No one had written so openly about drugs,sex and violence I think.
Interestingly the USA FM Stations didn’t play it because they thought it too dark.
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I’ve never had that much time for Keith Emerson, but it can’t be denied that in the same way as Mike Pinder brought the mellotron into progressive rock music, Emerson ensured that keyboards took centre stage. Almost literally. He’s more known, in some ways, for the abuse he practiced on his keyboards — dragging them around the stage, attacking them with knives etc — than he is for his prowess on the instrument, but there’s no getting away from the fact that he knew how to play. He may have pushed showmanship to the fore in preference to musical ability, but he had both in spades.
The band he started out in, more or less, is the feature of our next article. With a name that typically sounded acceptable and normal, but actually referred to drug-taking, The Nice were big on the scene from 1967 to about 1970, and in that time they popularised the idea of marrying jazz, classical and other influences into their music. They would also be feted as the first real supergroup, although for me the term has a different meaning: you have to have been in a big, successful band and then joined others who have done the same, in the way Asia, Box of Frogs and The Travelling Wilburys did. But that’s just my opinion.
With arrogance that would become one of his worse traits, Emerson made sure his name was first when the band released their debut album, and it was his somewhat dictatorial approach to his bandmates and his desire for more and more of the spotlight that would eventually lead to their breaking up in 1971. Before that though, they released four major albums, one of which is said to have been one of the cornerstones of the progressive rock movement.
Album title: The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack
Artist: The Nice
Nationality: British
Label: Immediate
Year: 1967
Grade: A
Previous Experience of this Artist: Zero; I saw them playing “America” live on some prog history show, but that’s about it.
Landmark value: Bringing together both the idea of interpreting classical music for a new generation and pushing the keyboard towards the front of the band, whereas before it has been more of a backup instrument, The Nice certainly laid many of the foundations for what would become prog rock, and of course Emerson went on to found ELP, one of the biggest and most successful prog rock bands in history, and ironically, one against whom the backlash of punk rock was aimed and which spelled, for a while, the end of the genre.
Tracklisting: Flower king of flies/ The thoughts of Emerlist Davjack/ Bonny K/ Rondo/ War and Peace/ Tantalising Maggie/ Dawn/ The cry of Eugene
Comments: A brief rant at Spotify, though I probably shouldn’t; they provide me with so much music I would otherwise have to pay for. But still: they have The Nice on their books but not this, supposedly their most important album! Why? I had to go Groovesharkin’ to find it. But to the album: there’s a lot of psychedelic rock here, decent enough song to open, and you can certainly hear Emerson’s organ (ooer!) taking the lead in just about every song. He does prove he’s a master of it though. The title track has a nice sort of early prog feel about it with some classical mixed in, and I sort of hear early Moody Blues here too. Good marching rhythm, very upbeat, I really like this.
“Bonny K” is more a rock-and-roll track, with the guitar getting in some fine licks and Emerson almost pushed to the background for a little, but he’s back with a bang for “Rondo”, based on Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo a la Turk”, which is pretty damn excellent. The “Tocatta and Fugue” extract, almost in the background is tremendous, like the past calling “Don’t forget me!” Must say, I really love this. “War and Peace” is another instrumental, this time with a real blues/boogie flair, and again I must admit it’s totally bitchin’. The keyboard arpeggios and runs are amazing.
Not so impressed with “Tantalising Maggie” though; bit kind of folky with elements of rock, doesn’t really work for me. Stupid ending too, with some sort of taped laughter? Yeah, definitely my least favourite so far, almost the only one I don’t like. “Dawn” has a great creeping menace about it, reminds me of later Waits at times; the dark whisper works really well. Like this one too. Gets a little indulgent towards the end, bit freeform; you can see where Emerson was going to go later with ELP. It recovers well though and it’s still a great track. Which leaves us with only one song proper to go. I say proper because although it wasn’t included on the original release, how could I not mention their rendition of Bernstein’s “America” from West Side Story?
But before that we have “The Cry of Eugene”, with a Beatles-like psychedelia and some really nice violin it sounds like, though I see none credited. Can’t be synthesised as at this point even analogue synthesisers had to make their presence felt. Maybe a guitar effect? Good anyway. It’s not, to be fair, the greatest closer (“Dawn” would have been much better) but it’s a decent song and I have little bad to say about it, or indeed this album.
But then, technically that’s not it is it? Although excluded from the original release as I said, their most famous/infamous song is their pastiche of Leonard Bernstein’s “America”. What Jimi did for “The Stars and Stripes” Emerson and co. do here, ripping the piss unmercifully out of the nationalistic theme for West Side Story, and it’s probably one of the first real protest songs without words. Maybe the only one. Great stuff, and again proof that, despite my dislike for him, Emerson was a true keyboard wizard.
Favourite track(s): The thoughts of Emerlist Davjack, Rondo, War and peace, Dawn
Least favourite track(s): Tantalising Maggie
Overall impression: Brilliant album. Keyboard-heavy of course, and a real pointer to the way prog rock would develop, thrive and grow. I may not like ELP but I certainly love this.
Personal Rating: 4.50
Legacy Rating: 5.0
Final Rating: 4.50
Important note: Although I said originally I would be doing the other Zappa album, I’m not going to. The reasons are that a) I didn’t think that much of the one I did review but more importantly, b) I think it’s best to try to restrict myself to one album per artist each year, at least initially. Unless a particular artist had two important albums released in the same year. So I’ll be getting back to Zappa but for now I’m going to close out 1967, in what I think is pretty fine style with this album, the year prog rock began its first feeble cries, and move on in the next entry to 1968. I’ll post a list of the albums I’m doing once I’ve figured out what they’re going to be.
Before I move on to 1968, a brief word about this year and the albums I have listened to. With apologies to 1966, it does seem that ‘67 was the year prog rock began struggling towards some sort of birth. To paraphrase Yeats: “What rough beast, its hour come round at last, strides towards Canterbury to be born?” Whereas we had the likes of the Beach Boys and the Byrds laying claim to some sort of responsibility for, or hand in the genesis of prog rock, as I said I don’t really see it that way. Those albums certainly impinged on and helped spur the ideas and fire the imaginations of those who would later lead the way, but as for being fathers, or grandfathers of the genre? Nah. They pointed the way a little perhaps, but more in the manner of a farmer leaning on a gate who, when asked the way to the big festival, indicates the direction to the band in the van and then turns back to his cows and sheep. In the same way as that hypothetical farmer sent the band in the right direction but had nothing to do with them or their music, had no interest in fact in either and just happened to be there to point the way, the Beach Boys, the Byrds and to an extent Zappa helped prog along on its journey but could not really be said to have seriously contributed in any real way.
Make of that what you want, fume and rage and tell me I’m wrong, but I heard little in any of these three albums to make me realise a new era of music was approaching, a new direction being taken. Zappa particularly was experimental and that added to the prog melting pot, if you will, but to call him a prog rock artist, or at least to say that Freak out! was a prog rock record is I think stretching it a little. You may disagree with that of course, especially if you’re a fan of the man and know his music better than I do, and there’s no doubting the possibility that down the road he may have contributed more widely or specifically to the genre, but for that album on its own, I think not.
So 1966, the year of the Beach Boys and the Byrds and the emergence of Frank Zappa, does not for me cut it for the year prog began. 1967 on the other hand has some gems. The ability of the Moody Blues to change from straight blues/rock to a more classical idea, leaning into what would become progressive rock, the coming to life of Pink Floyd, the birth of Procol Harum and the efforts of Keith Emerson to take keyboard players out of the shadows of the background and into the limelight, all speak to me of a new shift in music at the time, a real feeling that something was happening, that something was about to change, that something was being born.
There are exceptions. Not every album I reviewed here gives me that sort of feeling. Let’s quickly look at them one by one. Velvet Underground’s debut was the first one I took in ‘67 and as I said, I didn’t feel it with them. That, to me, was not progressive rock nor anything close to what prog rock would become. In parts, yes, it was maybe art rock, and that would be a kind of subset of prog rock, but too much of it is psychedelia or just plain rock to afford it a place in what I would see as the hatchery of this new music. Procol Harum, on the other hand: a great blend of the sort of influences that would indeed create prog rock — the mellotron, the strange lyrics, the time signature changes, the longer songs. Sgt Pepper’s deserves its place because of the recording techniques used, as well as for almost singlehandedly redefining the idea of an album as opposed to a collection of singles plus fillers, and of course for being one of the first concept albums. But even so, it’s not what I would call prog. Or to put it anohter way, it’s prog, Jim, but not as we know it.
The inclusion of Captain Beefheart’s debut here baffles me, as it is so far away from prog rock as to be almost indistinguishable from it. It’s a half-decent blues album but that’s about it. Like Frank Zappa, though, it’s true he had a pretty big effect on the genre with albums like the dreaded Trout Mask Replica, so I would not have the temerity to suggest he was not important to prog rock, just not with this record. Pink Floyd, although their debut was not quite what you would call a prog rock album, does have the beginnings of how their sound was to develop and evolve over the years, and there are some very proggy moments on Piper, so I would certainly count that as a very important album in the conception of progressive rock.
Nobody could deny the Moody Blues did more than nearly anyone to advance and even create the genre of progressive rock with their second release, Days of future passed, particularly with Pinder’s efforts to make the mellotron the prog instrument of choice, and the marrying of classical music with rock, the suites and the ecological nature of the music on the album, while leaving aside my contempt for his ego, Emerson and The Nice really advanced the cause by putting keyboards centre stage, developing the idea of a gig as more a show than just a concert (something Floyd had also done, but more with light shows and multimedia than by sheer force of personality), and of course again the idea of using classical music to set their own themes to, paying homage to the past while creating the future.
With a few very important albums then, the seeds for the germination of progressive rock were sown, and over the next decade would blossom and spread, though oddly again this new genre would be primarily a British phenomenon. Though other countries would get in on the act, most notably Italy, prog rock, even though it would grow to gigantic, almost bloated proportions by the end of the next decade, would still only be driven by and practiced in that sceptred isle. Later of course, America would get in on the scene, but not for a long time. For now, and for a considerable amount of years, as she had once ruled the waves, Britannia would rule the progsphere.
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If 1967 was a pretty nascent year for prog rock, the following year would prove to be even more so. Bands who would rise to become true giants in the field would be formed in 1968, though many of them would not release their first album for another year, even two in some cases, and then, their debuts would not always be the groundbreaking classics later ones would grow to be. I guess if you consider 1967 — and to some smaller extent, 1966 — as the nursery years of prog rock, 1968 was when the chicks began hatching; breathing the air but as yet nowhere near strong enough to fly.
Put another way, the seeds that had been sown were beginning to grow, but would still need a whole lot of sunshine before they could bear any fruit. Once they did, though, everyone would want a taste! Here then are some of the important bands that got together this year.
Note: as this gets a little closer to the sort of prog rock I’m familiar with, I’m introducing a new category, which with typical self-effacement and humility I’m calling “The Trollheart Factor”. This is an indication of how well, if at all, I know and am familiar with the artist in question, and how qualified I am therefore to speak about them. I’ll also add this to album reviews, as even though I may know some artists well, there may be albums of theirs I’m not that well versed in.
Further note: since I’ve a pain in my arse writing the word “incarnation” all the time, I’m in future going to indicate each time the band reformed with a Roman numeral (bein’ a bit of a pretentious git), so the original lineup will be (i), a reformed one (ii), the next (iii) and so on, put after the relevant years.
Even further note: for those bands or artists with which I am very unfamiliar or even know nothing about, and where I can’t determine quickly their impact on the subgenre, I will just put a question mark, and it can be amended later, when I’ve read more about them or listened to them.
Amon Düül II (1968 – )
Nationality: German
Original lineup: Chris Karrer, Dieter Serfas, Falk Rogner, John Weinzierl and Renate Knaup
First relevant album: Phallus Dei, 1969
Impact: 6
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Linked to:
Progenitors of what would become known as Krautrock, Amon Düül II grew up out of a hippy commune in Germany, where the music really originally came second to paying the bills to keep the camp open. Apparently in the beginning they worked really hard — ”The band played almost every day” according to Wiemzierl. “We played universities, academies, underground clubs, and every hall with a power socket and an audience.”
Art Zoyd (1968 - )
Nationality: French
Original lineup: Gerard Hourbette
First relevant album: Symphonie pour le jour où brûleront les cités, 1976
Impact: ?
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Linked with:
French avant-garde, free jazz and experimental band that seems to have been under the direction of one man, the abovenamed Gerard Hourbette. Part of the Rock In Opposition movement.
Brainbox (1969-1972 (i), 2004 - (ii))
Nationality: Dutch
Original lineup: Jan Akkerman, Pierre van der Linden, Kazimir Lux
First relevant album: Brainbox, 1969
Impact: 4
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Linked with: Focus
Most famous as the launching board for Focus, Brainbox released three albums(including, weirdly, a “Best of” after just one album!) before they split in 1972. They reunited in 2004 and have since released another two albums plus a live one, the last being put out in 2011.
Can (1968 - 1979, (i)1986 - 1989 (ii))
Nationality: German
Original lineup: Michael Karoli (RIP), Jaki Lebezeit, Irmin Schmidt, Holger Czukay, David C. Johnson, Malcolm Mooney
First relevant album: Monster Movie, 1969
Impact: 9
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Linked with:
Another band instrumental in the Krautrock era, Can are one of the most well-remembered and artists from Joy Division and The Fall to Bowie and Talking Heads cite them as an influence on their music, with Brian Eno composing a short movie in tribute to them. Although they disbanded in 1979 they reunited seven years later to record one more album. There were sporadic other appearances by them over the years, but since these usually concerned recording a track or a live performance I’m not counting them. They remain however a huge influence right across the music world, from jazz to avant-garde to electronica and of course prog rock.
Caravan (1968 - 1978 (i) 1980 - 1985 (ii) 1990 -1992 (iii) 1995 - (iv))
Nationality: British
Original lineup: David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings, Richard Coughlan (RIP)
First relevant album: Caravan, 1968
Impact: 8
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Linked with: Soft Machine, The Wilde Flowers
One of the premier bands in what would become known as the Canterbury Scene, Caravan were not a commercially successful band, but then, a large percentage of prog rock bands can say the same thing, and the real success lies in the legacy they leave behind and the bands they influenced.
Deep Purple (1968 - 1976)
Nationality: British
Original lineup: Rod Evans, Nick Simper, Jon Lord, Ian Paice, Ritchie Blackmore
First relevant album: Shades of Deep Purple, 1968 (but really Deep Purple in Rock, 1970)
Impact: 3
The Trollheart Factor: 5
Linked with: Rainbow, Whitesnake, Ian Gillan Band, Roundabout
I don’t really want to get bogged down too much exploring or talking about bands who were more or less just on the fringes of the progressive rock scene and who made their name in other spheres, and this certainly applies to Deep Purple, whom everyone will know as primarily a hard rock or even heavy metal band. But they began as prog rock and it might (might, depending on how many albums were released in this year) be interesting to see the direction they had originally been heading in. I’m also only recording their active years above as the times when they played what could be termed progressive rather than hard rock.
Henry Cow (1968 - 1978)
Nationality: British
Original lineup: Tim Hodgkinson, Fred Frith, Lindsay Cooper, Chris Cutler
First relevant album: Legend, 1973
Impact: ?
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Linked with:
One of the few British RIO bands, Henry Cow seemed determined to stay out of the mainstream, even of progressive rock, and they seemed to compose their music by committee, having actual meetings where they thrashed out the ideas and decided which ones to use and which to discard. Their music has been described as inaccessible, overcomplicated and brilliantly innovative.
King Crimson (1968 - 1974 (i) 1981-1984 (ii) 1994 - 2004 (iii) 2007 - 2008 (iv) 203 - (v))
Nationality: British
Original lineup: Robert Fripp, Peter Sinfield, Greg Lake, Ian MacDonald
First relevant album: In the court of the Crimson King, 1969
Impact: 10
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Linked with: A host of acts, including but not limited to 21st Century Schizoid Band, ProjeKCts, UK, Giles, Giles and Fripp, Crimson Jazz Trio and Porcupine Tree
One of the true giants of the progressive rock scene, King Crimson bestrode the movement like a colossus. Or so I’m told. Personally, I’ve never heard anything by them, and while this may be reason in some people’s minds to string me up with the strings of a Hammond, I readily admitted when I began this journey that there were prog rock bands, many of them considered essential to the genre, whom I had not heard, and Crimson are one of them. Needless to say, I’ll be redressing that here. Driven by the genius and some would say tyranny of founder Robert Fripp, King Crimson shied from the pop song, or melodies too easy to play, and they certainly did not seem to court (sorry) chart success. Yet they have remained both one of the most influential bands not only in progressive rock but in music as a whole, and continue to confound their critics, still rocking after over forty-five years.
Rush (1968 - )
Nationality: Canadian
Original lineup: Geddy Lee, John Rutsey, Alex Lifeson
First relevant album: Fly by night, 1975
Impact: 9
The Trollheart Factor: 7
Linked with:
Beginning life as a blues rock band with their debut album, Rush soon began incorporating fantasy lyrics and themes into their music with the release of their second album, and quickly identified with the progressive rock crowd. One of the first, if not the first, progressive rock bands to come out of Canada, they have remained with pretty much the same lineup since 1974, always a power trio, and singer Geddy Lee has become famous for his high-pitched, often falsetto vocals. Rush released some of the most seminal prog rock albums of the seventies, including 2112, Caress of steel, A farewell to kings and Hemispheres.
The United States of America (1967 - 1968)
Nationality: American
Original lineup: Joseph Byrd, Dorothy Moskowitz, Gordon Marron, Rand Forbes, Craig Woodson, Ed Bogas
First relevant album: The United States of America, 1968
Impact: ?
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Linked with:
These poor guys split after recording only one album. Despite being the only band at the time I know of (as if that means anything!) to use instruments like calliope, harpsichord, fretless bass and electric violin, and not have any guitars at all, tensions within the band led to their disbanding a year after they got together. Their single album has however gone down in the annals of the history of prog rock, psychedelic music and avant-garde rock, it says here.
Yes (1968 - 1981 (i) 1984 - 2004 (ii) 2008 - (iii)
Nationality: British
Original lineup: Jon Anderson, Chris Squires, Peter Banks, Tony Kaye, Bill Bruford
First relevant album: Yes, 1969
Impact: 10
The Trollheart Factor: 6
Linked with: The Buggles, The Syn, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
Another giant of the genre, Yes built their appeal and their fame on intricate keyboard passages, long, multi-part songs, and the soaring soprano voice of Jon Anderson. Some of their songs took up one full side of an album (Close to the edge, Tales from topographic oceans) and as a result, though hugely popular in the seventies they became identified as one of the bands against whom the punk rock backlash hit out, calling music such as they played pompous, overblown, and irrelevant. Well, they probably called it pretentious shite, but we’re not going to say that here.
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The albums then for 1968 are, to me, something of a disappointment. Not because of the albums themselves, per se, but because with very few exceptions they’re just albums by each of the artists I featured in the previous year, but some of them went on to be very famous and influential. Still, I would of choice have preferred albums from new artists, but as mentioned in the last entry, some of the bigger acts (Yes, Rush, King Crimson) were only getting together at this point and it would be a year or two later before we would see any material from any of them. As we get further into the seventies I assume new artists will tend to crop up more often, but as of now, here’s what we have to work with.
We’re only in it for the money — The Mothers of Invention
Ah, Frank Zappa how I hate you. You and Beefheart seem to epitomise everything I dislike about experimental music, but this album is apparently important, in that it was something of a backlash against another album that had come out the previous year and was heralding the birth of progressive rock itself, The Beatles’ Sgt Peppers. I have fears for my sanity when I read about the composition of Zappa’s album, but we’ll give it a go.
The United States of America — The United States of America
Already mentioned in the piece on the bands formed in 1968, this was the one and only release from this band, so if nothing else I owe it to their memory to listen to it and allow it its place in progressive rock history. Will I regret it? Probably.
A saucerful of secrets — Pink Floyd
Floyd’s second album heralded the arrival of Dave Gilmour, originally to “prop up” the undependable and increasingly erratic Syd Barrett, though he would fairly quickly replace him as the founder left the band. After this, Waters and Gilmour would solidify their creative control over the band’s music and Pink Floyd would begin to head in one direction, with fame and fortune and legendary status beckoning.
Music in a doll’s house — Family
To be honest, I’m not so sure about this one. I know nothing at all about Family and have a feeling they may be more in the psychedelic/hippy mould rather than prog, but I’ll include it and see what people think, if anyone cares to advise me. It is in the list of 30 Cosmic Rock Albums, so there’s that I guess.
In search of the lost chord — The Moody Blues
Third overall, second progressive rock album by the Moody Blues, another concept record but this time they played all the music themselves rather than use an orchestra. It includes Indian ethic instruments like the tabla and the sitar, and ends on a track that would be immortalised by Lister in the series Red Dwarf: it’s called “Om”…
The cheerful insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp — Giles, Giles and Fripp
Precursor to the mighty King Crimson, how could we not check this one out?
Caravan — Caravan
As already noted above, Caravan would go on to become an integral part and driving force of what would come to be known as “The Canterbury Scene”. This was their debut album.
This was — Jethro Tull
Another band I never got, this was the debut album from Jethro Tull.
Ars longa, vita brevis — The Nice
Second album from Keith Emerson’s The Nice, who impressed me so surprisingly with their debut effort.
S.F. Sorrow — The Pretty Things
Just getting in under the wire — released in the UK in December 1968 and not until August of the following year 'cross the pond — this is another one I’m not sure about, but it is a concept album so should probably be looked into.
The Soft Machine — Soft Machine
Another band pivotal in the Canterbury Scene, this is the debut album from Soft Machine.
Shine on brightly — Procol Harum
Continuing their pioneering work in progressive rock, Procol Harum released their second album neat the end of 1968.
So that’s our list for 1968. I’ll start reviewing them in the next entry. If anyone has comments, thinks I’m missing an album out or wants to offer any advice, you know what to do!
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I read somewhere that Beefheart said that the album was produced by a friend(Zappa) and all he was allowed to do was sing.
I have Caravan and Soft Machine albums.That is as prog as I get.PF I can’t get into at all.
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Okay, well starting at the top I guess we’re stuck with Zappa again. It’s funny: from the few albums sleeves of his I had seen when much younger I somehow had a feeling I would not like his music, and while this is certainly not a good basis upon which to form an opinion of a band, my original impressions do seem to have been borne out here, because anything I’ve listened to from him has either been meh or too off the charts for me. I don’t quite get (though I’m sure others will explain, probably in some detail and with eyes rolling) his contribution to progressive rock. I have of course yet to listen to this album, but from what I’ve read about it it seems it will be the same sort of mishmash of sounds, effects, words, tapings and other assorted oddities that make up the likes of Beefheart’s fearful Trout Mask Replica and which indeed informed the second half of Zappa’s Freak out! If that’s the case, I don’t really see how that applies to progressive rock.
Nevertheless, many artists prominent in the genre have stated him as an influence, and I guess it must be accepted that he was part of the push towards a more experimental, loose and improvisational attitude towards music, turning away from the basic rock and roll of the late fifties/early sixties and incorporating elements of jazz, blues, soul and the emerging psychedelia into compositions. The title of this journal is I know what I like, and I know what I don’t, but in fairness I can’t just listen to what I like here. This is the history of progressive rock, and there will undoubtedly be bands and artists in there that I don’t care for, but who will have to be reviewed and spoken of anyway. Guess FZ is one of those. Let’s get this over with then.
Released as, as mentioned above, a kind of anti-Sgt Peppers, The Mothers’ third album featured a lot of instrumental music which appeared on Zappa’s solo effort, Lumpy gravy, which I had originally intended to cover but then backed out of (chicken gravy?), and both are seen as part of a trilogy, completed by Cruising with Ruben and the Jets, released at the end of the year, all to be tied together under the banner title of No Commercial Potential. Indeed.
Album title: We’re only in it for the money
Artist: The Mothers of Invention
Nationality: American
Label: Verve
Year: 1968
Grade: B
Previous Experience of this Artist: Freak Out!
The Trollheart Factor: 1
Landmark value: Seen to be striking a blow against what was becoming to be seen as the overcommercialisation of music, and specifically against The Beatles, it’s seen as a landmark album. I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve heard it.
Tracklisting: Are you hung up?/ Who needs the Peace Corps?/ Concentration Moon/ Mom and dad/ Telephone conversation/ Bow tie daddy/ Harry, you’re a beast/ What’s the ugliest part of your body?/ Absolutely free/ Flower punk/ Hot poop/ Nasal retentive calliope music/ Let’s make the water turn black/ The idiot bastard son/ Lonely little girl/ Take your clothes off when you dance/ What’s the ugliest part of your body? (Reprise)/ Mother people/ The chrome plated megaphone of destiny
Comments: Okay, so the usual spoken-word nonsense I’ve started to associate Zappa and to a lesser extent Beefheart with gets us under way, not exactly helping my attempts to be unbiased towards this album. At least there’s music for the second track, and you can certainly see where they’re slagging off the Fab Four here. Hey you know it’s not bad. Like the humour: ”I will love everybody/ I will love the police/ As they’re kicking the shit out of me.” “Concentration moon” is decent too, as is “Mom and dad”. This is a lot more, um, musical than I had expected, I must say! “Telephone conversation” is exactly what it says on the tin, which does not surprise me. Seems to be a 911 call though, which is interesting. “Bow tie daddy” is like a twenties song, but I actually like it. Mind you, it’s only seconds long.
There’s a lovely classical piano intro to “Harry, you’re a beast”, and it’s a good enough track to be fair. I know they’re kind of slagging off the Beatles and psychedelic pop here, so maybe that’s why it sounds so, ah, palatable to me? But either way, it’s turning out to me a far more enjoyable experience than I expected. “Flower punk” is funny, ripping off “Hey Joe”, then it’s like Vangelis’s “Beauborg” (huh? Educate yourself man!) for “Nasal retentive calliope music” — just weird to the max. Most of the album though is (dare I say it) listenable and decent music. Colour me surprised.
Favourite track(s): (Did not expect to be filling this in at all but as it happens…) Who needs the Peace Corps?, Concentration moon, Mom and dad, Harry, you’re a beast, Let’s make the water turn black, Flower punk, Lonely girl, The idiot bastard son, Take your clothes off when you dance
Least favourite track(s): (And this is a lot less populated than I expected it to be…) Hot poop, Nasal retentive calliope music, Mother people, The chrome plated megaphone of destiny
Overall impression: A lot of strange sounds but apart from that and the odd backward-masking effect, not at all bad really. I know: I’m surprised too!
Personal Rating: 4 
Legacy Rating: 4
Final Rating: 4
One of the original protest bands or just a bunch of hippies who hated America, or at least the establishment of the time? Don’t ask me: I never even heard of the United States of America until now (simmer down, Columbus! I’m talking about the band, not the country! Stop turning in your grave!) but if I’m right someone here has been pushing them, so at least one person will get enjoyment out of this article. A band who had only the one, self-titled album and then split up over tensions mostly created by having to work with the founder and driving force of the band, Joseph Byrd. Drugs, you’ll be unsurprised to learn, also featured in the difficulties. Their one album is however remembered fondly. Why? Let’s see.
Album title: The United States of America
Artist: The United States of America
Nationality: American (duh!)
Label: Columbia
Year: 1968
Grade: B
Previous Experience of this Artist: Zero
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Landmark value: As an early exponent of experimental and electronic music, the album is afforded a place in the history of progressive rock, and indeed, later electronic music.
Tracklisting: The American metaphysical circus/ Hard coming love/ Cloud song/ The garden of earthly delights/ I won’t leave my wooden wife for you, sugar/ Where is yesterday/ Coming down/ Love song for the dead Che/ Stranded in time/ The American way of love (i) Metaphor for an older man (ii) California good time music (iii) Love is all
Comments: The opening is very annoying and disorienting, as various instruments and tracks vie for the same ear: I hear an organ, a carnival sound, marching bands, all meshing together and crossing over one another. Too much, man! But once it settles down it’s a nice slow psych ballad with a great organ driving it. I hear too much of The Doors in “Hard coming love” though it’s a decent enough song; like the change to female vocals. “Cloud song” is nice and pastoral, not sure if they’re being ironic here or not but it’s a lovely little tune.
Some pretty cool effects in “The garden of earthly delights”, especially when you consider they couldn’t afford a decent synth (20K for a Moog?) and it has a nice hippie vibe to it,while “I won’t leave my wooden wife for you, sugar” (?) is like a blues tune mixed with a traditional folk song. Weird but in a good way. “Coming down” sounds like some sort of Gregorian chant. Sorry, that must be “Where is yesterday” as “Coming down” rocks along like a good thing. I really like “Love song for the dead Che”; lovely organ melody in it, almost Carpenters-like. “Stranded in time” is pure Beatles, really like it too. Quite surprised with how I ended up liking this. Pretty cool to the max really.
Favourite track(s): Cloud song, The garden of earthly delights, Coming down, I won’t leave my wooden wife for you, sugar, Love song for the dead Che, Stranded in time
Least favourite track(s): Nothing.
Overall impression: Considering how it started I’m surprised to say I really enjoyed this once it got going.
Personal Rating: 4.50 
Legacy Rating: 4.0
Final Rating: 4.50
Being a child of the seventies, it was through albums like The Wall and Dark Side of the Moon that I got into Pink Floyd, and to be honest I never had too much time for, or interest in, their previous, more psychedelic albums. For me, Floyd began with Waters and Gilmour, not Waters and Barrett, and from what I knew of the latter, and backed up by what I’ve read since, he only held the band back and put them in an impossible situation where they had to first cover for him and then make the difficult decision to part company with him. I don’t have much time for “troubled genius”, especially when the problems of same are so usually rooted in the inevitable addictions. To me, this just seems weak and an excuse to abrogate your responsibilities as an artist, and while many have managed to — at least for a while — make the two work together and have often created their best work through the association with drugs or alcohol — or both — eventually it seems to me that it’s a self-destructive path which, once you’re on, you have little hope of ever returning from.
All that said, there’s no question that it was albums like Piper at the gates of dawn and this one that got Floyd originally noticed, and so they should not, cannot and will not be pushed into the dark recesses of the history of prog rock; I will not pretend they don’t exist and I won’t look down my nose at them, but neither to me really represent the Floyd I grew up on and came to love. At the time of their second album though, the association with Barrett was grinding to a juddering and uneasy halt, and Dave Gilmour was brought in initially to help out, for those times when Barrett didn’t feel like or couldn’t contribute, whether in the studio or onstage. He worked out so well that before the album was even completed Gilmour was already seen as the fourth member of what was technically a quintet at the time, and Barrett and Pink Floyd soon parted ways. Though they wrote tributes to him on later albums, and he arrived at the studio once to watch them play (so completely unrecognisable that the band members took some time to realise it was him) Barrett was never again involved in Floyd and though he attempted a solo career it floundered, after which he basically retired from music. Floyd, of course, would go from strength to strength, achieving world domination status, but always touched by the inner sadness that their friend could not share it with them, and be part of it.
Album title: A saucerful of secrets
Artist: Pink Floyd
Nationality: British
Label: EMI
Year: 1968
Grade: A
Previous Experience of this Artist: See Piper at the gates of dawn
The Trollheart Factor: 7
Landmark value: Although not the sort of Floyd I was used to, this album did feature Gilmour for the first time, led to the departure of Barrett and set the stage for the proper coming of Pink Floyd.
Tracklisting: Let there be more light/ Remember a day/ Set the controls for the heart of the sun/ Corporal Clegg/ A saucerful of secrets (i)Something else (ii) Syncopated pandemonium (iii) Storm signal (iv) Celestial voices (iv)
Comments: It’s kind of like something out of Vangelis’s playbook as we start off, with a racing, pulsing synth and bass running things, a sound like a sitar occasionally coming through though I doubt they used one at this point, then it breaks down into what would later become a fairly recognised Floyd melody before the vocals from Roger Waters start. My first thought is that this is a lot more what I would call progressive rock than the previous, debut album, and this may be reflected in the fact that Waters writes or co-writes every track here bar two, one being the closer. There’s little of the folk/hippies aspect of Piper to this, so far, that being largely led I assume by Barrett and the way he wanted the band to go.
Good interplay between the guitar and keys here, though in fairness as both Gilmour and Barrett played on the album I can’t say who it is on the frets. “Remember a day” has a timeless, spacey feel to it with some fine piano work from Wright. The vocal is very sparse, only a few words all through the whole thing, almost making of it an instrumental, then I and everyone else know the superb “Set the controls for the heart of the sun”, a song which would go on to be included in their stage set for years, even decades to come, and which really put them in the frame as a space-rock band. With almost Ray Manzarekesque keys sort of low in the background, the vocals also hushed, the whole thing gives a sense of dark, gripping tension, danger and a feel of awestruck wonder about it.
“Corporal Clegg” then is the first really out-and-out rock track, sort of sounds like Beatles/Kinks. Not crazy about it, but it does highlight what would go on to become recognisable as the famous Floyd vocal harmonies that would surface on albums from Dark side onwards. I guess it’s fun, I just don’t dig it as much as the other tracks I’ve heard so far. Then we’re into the three-part suite that makes up the title track. Again, it’s spacey, a bit unnerving in ways and very psychedelic. Could sort of see it having been the theme to a horror movie maybe. Probably gets a little improvisational for me: I can see this being repeated on the side-long “Echoes” on Meddle. I wasn’t crazy about a lot of that. Much of this is discordant piano notes and weird synth noises; not really for me. It’s a bit long too, at nearly twelve minutes. Actually, the end section is really good — “Celestial voices”?
“See-saw”, the only track written by Rick Wright, is really nice, has a sense of seventies ELO about it. Yes, I know that should be the other way around. Really like this. Nice gentle ballad which, actually now I think about it, really reminds of the Alan Parsons Project. Shut up. The only Barrett song then is the closer, “Jugband blues”, which I expected not to like and don’t: it’s more of the psych/hippy shit I didn’t enjoy on much of Piper.
Favourite track(s): Let there be more light, Remember a day, Set the controls for the heart of the sun, Seesaw
Least favourite track(s): A saucerful of secrets, Jugband blues
Overall impression: A far better album than Piper, one that points the way towards the direction Floyd were going in and certainly an album more deserving of the term “progressive rock” than its predecessor.
Personal Rating: 4.0
Legacy Rating: 4.0
Final Rating: 4.0
There’s no question that certain bands who came out of the progressive rock movement went on to do really well, some phenomenally so, but for every winner there is a loser, and for every band that made it big there are hundreds or more littered across the motorways of music history like trash jettisoned from passing cars; bands who, while successful for a time, never quite made it and faded away, often leaving just one or two albums — sometimes less — for them to be remembered by. The recently-reviewed The United States of America are one such case, and it could probably be said that Family are another.
Although the British band flourished for longer than their American counterpart — they lasted from 1967 to 1973 and put out a total of seven albums in that time — they have become equally forgotten, for the most part. While bands like Yes, Genesis, ELP, Rush, Camel, Floyd and The Moody Blues have hammered in their own personal stars on the progressive rock version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, bands like Family, while remembered fondly by some, could probably be compared, in the above analogy, to the bit-part actors who look at the stars’ names enviously and wish they were alongside them. Not that, to my knowledge, there is any animosity or jealousy directed at the bigger prog bands by anyone who played with Family, but it must hurt, to some degree.
Album title: Music in a doll’s house
Artist: Family
Nationality: British
Label: Reprise
Year: 1968
Grade: C
Previous Experience of this Artist: Zero
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Landmark value: Seen as one of the definining psychedelic albums of the time.
Tracklisting: The chase/ Mellowing grey/ Never like this/ Me my friend/ Variations on a theme of “Hey policeman!”/ Winter/ Old songs new songs/ Variations on a theme of “The Breeze”/ Hey policeman/ See through windows/ Variations on a theme of “Me my friend”/ Peace of mind/ Voyage/ The Breeze/ 3 x time
Comments: First it’s like hearing Deep Purple with a big Gillan-like scream, then vocalist Roger Chapman sounds just like Peter Gabriel! Weird! Nice flutey sounds there with warbling mellotron, then the next track seems to be an acoustic one. Chapman’s vocals are very tremelo or vibrato, whatever: sounds like someone’s hitting him on the back as he sings. This song reminds me of the early stuff I’ve heard from The Moody Blues. As does the next one. The saxophones and touches of jazz nod towards VDGG too.
Nice bit of harmonica in “Old songs new songs” and it rocks along nicely, but I must say I’m being possessed by an overwhelming case of don’t-give-a-fuck here: I just can’t seem to care about any of the music here. It just ain’t gripping me. Actually I take that back: that last track was good. What was it called? Oh yeah: “Old songs new songs”. Good stuff. The next track, “Hey Mr. Policeman”, is good too: has some heart about it. Again love the harmonica. Still, of all the albums I’ve listened to for 1968 so far, this is the one I’ve been the least interested in, the one that’s just boring me. I said at the beginning that I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to include this, and I’m still not sure. I can see the influence on prog rock to an extent, but mostly it’s just standard rock with jazz and some hippy shite again. Not very impressed really. Oh well, at least it’s nearly over.
Favourite track(s): Old songs new songs, Hey Mr. Policeman
Least favourite track(s): Wasn’t really bothered enough to be listening to most of the rest.
Overall impression: A big fat meh.
Personal Rating: 2.0 
Legacy Rating: 3.0
Final Rating: 2.50 
As the Moody Blues left behind the r&b style their first album had featured and began developing their own version of what would become progressive rock, their third album would retain the idea of the concept, this one following a basic theme of travelling, and would also continue their use of orchestral music, though in this case as mentioned above they would play the instruments themselves rather than hire an orchestra. Bringing in instruments like the sitar and the tabla gave this album a more eastern feel, fitting in with the idea of travelling to strange countries and making it more cosmopolitan than most albums out at the time. In a departure from the previous album though, this one has no multi-part suites, and the longest two tracks clock in at less than seven minutes each.
Album title: In search of the lost chord
Artist: The Moody Blues
Nationality: British
Label: Deram Records
Year: 1968
Grade: B
Previous Experience of this Artist: see Days of future passed
The Trollheart Factor: 4
Landmark value: I don’t see a huge landmark value here to be honest. The use of the ethnic instruments is interesting, and it’s another concept album, but why it would be rated above Days of future passed I would be hard pressed to say.
Tracklisting: Departure/Ride my see-saw/ Dr. Livingston, I presume/ House of four doors/ Legend of a mind/ House of four doors (part 2)/ Voices in the sky/ The best way to travel/ Visions of Paradise/ The Actor/ The Word/ Om
Comments: “Departure” is a short, forty-five second spoken word piece with rising guitar line pulling it right into “Ride my see-saw”, which I do know. It’s a psychedelic rock song, uptempo with a great melody, very catchy. Great vocal harmonies, which would of course become one of the hallmarks of the Moodys. “Dr. Livingston, I presume” is a little Beatles-y I feel, bit vapid, but “House of four doors” is much better, with an ethic, dramatic feel, a slower track that still pops along nicely. Some nice flute from Mike Pinder. Pretty nice harpsichord too. “Legend of a mind” really reminds me of ELO, and yes, again, I know they weren’t going at that point. Really slick little hypnotic bass line in this. Lot of stuff about Timothy Leary, in whom I have no interest. Good song though.
“House of four doors (Part 2)” is a slow kind of reprise which reminds me of the Everly Brothers, not mad about it but it’s short. The other track I know then is “Voices in the sky”, which features some really nice acoustic guitar and the vocals of Justin Hayward. “The best way to travel” is also acoustic. I have to say, generally I’m not as impressed with this album as I was with the previous one. Not too much of the prog rock in it I feel. Okay, there’s some nice kind of spacey keyboard here so it’s not bad, but it’s still not what I’d call a prog powerhouse or anything close to it. “Visions of Paradise” is a lovely little flute-driven ballad with acoustic guitar, very pastoral and relaxing; you can really hear the sitar here too.
Oh, I forgot: I know “The Actor” too. Nice boppy mid-tempo piece, kind of skips along nicely with again Justin on vocals, then there’s another spoken word piece, almost completely unaccompanied, titled, appropriately enough, “The word”, which then leads into the closer, “Om”. It’s very Indian, with plenty of sitar and tabla, good vocal harmonies and a very decent closer to what is, I must admit, not the greatest album. Expected a lot more. Bitchin’ album sleeve though!
Favourite track(s): Ride my see-saw, House of four doors, Voices in the sky, Visions of Paradise, The Actor, Om
Least favourite track(s): Dr. Livingston, I presume
Overall impression: After Days of future passed I was hoping for a continuation, something at least as good. I find this album something of a minor disappointment if I’m honest.
Personal Rating: 2.0
Legacy Rating: 4.0
Final Rating: 3.0
I already admitted I’m one of those rare prog heads who has never heard King Crimson, and therefore I have of course no experience whatever of Giles, Giles and Fripp, but this is the band in which founder and driving force behind KC Robert Fripp cut his musical teeth, so it’s certainly expedient that we feature one of their albums. Their only album, in fact. GG&F later more or less metamorphosed into King Crimson with the departure of Peter Giles and his replacement in Greg Lake. Anectodatal evidence says this album sold a mere five hundred copies.
Album title: The cheerful insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp
Artist: Giles, Giles and Fripp
Nationality: British
Label: Deram
Year: 1968
Grade: C
Previous Experience of this Artist: Zero
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Landmark value: Other than being the springboard to the formation of King Crimson, I don’t really think it’s seen as having any particular landmark value, though if it sold as few copies as they say then it’s probably highly sought-after now and a collector’s item.
Tracklisting: North meadow/ Newly-weds/ One in a million/ Call tomorrow/ Digging my lawn/ Little children/ The crukster/ Thursday morning/ How do they know/ Elephant song/ The sun is shining/ Suite number 1/ Erudite eyes
Comments: Well I guess being such a rarity, it’s hard to find. Spotify has not got it, nor has Grooveshark, and even YouTube, when it does have it, tells me I can’t watch it. At any rate, I’ve cobbled it together from loose tracks so let’s see how we go. Oh, I should point out there are two spoken word pieces here as well, but I can’t find them and as I’m more concerned with the music anyway I’m not that bothered. “North Meadow” starts out like a cross between a seventies soul song and the theme to some cop series, but then the vocals come in and it’s very sixties, very psychedelic. Interestingly, it mentions “Willow Grove Farm”, which makes me wonder if Genesis’s “Willow Farm” on “Supper’s Ready” was influenced by that? Nice horns and organs, and right away you can hear the guitar technique and expertise for which Fripp would become famous. “Newly-weds” initially rides on a nice bassline but is very reminiscent of “She’s leaving home” by The Beatles, while “One in a million” is a quaint little English folk song in which you can hear echoes of The Kinks. Nice cello, and I can hear where Neil Hannon would get some of his inspiration over twenty years later.
“Call tomorrow” is a dour, bleak piece on slow piano with a kind of acapella section, then “Digging my lawn” gets back to the mid-tempo folky material, again a really nice bassline, and “Little children”, the first of only three tracks on the album written by Fripp, keeps this basic idea going though it’s a little faster of a tempo. I can’t find “The Crukster”, so next up is “Thursday morning”, with again very much a Beatles feel to it, slow cello and violin, very nice. More uptempo and cheery really is “How do they know”, really really reminds me of Dionne Warwick’s “Walk on by” in places. Yes, I know you hate it when I do that. Not going to stop though. “Elephant song” has more brass to it and kind of a mix of folk with a bit of jazz and psych thrown in. There’s a certain Celtic feel to it too, and I think it may be an instrumental, the first yet on the album. Like the sudden false stops during the piece. Some smooth harmonica too. Cute, if a little repetitive.
Can’t find “The sun is shining”, so it’s on to the classical-infused second instrumental and second of three Fripp-penned tunes, both of the last of which close the album, “Suite No. 1”. Some excellent piano here, then it breaks down into a lovely slow strings passage with hummed choral vocals; really quite beautiful and certainly my favourite on the album. The third movement as such then comes on what sounds like harpsichord and guitar, sort of reminds me of early Sky (yes, yes! I know…) before it bursts into a fast bass run that takes it the rest of the way with ticking percussion, bringing in bright piano as the piece heads towards its conclusion, with an odd little spoken word snippet at the end, sort of ruins it for me. The final track then is Fripp’s other solo written piece and it’s called “Erudite eyes”. It’s okay, and I hear where the likes of Eric Woolfson and Colin Blunstone may have been influenced by this album, but I much prefer the previous track and think that would have been a better closer.
Favourite track(s): There’s nothing I really hate here but little I love either, other than Suite No. 1, which really stands out for me.
Least favourite track(s): As above
Overall impression: A pleasant little album; nothing bad about it but nothing revolutionary or groundbreaking either. Kind of neutral on it. As a precursor to King Crimson it has to be afforded respect, but I wasn’t crazy about it. Still, as Monty Burns once said, I know what I hate, and I don’t hate this.
Personal Rating: 2.0
Legacy Rating: 5.0
Final Rating: 3.50
Although there is some debate as to what exactly defined the musical movement known as “The Canterbury Scene”, it seems to have originated with The Wilde Flowers, who later segmented into both Soft Machine and Caravan, two bands who were very prominent in, and founder members of the scene. Rather than being a particular type of music, the Canterbury Scene appears to have been a sort of fluid group of musicians who would migrate from bands to band (progressive rock gypsies?) and who began in, or played basically around the area of Canterbury in Kent, in the south of England. I may end up doing a full article on this later, but right now I mention them mostly because I’m about to listen to the debut album from one of those main driving influences in what became known as The Canterbury Scene.
Album title: Caravan
Artist: Caravan
Nationality: English
Label: Decca
Year: 1968
Grade: A
Previous Experience of this Artist: Zero
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Landmark value: Seen as one of the first and most important albums of The Canterbury Scene, fusing psychedelia, jazz and classical with the emerging prog rock.
Tracklisting: Place of my own/ Ride/ Policeman/ Love song with flute/ Cecil Rons/ Magic man/ Grandma’s lawn/ Where but for Caravan would I?
Comments: You can hear the whimsicality spoken of in the piece on TCS as soon as the album opens, and I’m glad to say there are plenty of keys – never really consider a band totally prog without a few keyboards — musicianship is excellent as demonstrated by the instrumental break that takes most of the latter part of “Place of my own”, vocals from Pye Hastings are very easy on the ear and you can hear where Supertramp were going to tread later. “Ride” begins in much the same vein, soft and gentle before the guitar crashes through and another extended instrumental kicks off. I like the mix of a very easy, relaxed vocal with harder guitars and crashing drums, though I hear little keyboard here. It’s all over “Policeman” though, honking and trumpeting in a somewhat Beatles-style tune, some great organ pounding its way sonorously through the tune, which appears to be the first full instrumental.
“Love song with a flute” is a slow ballad, as you might expect, with warbling keys and, well, flute, a nice sort of echoey vocal on it. Ramps up a little, rather unexpectedly, halfway through, the organ coming in much more forcefully (yes, yes, tee-hee) then “Cecil Rons” is the first one that sounds not only psych but also sort of threatening, ominous with a staccato drumbeat and kind of warped keyboard line. Little unsettling, almost seems out of place beside the rest of the album so far. “Magic man” is a really nice laidback folky style song with acoustic guitar and some nice organ work, very relaxing. Man. “Grandma’s lawn” is pretty trippy, with the vocal again buried deep in the mix so that it sounds like it’s being sung at the bottom of a well or something; great keyboard line, and then the closer is a nine-minute monster.
A soft gentle guitar line opens “Where but for Caravan would I” with an equally gentle vocal in a slow ballad with rising organ then kicks up with a good instrumental break carried mostly by said organ. It finishes well but is I feel overlong.
Favourite track(s): Place of my own, Ride, Policeman, Love song with a flute, Magic man
Least favourite track(s): Grandma’s garden, Cecil Rons
Overall impression: A very good album but I would venture to think they have better. Not a bad introduction though into this Canterbury Scene stuff.
Personal Rating: 3.0
Legacy Rating: 4.0
Final Rating: 2.50
So far we’ve dealt mainly with bands I either know and like, or have no experience of, but now we come to one I know, and do not like. I have never been able to get into Jethro Tull’s particular mix of prog rock and semi-medieval music; it just never sat well with me, and unless there is a real miracle during this journal I doubt it ever will. Nevertheless, they’re a big player in the genre and so must be covered.
Another of the British bands formed out of grammar school friends, Jethro Tull initially began as a blues band, but when frontman Ian Anderson feared he was in danger of being squeezed out of the limelight by the lead guitarist, as he could not play as well, he switched to a more interesting instrument, and so became the focus of the band as he cavorted madly onstage playing a flute. Few other bands at this time featured this instrument, so it was a good gimmick and certainly earned them rave reviews.
Their first album, like the debuts of many of the bands featured here, was a far cry from the music they would become known for. Based more on blues standards and covers, it would be another year before they would make it big with their second album hitting the number one spot, although this did make a very respectable showing at number ten.
Album title: This was
Artist: Jethro Tull
Nationality: British
Label: Island
Year: 1968
Grade: C
Previous Experience of this Artist: Very little. I’ve heard a few singles and the album Heavy horses which was ok.
The Trollheart Factor: 2
Landmark value: As a band pushing the envelope by including folk music and medieval themes in their music, Jethro Tull stood out as something very different, but also polarising: you either loved them or hated them. Guess where I stood? Also, for years I thought Ian Anderson’s name was Jethro Tull…!
Tracklisting: My Sunday feeling/ Some day the sun won’t shine for you/ Beggar’s farm/ Move on alone/ Serenade to a cuckoo/ Dharma for one/ it’s breaking me up/ Cat’s squirrel/ Song for Jeffrey/ Round
Comments: I’m not quite sure what it is I dislike about this band. Yes I am. It’s the flute. I’ve never been a big fan of flutes in general, and the overuse of it on Jethro Tull’s music sets my teeth on edge. I’m also not a fan of Anderson’s style of singing, which really makes me feel that he is putting on a country bumpkin act: maybe he isn’t but that’s how it always seemed to me. Not crazy about their agricultural themes either. In fact, if there was any way I could not call this prog rock and avoid including it I would, but they’re part of the fabric of what grew to be progressive rock, and so I have to look into them. Doesn’t mean I have to like it. I don’t.
Actually this probably is not the best album to start with, but there are apparently prog rock influences on it, unlike with The Moody Blues’ debut, so for better or worse here we go. Well the bloody flute is right in your face from the first chord, but it almost sounds incongruous against the pretty basic blues music in the opener. Nice bit of Waits-style bass near the end, is about as much as I can take from that. Pretty bleh really; at least the next one up has a cool harmonica and a nice slow blues vibe, but adding a flute onto that does not, for me, make it prog rock or anything close. “Beggar’s farm” has a kind of early Fleetwood Mac/Supertramp feel to it, and at least the flute has been dialled back.
“Move on alone” is the only song Jethro Tull played, apparently, on which someone other than Anderson sings, and to be honest it’s okay but again, it’s not prog, not to me. Sounds pretty dated really, though the guitar on it is good. Very short too, which is not something you can say of their cover of “Serenade to a cuckoo”, which is — oh no! — a jazz standard. Now, I may be going on out a limb here, but I expect to hate this. It doesn’t help that it’s flute-driven. Ugh. Like some of the worst wallpaper/elevator music I’ve ever had to sit through. And it’s six fuckng minutes long! Well it did nothing for me as expected, and flute leading in the next track doesn’t help either. Sigh.
For me, Jethro Tull succeed best — on this album anyway — when they stick to the slow blues boogies, as in “It’s breaking me up”, with again the return of that harmonica and little or no flute, but then I guess I have to take that back as “Cat’s squirrel” is fast and uptempo and great fun. But then again, it’s a cover. And there’s no flute. Most importantly, there is no flute. God I hate that flute. And it’s back for “A song for Jeffrey”, leaving its annoying fingermarks on the last instrumental track. Bah!
Favourite track(s): Some day the sun won’t shine for you, Beggar’s farm
Least favourite track(s): Serenade to a cuckoo, Dharma for one
Overall impression: Okay, as I said this is not a typical JT album, sure, but it has not done anything to change my opinion on them. That however will really have to wait till I review a “proper” Tull offering I guess. For now though, this does not come across to me as prog in any way, shape or form and with hindsight I probably should have omitted it and gone straight to their second album. Still, as it made them very popular I guess it has to have a decent Legacy Rating at least.
Personal Rating:1.0 
Legacy Rating: 4.0
Final Rating: 2.50
And so we go back to The Nice. When I reviewed their debut I was unexpectedly impressed. Is this likely to continue with the release of their second album, which featured one of those side-long suites, the title track in fact? This second outing also features Keith Emerson stepping out a little from behind the keyboard and taking on some vocal duties, which is in itself a little odd as once he joined ELP he just played and never sang. Maybe this album will underline why?
Album title: Ars longa vita brevis
Artist: The Nice
Nationality: British
Label: Immediate
Year: 1968
Grade: B
Previous Experience of this Artist: see the review of their debut
The Trollheart Factor: 2
Landmark value: I guess again, pretty much seen as a precursor to ELP, so significant in that regard and again, one of the albums that pushed both keyboard and classical influences more to the forefront than they had previously been.
Tracklisting: Daddy where did I come from/ Little Arabella/ Happy freuds/ Intermezzo from the Karelia suite/ Don Edito el Gruva/Ars Long vita brevis: (i) Prelude – 1st movement: Awakening (ii) 2nd movement: Realisation (iii) 3rd movement: Acceptance “Brandenburger” (iv) 4th movement: Denial (v) Coda: Extension to the big note
Comments: Before we get going, the title: apaprently it translates as something like “life is short but art is eternal”. Hmm. I see this album in some versions features “America” but as I’ve covered that on the debut (even if it’s shown as “2nd movement" and may be a little different; the joke has worn thin now) and it’s not on my copy we kick off on “Daddy where did I come from?” which has a sort of uptempo rocky Doors feel to it, certainly Emerson at centre stage again, no surprise there. Sounds like some sort of taped effects there being used: I could be wrong but I think only The Beatles had done that up to now. It’s okay but a bit meh. “Little Arabella” is quite annoying, just a basic rock track with not too much in the way of keyboard though there’s some nice piano. I do hear the orchestra they’re using this time out though. Super bass line but I’m not terribly impressed overall so far.
Okay well I see why he wasn’t invited to sing in ELP. Emerson is not a good singer. I know he’s putting it on a bit here in “Happy freuds” but it doesn’t work, not for me. Great keyboard work of course as ever, but again overall I’m pretty disappointed with this album at this point. I don’t know the classical piece “Intermezzo from Karelia Suite” by Sibelius, but I must admit The Nice’s version of it here is the best I’ve heard on this album so far … oh wait, I do know it. Just didn’t know that was the title. Nice stuff. The percussion really adds something. So after a tiny little totally pointless “track” we get to the suite.
Starts off well, big intro, though the titles seem a little skewed. If it’s meant to be a cycle of life/death, doesn’t denial come before acceptance? Anyway, hopefully this is where the album begins a decent upswing. Well after the intro the first movement is mostly percussion and has a nice kind of mechanical feel, titled as it is “Awakening” I can see how that works. It might be a shade too long though. As was said on the Bad News comedy programme, “He did a twenty-minute drum solo. Would have been longer, but I can’t stand drum solos.” I don’t think most people can. I know for me personally they get boring after a few minutes and this really drags on and on and on, nearly six minutes of pretty much the same thing. I’m sure if you’re a drummer you can appreciate it, for me it’s just tedious.
I can hear where Rush would pick up their early influences in the second movement, with a good driving guitar and keyboard combo, but oddly enough it has vocals; for some reason I thought this whole thing would be instrumental. Shows what I know, huh? I guess the third movement then uses Bach’s Brandenburg concerto as a basis, given the subtitle. Pretty cool all right. Fourth movement rocks pretty well but is again just really a showcase for Emerson’s flamboyance. I think this would have worked better overall without the vocal part. Not bad though.
Favourite track(s): Intermezzo from the Karelia Suite, Ars Longa vita brevis (most of it)
Least favourite track(s): Everything else really
Overall impression: Meh. Nowhere near as impressed with this as I was with the debut. Kind of confused as to where it wants to go: first side is basic rock while side two is a classical suite. Confusing.
Personal Rating: 2.0
Legacy Rating: 4.0
Final Rating: 3.0
It’s a return to Canterbury next, though this is the first time we’ve featured, or even heard, this band, who were very instrumental in the Canterbury scene. Formed out of members of already-mentioned The Wilde Flowers, who didn’t release any albums and who also spawned previously featured Caravan, Soft Machine (who at this point, rather like Barret, Waters, Wright and Mason had the definite article before their name and were therefore known as The Soft Machine till the next year) pioneered much of what would become known as jazz fusion, and would go on to perhaps explore the excesses that would dog progressive rock later through bands such as ELP and Yes, with side-long suites on their albums. A side effect of one of the band members being refused re-entry into the UK later would be that another classic psychedelic/prog band would be born, under the name of Gong.
Soft Machine’s self-titled first album was, however, restrained in comparison to later efforts, and the longest song on it runs for just over seven minutes, though I’m reliably informed that live versions of another track, “We did it again” could often run to three-quarters of an hour. You sit through that, you’re either dedicated or stoned out of your brain. You choose.
Album title: The Soft Machine
Artist: (The) Soft Machine
Nationality: British
Label: ABC Probe
Year: 1968
Grade: A
Previous Experience of this Artist: Zero
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Landmark value: One of the progenitors of the Canterbury Scene, and giving birth also to Gong, the impact of Soft Machine upon progressive rock, and psychedelic rock too, can’t really be overstated
Tracklisting: Hope for happiness/Joy of a toy/Hope for happiness reprise/Why am I so short/So boot if at all/ A certain kind/ Save yourself/ Priscilla/Lullabye letter/We did it again/Plus belle qu’une poubelle/Why are we sleeping/Box 25/4 lid
Comments: Can’t say I’m sold on Robert Wyatt’s vocals; sort of like a low drawl or something. The music’s good, pretty penetrating bass and as expected plenty of wild keyboard going on, but I’m not really buying into it just at this point. “Joy of a toy” is much better, love the phased guitar (look, I’m not a guitarist ok? It sounds phased or some sort of effect to me) and Kevin Ayers’ slick bass really drives the tune too. Almost a settling down after the somewhat directionless opener. Like this a lot, very laidback. The reprise of the opener drags it all back down though, but at least it’s only short.
You can really hear the jazz influences on “Why am I so short”, but despite that (!) I like it. “So boot if at all” (huh?) suffers from that other bugbear of mine, extended drum solos and I feel it too meanders all over the place and is way too long at over seven minutes. Some nice ideas but it’s not too cohesive. The organ on “A certain kind” is just gorgeous, however the vocals are so low in the mix I almost can’t hear them (I’m never quite sure if this is a fault in my amp, but I’ve been able to hear the vox on the rest of the tracks okay so I’ll say no) then “Save yourself” is much harsher, again organ-driven but very sharp, though at least I can hear the vocals this time. Good enough song to be fair. “Priscilla” is a neat little keyboard workout that works well, instrumental again and it slides right into “Lullabye letter”, which I also like a lot. Interestingly, this track is nothing like the ballad I would have expected; it’s quite frenetic really and has some powerful keys in it.
I’ve been prepared for this from reading about it, but it’s still odd to find that “We did it again” is not even basically, but literally, just those four words repeated against pretty much the same melody all through its three minutes and forty-six second run. Different certainly, but I wonder how many people would listen to that for forty-five minutes without being high? Even stranger: this is the first track on which Ayers takes vocal duties, but what can you do with four words? Hard to gauge his performance, and he’s only on one other track here. The next one up is just over a minute, with a French title which I can’t translate, (either beauty or something, maybe) but it seems to be more or less just an extension of the musical idea within “We did it again”, then “Why are we sleeping?” gives Ayers a chance to sing properly.
Except he speaks. Ah. Great organ line underpinning the melody I must say. A few piano notes then ends the album. Overall I think I liked this more than I hated it, but so far not a fan.
Favourite track(s): Joy of a toy, A certain kind, Priscilla, Lullabye letter, Why are we sleeping
Least favourite track(s): Hope for happiness, So boot if at all
Overall impression: You have to give credit to Soft Machine for their legacy, and this is a decent album, but it hasn’t made me want to listen to the rest of their stuff just yet. Still, there are some interesting ideas on it that I’m sure they expanded on, so I’ll file this under “may grow to like” and see how we do as the years go on and we move further into the history of progressive rock. For now…
Personal Rating: 3.0
Legacy Rating: 5.0
Final Rating: 4.0
Another band to impress me — one of the first, of those of which I knew little initially — was Procol Harum, and like many prog bands coming up at this time they didn’t hang around for years waiting to release their followup to the self-titled debut which gave them their massive and classic single. Like The Nice, this album also features an almost side-long suite which runs for just over seventeen minutes, one of the first of what would become de rigeur among the bigger prog bands, with Genesis, Rush, Yes and ELP all following suit(e) – sorry — and making this almost expected as the seventies burgeoned with what could in fairness be said to be progressive rock’s excess. But for now, this was new, this was exciting, and this was a challenge to the ears of those listening to it for the first time.
Album title: Shine on brightly
Artist: Procol Harum
Nationality: British
Label: Regal Zonophone
Year: 1968
Grade: A
Previous Experience of this Artist: See review of debut album
The Trollheart Factor: 3
Landmark value: Following on from their impressive debut, Procol Harum had by now made a name for themselves with the timeless “A whiter shade of pale” ensuring their place in rock history. This album though contains one of the first side-long (or almost) suites that would become a staple of future prog rock albums.
Tracklisting: Quite rightly so/Shine on brightly/Skip softly (my moonbeams)/Wish me well/Ramble on/Magdalene (My regal zonopohone)/In held 'twas I: [(i) Glimpses of Nirvana (ii) 'twas teatime at the circus (iii) In the autumn of my madness (iv) Look to your soul (v) Grand finale
Comments: Unbelievably, Spotify don’t have this album (though they have plenty of PH) and Grooveshark, though it does have it, omits the fucking suite! What’s the point in that? So, a YouTubing I must go. And the big Y does not let me down. Starts off well with a good rocker, plenty of keyboard and organ, then the title track has a slow classical piano intro and a spoken word start before effects slam in and keyboard and piano take the tune into a more uptempo vein. “Skip softly (my moonbeams)” has a staccato, marching beat to it, more guitar driven with a really good instrumental workout at the end.
Good old honest blues drives “Wish me well”, great organ and powerful piano with a really strong vocal; like this one a lot. And “Rambling on”, with its slow blues balladry and growling guitar. Just great. Nothing bad so far. Things stay slow then for “Magdalene (My regal zonophone)” with a slow militaristic drumbeat and some bright organ before we move into the suite. Somewhat like The Moody Blues on Days of future passed, it opens with a spoken passage while some spacey organ holds court in the background. Sitar coming through then a nice slow piano passage with choral vocals, which give way to another spoken passage.
A madcap carnival beat then for the second part, “'twas teatime at the circus”, very psychedelic, while “In the autumn of my madness” is total prog, with big booming organ and a great vocal, guitars slicing across the melody too, then it gets really dark and menacing with a stomping, marching beat driven on bass and piano with the guitar painting its strokes across the music, before this breaks down into a melancholic piano passage. “Look to your soul” is the fourth movement of the piece and brings it all down to earth, heavy percussion kicking in before the big finale brings it all to a close in fine style, making this the second PH album that has seriously impressed me.
Favourite track(s): Everything.
Least favourite track(s): Nothing.
Overall impression: Really loved this album, and given what happened with the Nice on ALVB I thought maybe it might be pushing it for this to be as good as their debut, but it outshines even that. Just brilliant. I look forward to hearing more of their material, and can certainly say this is a great example of a proto-prog rock record, a formula many other bands would follow in the years to come.
Personal Rating: 5.0
Legacy Rating: 3.0
Final Rating: 4.0
As I stated when I listed the albums I’d be reviewing for 1968, I have my doubt about this final one, but I see that David Bowie covered two of their songs, so that must be some sort of claim to fame. Nevertheless, I’ve never heard of them at all, so wonder if this is an album I should be covering? Furthermore, it’s their fourth, and as most if not all of the main progressive rock bands are only starting around now, this seems like it may be the output of a psych/blues band who might have turned towards progressive rock at this time. If so, then I guess that’s okay but I hope it’s not a Safe as milk or Fifth dimension, having very little to do with the genre. Mind you, it is a concept album, and arguably an influence on The Who’s later classic, Tommy, so perhaps it deserves its place.
Album title: S.F. Sorrow
Artist: The Pretty Things
Nationality: British
Label: Columbia
Year: 1968
Grade: C
Previous Experience of this Artist: Zero
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Landmark value: Another one of the early concept albums, but other than that I have to say I don’t really see the LV for this one. I’ve never heard of them at all, though of course that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.
Tracklisting: S.F. Sorrow is born/Bracelets of fingers/She says good morning/Private Sorrow/Balloon burning/Death/Baron Saturday/The Journey/I see you/Well of destiny/Trust/Old man going/Loneliest person
Comments: The concept revolves around a life, the eponymous character, and to be fair, the moment it starts, though I’m not that familiar with The Who’s epic, from what I have heard I can hear the similarities. It’s very hard-folk oriented, with a strong guitar line driving the opener, which leaves you in no doubt as to the theme: “S.F Sorrow is born”. Sebastian F. Sorrow is the protagonist, but as this is a very short look at the album I won’t be going into the concept, which I don’t know anyway. I hear trumpets and other brass here which somehow gives the song a kind of Mariachi feel in part. “Bracelets of fingers” is a slower track, very Beatles/Beach Boys, then kicks into a kind of Barret-Floyd vibe, picking up tempo. The stop/start nature of the song is a little offputting; hope that doesn’t continue all through the album.
The next one is more hard rock really, good guitar while the one following that is back to folk, with flute and maybe sitar, bit repetitive. I can hear the sound Bowie would adopt in the vocals of Phil May, particularly in “Balloon burning”. Much slower and almost a precursor to some of the stuff Nick Cave would do in the eighties is “Death”, with much moaning and crashing of slow cymbals. Nice bit of guitar coming in to shake it up for a moment but it’s basically a dour piece, as you would expect from a song so titled.
“Baron Saturday” has a vague kind of “Yellow submarine” hippy groove to it, some interesting effects in “Well of destiny”, but overall I’m just kind of bored, a little uncaring, and while “Trust” has a nice laidback guitar ballad in it, I’m in that frame of mind now where I’m just waiting for the album to end. Which it does reasonably well as it happens, but I’m just not that interested now.
Favourite track(s): Didn’t like or dislike anything enough to choose.
Least favourite track(s):
Overall impression: Meh. Probably should have gone with my instincts and not bothered.
Personal Rating: 1.0
Legacy Rating: 3.0
Final Rating: 2.0
And so we come to the end of 1968. While there were some very influential and important albums released this year (the second efforts from Floyd and Procol Harum, Soft Machine’s debut, Zappa’s lunatic masterpiece) I feel the progressive rock iceberg was still about ninety-eight percent still submerged under the waters, with only the barest glimpses being given of what was to come. It wouldn’t really be until 1970 that really classic prog rock albums would come to the surface, but 1969 does have at least a far longer list to choose from, and with bands like King Crimson,Yes and Van der Graaf — to say nothing of Genesis — entering the fray, you can probably begin to see the first real shapes beginning to emerge in the portrait prog rock would draw through the seventies.
I have to admit, I haven’t been overly impressed with the crop so far. Even back to 1967, with a few exceptions these come across as bands trying to tentatively cross over the borders from blues or psychedelic rock to the new genre, or in the case of some, like The Nice, performing a balancing act by keeping one foot firmly on the ground of classical and jazz music while trying to stretch over and see how far they can make it into rock territory before losing their equilibrium and falling back on one side or other of the fence. Nobody strikes me as really going for it: even Floyd have still at this point the ghost of Syd Barrett to deal with, and until they shook that free in 1973 they would never really quite be regarded as a pure progressive rock band. It would take five more albums until they would finally hit the winning formula and define the sound of a generation. The Moody Blues would continue testing the boundaries, while Zappa would delight in kicking them down and trampling on them while scrawling rude messages on the brickwork, but would never really fall into the same category as the likes of Rush, Genesis, Camel and Yes. Jethro Tull would fart about for a few more years before finally deciding to go all-in with Aqualung in 1971, while Soft Machine would tread their own weird path into the seventies and The Nice would disband to allow Emerson’s ego a much larger stage to strut on from 1970.
1969 was, though, when things began to get interesting, and that’s where we’re headed next.