time. Which when you consider just how good their music was, is nothing short of a travesty. Fans of Wishbone Ash will lap up The Journey and wonder at what could have been for an undiscovered band that deserved so much more.
Sea Of Tranquility (February 2018)
All written by Richardson, with the exception of a co-write with Hales (original drummer Jackson was replaced by Gary Burroughs on two tracks, liner notes misspell), half the number of tracks compared to Red Dirt’s debut signal the new direction. Pulsing Rickenbacker stereo bass opens the title track, joined by orchestral-like guitar and atmospheric harmonies, then the dreamy interludes of World In A Mountain build to fine solos. Twin guitars (both Gibson SG’s) swirl over a Nick Pickett-sounding vocal (Sweet Dream Lady), followed by shimmering cymbals with guitar-picking, power drumming and bass oscillating crescendo and interlude (The Heart Of A Young Boy). As it’s about a youth’s early death, the twin vocals haunt in their contrast fitting the tragic theme; one can even imagine the poor chap’s last breathing. This isn’t prog for its own sake but inventive creativity.
Energy is upped with prickly, staccato guitars reminding of Steve Hillage complete with some pungent riffing (Don’t Be A Fool), then atmospheric vocal and wide palette on the mystical 13-minute closer The Journey’s End. All combine for middle riffs as time changes stun by their variety, a hallmark of this imaginative combo. The bonus tracks are a surprise-but not if you have the Red Dirt album. The violin-led (by multi-instrumentalist Dave Richardson) group composition Tolly Cobbold, from early Morgan sessions in 1970, would have been perfect for a quirky single-think of a jam with East of Eden and Steeleye Span!
Psychedelic Baby Magazine (January 2017)
The album was recorded in 1972, but then, despite hawking it around various record companies, it failed to get a release and the band folded (until, that is, guitarist Ron Hales resurrected them with a new line-up this year). They deserved better, as this six track album, with its twin lead guitar form, is a pretty enjoyable listen…an interesting enough curio to invest in and see for yourself.
Classic Rock Society (January / February 2017)
If your hankering terribly for early-70′s twin lead guitars, you owe it to yourself to sniff out The Journey (****) – recorded in ’72 but unreleased until approximately this instant…Formerly trading as Red Dirt, under which name they issued a hugely collectible self-titled album for Fontana in 1970, Snake Eye played with a tenderness that whispers volumes about their maturity and discreet confidence. The title track and ‘Don’t Be A Fool’ are little paragons of jazzy, gentle sophistication, while you could play the dry and deliberate ‘World In A Mountain’ to any of your muso pals and tell them it was by Wolf People, and they’d believe you. Yep, it’s that good.
Shindig Magazine (December 2016)
…Strange as it may seem, the most elaborate and at the same time beguiling display of the group’s method is epic “The Journey’s End” where a psyched-up tension and romantic release bring out the best in them. The clarity is there, in the title track, whose two guitars – that Ron Hales and Gary Boroughs interweave in an intricate if loose pattern akin to early WISHBONE ASH – envelop a jazz-tinged rhythm and introduce mellifluous vocal harmonies, and in the intermittently effervescent “Don’t Be A Fool” that Dave Richardson’s pipes inform with a call to action.
DMME.net (December 2016)
The Journey was recorded in 1972 but never released. Dual guitar, changes of tempo with melodic to heavy elements of both British and American rock infecting their sound, allowing the listener to draw comparison to everyone from Blue Cheer to Wishbone Ash.
Record Collector Magazine (November 2016)
Lengthy tunes filled with extended, melodic guitar solos, more than a fair share of complex musical passages, strong vocals, and the occasional heavy riff…these are some of the characteristics that you’ll find on the one and only release from Snake Eye, titled The Journey. Originally recorded in 1972 but failing to secure a label for its release, this British band played numerous gigs with some of the heavyweights of the day but quickly folded, never allowing The Journey to see the light of day until now thanks to the folks at Angel Air Records. With a dual lead guitar attack that owed as much to Wishbone Ash as it did to the Allman Brothers Band, Snake Eye were ripe for stardom but it was sadly never to be. The album is an excellent snapshot of the times, the guitar interplay stupendous on tracks such as “World in a Mountain”, “Sweet Dream Lady”, the jazzy “Don’t Be a Fool”, and the epic Wishbone Ash-meets-King Crimson intensity of “The Journey’s End”.
Angel Air have added two bonus tracks here, “Tolly Cobhold” and “Hoe Down”, both brief tracks that are in a completely different style than the rest of the album, more of a country & bluegrass flavor than the progressive hard rock, blues, and jazz that you’ll hear prior. Apparently the band have reformed with original guitarist Ron Hales at the helm, so it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Snake Eye. In the meantime, any fan of early ’70s hard rock & prog will want to investigate this one.
Sea Of Tranquility – Staff Roundtable (October 2016)
With the song ‘The Journey’s End’, they prove their great potential and you can only regret that the band prematurely shut down. There are also two interesting bonus tracks that actually come from their folk roots. ‘The Journey’ may therefore tempt us. Singer Ron Hales has now brought the group back together and this re-release will be performed live in Hull on 14th October. Let’s see what happens after this reunion. To be continued!
Keys and Chords (October 2016 – Translated)
…The six main album cuts however are worth the price of entry alone, the easy mannered but pinpoint sharp and hugely memorable melodies this outfit were capable of weaving, really quite impressive. Personally I’d never heard of Snake Eye before this welcome Angel Air release, something explained by the fact that these recordings have never actually seen the light of day before. The debut Snake Eye album coming some 44 years too late for them to hit the big time. Which when you consider just how good their music was, is nothing short of a travesty. Fans of Wishbone Ash will lap up The Journey and wonder at what could have been for an undiscovered band that deserved so much more.
Sea Of Tranquility (October 2016)
With such a keen focus on progressive rock bands from the 1970s in the twenty-first century, this one ought to be an instant obscure favorite among music fans…Incredibly, the album has remained unavailable and stored away in the vaults until now. This is definitely one of those glimpses into a band that could’ve been huge…if all the pieces had fallen together like they should have. Sadly, the group threw in the towel not long after they recorded this album. But now (once again, thanks to the fine folks at Great Britain’s Angel Air label) the tracks can finally be heard by everyone. A true lost progressive gem. Fans and critics will love cuts like “The Journey,” “World In A Mountain,” “Don’t Be A Fool,” and “The Journey’s End.” Includes two bonus tracks: “Tolly Cobbold” and “Hoe Down” (recorded live).
babysue (October 2016)
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MIKE HURST Producers Archives Volume 4 1966-1980
On the album you get twenty-two short tracks with a brief synopsis on each one by Hurst. I like the fact he is brutally honest in his descriptions even to the point of not liking some of the tunes. The disc opens with two tracks by the band Fancy, a version of “Wild Thing” and “Touch Me”. Both tunes have sultry female lead vocals that add a certain sexual element and I can see why teenage boys back in the day probably dug these tunes. The next two tracks by the Fingertips, “You Put The Magic In Me” and “Anyone You Want Me To Be” are breezy pop tunes with a hint of disco…New World’s “Somethings Wrong” is in the style of say America or James Taylor and are pleasant enough as are the two Billy Fury tunes “Old Sweet Roll” and “Paradise Alley”. One of the best tunes is the irresistible pop of “Face To Face” by Sprinkler. Other good tracks include the psychedelic rock circa 1968 of “Pink Dawn” by New Zealand’s The Human Instinct and The Beatles-like “Top Girl” by The Cymbaline.
…if you dig ’60s and ’70s pop music Producers Archives should be worth checking out. Released on Angel Air Records.
Sea Of Tranquility (January 2017)
Seven years down the line from its predecessor, this disc could have been a barrel-scraping effort if it wasn’t so consistent quality-wise, despite the mostly non-familiar names on display. Focused for the most part on MOR, now the standout tracks are those that Mike Hurst had a hand in writing of, while covers such as Billy Fury’s barrelhouse take on “(Hi-De-Ho) That Old Sweet Roll” or an attempt to glamorize “Wild Thing” by FANCY firmly remain in the sweet early ’70s pocket. FINGERTIPS’ cheerfully delicate “Anyone You Want Me To Be” may be a prime example of the period’s light side, but the song’s title is also a possible motto for the producer’s method of bringing out the best in artists he worked with, and the same goes for his own projects, as suggested by 1969′s “Wednesday’s Child” – credited to MIKE HURST ORCHESTRA – which, drenched in strings, had emerged like a space-era answer to Strauss’ waltzes…
DMME.net (November 2016)
Billy Fury’s 1970 takes on two City-era Carole King songs, ‘Old Sweet Roll’ and ‘Paradise Alley’, are pleasant enough… Kiwi psych-poppers Human Instincts’ ‘Pink Dawn’ still sounds as tough and assured as the first time most will have heard it on Rubble Volume 12, 20 years ago…
Shindig Magazine (November 2016)
Mike Hurst has over the decades produced a massive amount of music. Mike was originally a member of The Springfields…and they were the first British vocal group to have a top 20 single in the USA, with ‘Silver Threads And Golden Needles’…Mike then turned to producing and initially worked with Andrew Loog Oldham and Micky Most. He then went on to produce The Wizard for Marc Bolan and Cat Stevens’ ‘Matthew & Son’ and ‘I’m Gonna Get Me A Gun’…his production work included ‘The First Cut Is The Deepest’ by P.P. Arnold, ‘The Mighty Quinn’ by Manfred Mann and ‘Curly’ by my old band, The Move.
Bev Bevan, Sunday Mercury (November 2016)
The Briton Mike Hurst has been an important person in the music industry for more than 40 years. He was originally part of the group The Springfields, with Tom and Dusty, and they were the first British group who had a single in the top 20 with “Silver Threads”. At the end of 1963, the group broke up, and Mike started playing for producer Andrew Loog Oldham and Mickie Most, and in 1965 he produced ‘The Wizard’ by the young Marc Bolan. He formed his own company, discovered Cat Stevens and produced his first five singles, including ‘Matthew And Son’ and ‘I’m Gonna Get Me A Gun’. Later, he would take care of PP Arnold’s ‘The First Cut Is The Deepest’, The Move’s ‘Curly’, Manfred Mann’s ‘Mighty Quinn’, as well as Spencer Davis Group, New World, Hot Sounds and Alan Bown Set. During the following decade he founded, Showaddywaddy and produced a string of hits such as ‘Under The Moon Of Love’, ‘Three Steps To Heaven’ and ‘When’. At the end of the ’70s he signed Shakin’ Stevens and produced his debut album ‘Hot Dog’. The fourth producers archives volume features tracks from the period 1966 to 1980.
Keys and Chords (October 2016 – Translated)
This fourth collection contains some well-known artists such as The Bachelors, Billy Fury and
Russ Abbot. There is also the presenter of TV’s ‘Lift Off’ Ayshea Brough and Aussie ‘folkies’ New World. Sprinkler was Dennis Waterman’s backing band, they went on to back Bucks Fizz and leader Alan Coates was a member of The Hollies for many years. Some fine recordings here too: ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’ comes courtesy of The Bachelors and the Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields song ‘I Won’t Dance’ is well sung by John Henry. The Troggs’ ‘Wild Thing’ gets a seventies make-over by Fancy, whose lead singer was a Penthouse Pet! Add to this a couple of Carole King songs and you can’t go wrong.
Amplified Magazine (October 2016)
Here we open with a monster American hit single, Fancy’s 1973 soft-porn reworking of the Trogg’s “Wild Thing”, still riding the squelchiest, filthiest bass line ever to get past the Thought Police, and its “Touch Me” follow-up, too. New World resurface with a James Taylor b-side; and fifties rocker Billy Fury, making a comeback in 1970.
There’s another late-in-the-day revival…the Bachelors from 1977 (“they were…on their last legs when we made this,” Hurst’s refreshingly honest liner notes admit), and also a handful of cuts by bands which he acknowledges he simply doesn’t remember. But we also hear Human Instinct, a New Zealand psych band that you need to hear; and the Cymbaline, who Hurst describes as a Beach Boys style band from England’s industrial north east.
And more and more and more, twenty-two tracks in all, that also see Hurst at the helm for singles by TV comedians (Russ Abbot’s rather spiffy “The Space Invaders Meet The Purple People Eater”) and presenters (Ayshea Brough’s “Moonbeam”); a youthful Gary Barnacle and even his own pop orchestra. Add this disc to the other three volumes and you’re on the way to a lesson in British pop history that nobody else could tell.
Goldmine Magazine (October 2016)
Hurst must have been great to work with, because all of these artists sound like they’re having the best time playing in the studio. Hurst’s involvement in music has touched millions upon millions of listeners and yet his name probably doesn’t ring a bell with most…Volume 4 of the Producers Archives focuses on the period from 1966 to 1980. We never heard most of these tracks so this serves as an introduction to some wonderfully entertaining music. Groups in this collection include Fancy, Fingertips, Billy Fury, Mike Hurst Orchestra, Hit & Run, The Speedos, The Bachelors, John Henry, and Russ Abbot. We’ve rarely heard any various artists compilation as thoroughly entertaining as this one. Highly recommended. TOP PICK.
babysue (October 2016)
RENAISSANCE Live Fillmore West 1970
“Bullet” starts out almost like a straight up classical piece, before the band burst in with some psychedelic hard rock for what turns out to be the most rousing number in the set, showing that Relf & McCarty hadn’t forgotten their blues and rock roots…
All in all, this is an intriguing release, containing some rare material from the very first line-up of Renaissance, not long before the band would be completely revamped with all new members and taking the elements begun here to the next level.
Sea Of Tranquility (February 2017)
Of documentary as well as recreational interest are additional numbers that embrace ‘Try Believing’ (reminiscent faintly of Steams ‘Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye’) – a McCarty-Relf collaboration from the Yardbirds-Renaissance interregnum, and three demos from the period between the group’s return to England (and subsequent disbandment) and the 1975 reformation (as Illusion) of the surviving personnel of this original, and as far as I’m concerned, finest edition of Renaissance.
R2 Magazine (November 2016)
…this CD catches their performance live on stage that night, 46 years ago. The 4 tracks that they performed were ‘Innocence’, ‘Wanderer’, ‘No Name Raga’, and ‘Bullet’. Also included as bonus tracks are original demos and one previously unreleased song ‘Statues’, which was recorded in London on their return from that American trip.
Bev Bevan, Sunday Mercury (November 2016)
This disc showcases the talents or the early short-lived Renaissance line-up – the band formed by ex-Yardbirds Keith Relf and Jim McCarty. There’s a gentle, trippy, spiritual vibe to all of this, far removed from the heavy blues rock vibe of The Yardbirds. It’s an earnest kind of prog-rock – very much of its time, but none the worse for that. It’s easy to imagine the switched-on Fillmore audience nodding appreciatively to the gently shifting grooves and intertwining melody lines of guitar, bass and keyboards.
Shindig Magazine (October 2016)
‘Try Believing’ by Relf-McCarty presents a more cheerful, rocky face, with rhythmic guitar teeming with percussion as well as bass – Louis Cennamo thank you! Although this piece may have benefitted from more elaborate arrangements, it is eminently friendly and concludes this pleasantly unexpected album, including its share of nuggets. Fans of original Renaissance, you know what you have to do! 4 stars
Highlands Magazine (September 2016 – translated)
The demos are listed as ‘bonus tracks’, but with better sound quality these quickly become the selling point of the set. Less than twelve minutes between them, these tracks could have easily worked as B-sides, possibly A-sides, but unfortunately were lost in the annals of time until the turn of the millennium. Statues is a marvellous ditty with a subtle 7/8 time chorus, showing tendencies of progressive rock. I love the track I’d Love to Love You Till Tomorrow simply for its name. No further questions. Another favourite, Please Be Home, highlights Jane Relf’s beautiful vocals and is the only place on the album where her voice shines. All in all, it’s a peculiar set of tracks, but one that helps the listener further understand the first incarnation of the legendary band.
The Progressive Aspect (September 2016)
The sound here is basic, yet that somehow introduces a lo-fi charm, nearer to Relf and McCarty’s origins, keeping the five piece band away from the pomp-rock that later line-ups (devoid of original members) turned into a decent living…As a bonus there’s an unreleased studio track ‘Statues’, a workout for Relf’s vocalist sister Jane, and demos of several other unheard numbers.
Record Collector (September 2016)
…studio run through “Statues” – recorded soon after this San Francisco performance and added here as a bonus – starts to show how easily, and elegantly, the band could bend to pop idiom, one that brother and sister Relf would acoustically explore at home with the solemnly soulful “I’d Love To Love You Till Tomorrow” in 1976, shortly before Keith’s untimely death. Without him, “Please Be Home” which didn’t make the cut for the first album by ILLUSION, a new incarnation of the original RENAISSANCE, turned out rather chamber-like, if arresting, but as a reminder of the ensemble’s beginning, “Try Believing” – that gave the two Yardbirds an initial opportunity to test their new formula back in 1968, as TOGETHER – is a fittingly festive finale to the testament of the unique group’s continuity. An essential listen. 5 stars
DMME.net (September 2016)
Though this original version of the band was short-lived, you can hear the seeds of the classic Renaissance sound being born on this live recording, even though the band was completely overhauled just a short year later. Kicking off the set with “Innocence”, Relf’s effects laden guitar textures and Hawken’s majestic piano blend classical leanings with psychedelia, while the complex arrangement of “Wanderer” goes straight into the type of prog that the band would shortly become famous for, as the sinewy bass lines bounce around intricate passages of Hawken’s vast array of keyboards until Relf’s dreamy vocals come into play. The 14+ minute “No Name Raga” is more of a jam, again with plenty of psychedelic, folk, and prog rock elements fighting for supremacy, complete with some tasty guitar playing courtesy of Keith and layers of trippy keyboards from Hawken. “Bullet” starts out almost like a straight up classical piece, before the band burst in with some psychedelic hard rock for what turns out to be the most rousing number in the set, showing that Relf & McCarty hadn’t forgotten their blues and rock roots.
To round out the CD, Angel Air have included some bonus material, including the previously unreleased song “Statues” from 1970, an upbeat pop tune with a catchy hook and some nice piano, plus the demo cuts “I’d Love to Love You Tomorrow”, “Please Be Home”, and “Try Believing”…All in all, this is an intriguing release, containing some rare material from the very first line-up of Renaissance, not long before the band would be completely revamped with all new members and taking the elements begun here to the next level.
Sea Of Tranquility (September 2016)
This CD catches their performance live on stage that night, 46 years ago. The 4 tracks that they performed were ‘Innocence’, ‘Wanderer’, ‘No Name Raga’ and ‘Bullet’. Also included as bonus tracks are original demos and one previously unreleased song ‘Statues’, which was recorded in London on their return from that American trip.
Bev Bevan, Sunday Mercury (September 2016)
This band was formed by Keith Relf and drummer Jim McCarty in the aftermath of The Yardbirds’ sad demise, and Angel Air’s new offering was recorded in fairly murky sound quality at San Francisco’s Fillmore West in March 1970 during their one and only American tour, fleshed out a little with the inclusion of a few demo tracks, outtakes and hitherto unreleased 1976 track from vocalist Jane Relf entitled ‘Statues’.
Kevin Bryan, Regional Newspapers (August 2016)
Renaissance was a group that always fantasized and improvised, so the music lovers are best catered for. With 35 minutes of music, we are treated to an unreleased song (‘Statues’, 1970), a studio demo (‘Please Be Home ‘, 1976) and two home recordings where Keith Relf plays the lead role (‘Try Believing ‘, 1968 & ‘I’d Love To Love You Till Tomorrow’, 1976). As on his official solo single, you can hear a Keith Relf here that has nothing to do with The Yardbirds, nor Renaissance. ‘I’d Love To Love’ is a folk tune, whilst ‘Try Believing’ sounds very commercial. Renaissance are for music fans and Keith Relf enthusiasts.
Keys and Chords (August 2016)
…this record captures the band in full progressive rock mode, recorded as they supported the Butterfield Blues Band during a US tour. Although there are only four live tracks, these weigh in at suitably hefty lengths allowing the band to indulge in a mixture of extended keyboard and guitar workouts that place them somewhere between the psychedelia of Jefferson Airplane and the more progressive rock noodlings of Soft Machine. The Airplane feel is further enhanced by Jane Relf’s vocal, a slightly less self-assured Grace Slick. The album comes with the addition of demos and the previously unreleased light ’70s pop rock offering Statues.
Southern Daily Echo (August 2016)
Posted in Live Fillmore West 1970, RENAISSANCE
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GREENSLADE The Birthday Album – Live Switzerland 1974
While he doesn’t quite get the recognition he has always deserved, Greenslade for decades has been a hell of a player, right up there with Emerson, Wakeman, Lord, Hensley, and Banks, and he’s on target along with Lawson throughout this thrilling live set. Hammond organ, Moog, Mellotron, electric piano, it’s all here and just dripping with early ’70s prog splendor. “Pilgrim’s Progress” is just amazing, a rousing number featuring rampaging Hammond and wild Moog, with the rhythms just supercharged underneath, while numbers such as “Sunkissed You’re Not” and “Bedside Manners are Extra” show just how tight this band were at delivering complex, symphonic prog rock.
The atmospheric “Drowning Man” has a certain ELP feel to it, featuring some killer drumming courtesy of McCulloch, and “Time to Dream” ups the energy with intricate rhythms, passionate vocals, and wild keyboard explorations. The 17-minute “Sundance” is a keyboard lovers dream, as the duo pull out all the stops for a spirited jam, and McCulloch gets to solo with reckless abandon on the extended percussive romp “Drum Folk”. Toss in the hard rocking “Feathered Friends” and you have an energetic, virtuoso performance from fiery prog act who sadly, never really made it to stardom like some of their contemporaries.
…this is a killer show, and one that fans of vintage ’70s prog rock will want to seek out. 4/5 Stars.
Sea Of Tranquility (August 2017)
With several of the pieces extending outward into multi-sectioned suites of such proportions that would give ELP or Yes a run for their money, they command a bristling with intricacy and hard rock edge that occasionally recalls the baroque complexities of Gentle Giant, driven by the Wetton-esque crunch of Tony Reeves’ bass. Dave Lawson’s synths provide textural contrast to Dave Greenslade’s blues-rooted soloing…These spirited and road-tested renditions of their studio counterparts pack a considerable punch.
Prog Magazine (December 2016)
…Lawson and Greenslade really get to show their chops on the 17-minute long free-jamming ‘Sundance’ where they wring all sorts of wonderful sounds from their keyboards, while the 14-minute ‘Drum Folk’ allows McCulloch to knock seven bells out of his cavernous-sounding kit. Now if only I could grow my hair long again…
Pipeline Magazine (December 2016)
“Pilgrim’s Progress” may be the most illustrious example of the ensemble’s instrumental intricacy and their ability to wrap attack – sharpened to perfection in “Time To Dream” – in elegance, but “Drowning Man” adds a playful groove to it, whereas two organs propel “Feathered Friends” towards a “Gimme Some Lovin’” kind of cool before stopping at the gothic prospect of eco disaster. For original GREENSLADE, extinction was around the corner, too, and the telepathy captured here would soon be gone, but while it lasted it felt magical. *****
DMME.net (November 2016)
Two albums are played exclusively: ‘Greenslade’ & ‘Bedside Manners Are Extra’, the live versions being slightly different from the studio albums. Dave Lawson (Alan Brown Set, Episode Six, Samurai) is on piano, keyboards, clavinet and ARP synthesizer. Tony Reeves is on bass (ex-John Mayall and Colosseum. On the drums Andy McCulloch (ex-King Crimson). One notices the absence of guitar, the music of Greenslade being entirely dedicated to keyboards – beautifully used and particularly diversified. The sharing between the two aforementioned albums is fairly equal…the sound of the set is very listenable too, in accordance with the quality reissues of Angel Air. A live release recommend to lovers of keyboard-based music.
Highlands Magazine – Translated (November 2016)
This is the last known live recording of the original line-up of progressive rock band Greenslade, recorded in Prilly, Switzerland on January 18th, 1974 – on band leader Dave Greenslade’s 31st birthday…songs performed that evening were from Greenslade’s first 2 studio albums, including ‘An English Western’, ‘Sun Kissed Your Not’, ‘Bedside Manners Are Extra’, ‘Drowning Man’, and ‘Feathered Friends’.
Bev Bevan, Sunday Mercury (November 2016)
…the instrumentals are the real strength of this album. Special mention must go to the rather Camel-like Swings and Roundabouts, the first part of a ten minute medley with Time Takes My Time where we get to hear Greenslade singing for the first time. However, the last duo of songs really bring the listener back into familiar Greenslade territory. Country Dance flows beautifully between fast jazz-based sections and murkier slow parts…The band are really on top form as well, never seeming to miss a note…I’d say fans of the band will definitely get a kick out of hearing this band in action at the best point in their history.
The Progressive Aspect (September 2016)
This release has historical significance for Greenslade fans as this is the last known live recording of the original line-up. Recorded in Philly, Switzerland on January 18, 1974 (Dave’s birthday), the band was then comprised of Dave Greenslade, Dave Lawson, Tony Reeves, and Andrew McCulloch. The concert presents the band playing material from their first two albums. You can tell from these tracks how tight these guys had gotten from performing this material live. The sound quality is good, but you can definitely tell that this was a concert recorded in the mid-1970s. We’ve always felt that Greenslade was one of the best progressive bands from the seventies and yet, for some reason, they’ve never received the same amount of recognition that many other bands from that time period have. Nine cool tracks here including “An English Western,” “Bedside Manners Are Extra,” “Time To Dream,” and “Feathered Friends.”
babysue (September 2016)
This distinctly low fidelity offering captures the stylish prog rockers’ performance at Prilly in Switzerland on keyboard ace Dave Greenslade’s 31st birthday, in what was destined to be the last known live recording made by their original line-up.
Kevin Bryan, Regional Newspapers (August 2016)
Greenslade was a band you could always listen to with pleasure, both on record and live. In 1974 they were on the stage at the renowned Jazz Bilzen Festival and gave an impressive show. With this release, you get to relive it!
Keys and Chords (August 2016)
The 72-minute excursion results from a recording that was only recently discovered by Reeves. The show was taped – on Dave Greenslade’s 31st birthday – in Prilly, Switzerland, during a European tour by the band. The big Greenslade following will be delighted to hear a selection of some of the songs and instrumentals they love resplendent in a concert ambience.
The Beat (August 2016)
GO WEST Live Robin 2 – 2003
Still, while leading beyond the obvious hits such as “The King Of Wishful Thinking” which many remember from the “Pretty Woman” movie, this concert reveals a degree of homogeneity to the GO WEST oeuvre, even though the funky “SOS” and “Innocence” rock the house, and “I Want To Hear It” is quite an athletic exercise, Cox’s grip on a microphone stand as firm as it is on the listeners in front of him. The band wring every sinew from their instruments and Drummie switches between keyboard and guitar to add texture to it all, yet, if not for a jazz piano “Missing Persons” could have test a non-initiated patience, unlike “The Sun And The Moon” that’s evoking the spirit of Otis Redding, and “What You Won’t Do For Love” that’s part of a “guilty pleasure” ministry. And there’s nothing wrong with it, as the cover of “Tracks Of My Tears” suggests: GO WEST still are the life of the party.
DMME.net (September 2016)
This lengthy concert features seventeen tracks and presents the duo and their backing band playing for over seventy-eight minutes. This double disc set contains the audio from the concert as well as a DVD for those wanting the complete experience. Tracks that will definitely take fans back include “Don’t Look Down,” “Goodbye Girl,” “Innocence,” and “The King of Wishful Thinking.”
babysue (August 2016)
Playing live was and still is the core to this band’s continuing existence and this release, on a combined CD and DVD package, captures the band playing live in a sold out show at the Robin 2 in Bilston during 2003. The set list that night included their hits ‘Don’t Look Down’, ‘Faithful’, ‘What You Won’t Do For Love’, ‘Goodbye Girl’, ‘Call Me’, ‘We Close Are Eyes’, ‘Tracks Of My Tears’ and ‘The King Of Wishful Thinking’.
Bev Bevan, Sunday Mercury (July 2016)
Live Robin 2-2003, a CD/DVD set, captures the band in a small, intimate setting during a reunion show. Unlike many bands of the era, it’s obvious that Go West was a real band; Cox singing with a passion and a strength that wasn’t enhanced by computer and studio trickery. This set is heavily Go West specific; eight of the nine songs are performed here, with single “Call Me” and album cut “Innocence” being highlights of the set. Though Dancing is largely ignored, their take of “True Colors” is excellent, and worthy of inclusion. “Faithful,” the band’s final major single, shows that by the end of their run, they had escaped the new wave pop ghetto they were regulated to, and were making fine soul music…
The DVD portion of this set (previously released in 2004 as King Of Wishful Thinking) offers the show in its entirety, and you can see how much fun the band is having onstage. There’s also an excellent, career-spanning interview between the Cox and Drummie, and it’s obvious of the love and the bond the two of them have as they regale with humour and honesty about the ups and downs of their career. It’s an enlightening coda to an excellent reunion show, and makes this live disc a must-have for the Go West fan, as well as a nice introduction for the curious.
The Recoup (July 2016)
Posted in GO WEST, Live Robin 2 - 2003
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THE ORIGINAL CAST & FRIENDS The Ones That Got Away
Tony Burrows, David Martin and Sue & Sunny formed The Original Cast in the mid-70s, all were well-known in their own right…There are 19 tracks from the ’70s on this album plus a bonus track, recorded this year, featuring Ron Dante, who was lead singer on The Archies’ number one hit ‘Sugar Sugar’.
Bev Bevan, Sunday Mercury (November 2016)
…the hour-long collection, featuring some lesser known recordings that heavily enlist a ‘revolving’ team of stalwart recording studio denizens (also including backing-singer sisters Sue & Sunny), is largely made up of catchy sunshine pop – not least the late-70′s original ‘Summertime’ by ‘the West End Boys’, which is very reminiscent of the aforementioned ‘Beach Baby’.
The Beat (August 2016)
For those of you whose collections proudly boast entries by Edison Lighthouse, White Plains, Brotherhood Of Man and Butterscotch, there are just enough fresh thrills here to encourage you to get out and grab the original 45s of Burrows’ solo outings like the funky, driving ‘Have You Had A Little Happiness Lately’…
Shindig Magazine (August 2016)
…this album was created to shed light on the music created by Tony, David, Sue, and Sunny. If you love the light and sunny 1970′s pop sound that can be found on the Rhino Records Have A Nice Day various artists collection, The Ones That Got Away will be right up your alley. These nineteen tracks are sure to take you back to another time and place when music was simpler and folks weren’t quite so sarcastic and jaded about everything. To bring things full circle, the album closes with a new track recorded in 2016 that includes vocals by Ron Dante (of The Archies). A fascinating journey into the music of four exceedingly talented artists.
babysue (August 2016)
…Just as sincere, Sue’s delicate “Solo” and soulful “All So Different Now” from Sunny are prime examples of understated balladry, while “Ain’t That Tellin’ You People” finds the sisters in boisterous mood. Burrows managed to combine the two aspects in “Better Fly Butterfly” and rock it with a certain defiance, and THE NAIMZ’ “Golden Yearz” from 2016 may serve as a bottom line to this dewy-eyed compilation. Sometimes it’s so sweetly ’70s that there’s a risk of toothache; sometimes it’s conventionally adventurous; altogether, it’s a good reminded of the musical-minded landscape that’s long gone. ***
DMME.net (August 2016)
I can tell you that a lot of the tracks on this new 20 track CD are rare and hard to find and if you enjoy pure pop put together impeccably there is a lot to enjoy, its perfect summer time sunny day listening. And the final track ‘Golden Yearz’ is a little stroke of genius, recorded this year and featuring Tony B, David M and the USA’s ‘equivalent’ of Tony Burrows in the shape of Ron Dante the ‘voice’ behind The Archies ‘Sugar Sugar’, The Cufflinks ‘Tracy’, ‘When Julie Comes Around’ and a host of others. An inspired idea, a hell of a catchy song, and proof (if it was needed) that these guys have lost none of their vocal prowess 4 decades on, love it!
ninebattles.com (August 2016)
Think seventies, think of the timeless memorable sounds of White Plains, Guys And Dolls, Edison Lighthouse, and you know what musical direction this goes in. Tony Burrows has long been noted for decades as the best pop singer, and there are great songs here. “Love Matters” from the Original Cast is a nice love song while Tony Burrows’ “Better Fly Butterfly” is a more solid pop track. Sue & Sunny provide strong vocals which can be heard clearly on “Ain’t That Telling You People” which appeared in 1976. “Oh My Jo” by Tony Burrows takes me back to nice memories of the golden early seventies.
Keys and Chords (Translated – June 2016)
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