FEATURED CD: Greenslade : Greenslade

[Duncan Glenday]

http://c3.cduniverse.ws/MuzeAudioArt/Large/16/744116.jpg

Per Allmusic:


Not long after the disintegration of Colosseum, Greenslade was born, with their inaugural self-titled album whetting the appetites of progressive rock fans worldwide

Dave Greenslade used the group to showcase his illustrious keyboard intricacies alongside Tony Reeves' bass guitar, Andrew McCulloch's predominant percussion work, and Dave Lawson's vocals, all of which made Greenslade a quintessential prog album. The attention almost never veers from David Greenslade's beautiful organ texturing, alternating between hard and delicate patterns while defining the album's pure progressive sound. Reeves' bass riffs are spatial and thorough, complimenting the keyboard runs when needed while falling in behind the music at the proper times.

Although the three instrumental pieces ("An English Western," "Melange," and "Sundance") aim the spotlight straight at Greenslade, the vocal tracks are just as worthy.

The lyrics are of a simple nature, unlike Yes' brand of fantastical poetry, and they adhere perfectly to the instruments, especially on the sincere "What Are You Doin' to Me." For this project and the rest of Greenslade's albums, Dave Greenslade exchanges the jazz-infused stylishness of his Colosseum days for the complexities of a progressive rock realm, and his transition ends up being faultless.

Bedside Manners carries on with the same rich, keyboard-led sound, while another member from Colosseum, guitarist Dave Clempson, joins on for 1974's Spyglass Guest, in which the electronics were noticeably toned down.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR_Q7ZbhO6w


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2nl7aTkDMY

Greenslade's Web site:
http://www.angelfire.com/music4/greenslade/index.html

[mogrooves]

A fairly solid debut from a band that never reached its potential, considering its members.

This and Bedside Manners are the ones I reach for, but all are worth acquiring just for McCulloch....

[kayfabe58]

the only reason I bought Greenslade was for AM!

[PROGMONSTER]

Great album and easily as good as Tulls, yes, genesis, gentle giant, camels etc best albums. Fine compositions and musicianship. Melange, whatcha, temple, sundance, drowning man are all great tracks. Makes no sense that a 70s progger wouldn't love these

[spacefreak]

There is a parallel thread on them.

http://www.progressiveears.org/forum/showthread.php/1101-Greenslade

[notallwhowander]

The vocals tend to throw me out. Not, on the whole, good. The music is solid, however the tones sound so much like classic Yes, that I always end up thinking about classic Yes. Like many other prog rock albums, it doesn't fare well in the comparison. So, IMO, firmly in the second tier of things, like Paladin's Charge or Gravy Train's Staircase to the Day. They all have the awesome cover art, but don't quite hit the musical heights as the "Big 5" bands. They are enjoyable though.

[gregory]

I can't hear even a shade of Yes in Greenslade's music. Let's forget the covers, Dean had done tons of covers. I guess nobody would compare Yes to Osibisa, or am I wrong in this presumpsion..

[notallwhowander]

It's the instrument tones, I'm talking about. The bass sounds similar, the keys sound similar, to the point that I wouldn't be surprised if they had the same makes and models.

[meimjustalawnmower]

I can't hear even a shade of Yes in Greenslade's music.
You must be kidding.

[PROGMONSTER]

I only hear yes in melange. The rest sounds like any other early 70s prog band. They all used organ. My fave yes album is the yes album, but I think I like greenslade debut more.

[Trane]

There is a parallel thread on them.

http://www.progressiveears.org/forum/showthread.php/1101-Greenslade


Which no doubt prompted this thread...

[PROGMONSTER]

The yes heads don't want to like greenslade :D
I barely see much between their 4 albums from 72-75 and yes' 4 albums from 70-73. We need more balance from prog fans. Less over rating and less under rating is needed :p

[Rand Kelly]

If anyone knows the mellotron chords in the bridge and would like to share what they are-feel free please. WmpxpSQi6jA See? It still doesn't work since I switched to Windows 8. So it's a link to What Are You Doing To Me? http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=WmpxpSQi6jA

[notallwhowander]

The [yt] thing is out. The
thing is in (all-caps on the [video]). Or just click the little filmstrip icon in the toolbar above the reply pane. A pop-up will ask you to enter the url. Be sure to cut-and-paste the entire url, not just the code identifying the video.

Like so...

[video=youtube;WmpxpSQi6jA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=WmpxpSQi6jA

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

The vocals tend to throw me out. Not, on the whole, good. The music is solid, however the tones sound so much like classic Yes, that I always end up thinking about classic Yes. Like many other prog rock albums, it doesn't fare well in the comparison. So, IMO, firmly in the second tier of things, like Paladin's Charge or Gravy Train's Staircase to the Day. They all have the awesome cover art, but don't quite hit the musical heights as the "Big 5" bands.

Couldn't possibly disagree more. The comparisons with Paladin and Gravy Train based on Roger Dean cover art are utterly superfluous, and the bit about "musical heights" of the "Big 5" bands is laughable

[Scrotum Scissor]

Nice one! Their best, IMO. With BMaE right behind.

Lawson retains some of his restraint (read that again!) as vocalist here, a quality which was somewhat more apparent during his Web/Samurai years. By the time the 'Slades got to Time and Tide and the dude was aching out "Yesterday Was a Friend" (plus doubled vibrato-soprano chorus, somewhere from Hell-Heaven), his was one of the worst voices available. IMHO.

[notallwhowander]

Couldn't possibly disagree more. The comparisons with Paladin and Gravy Train based on Roger Dean cover art are utterly superfluous, and the bit about "musical heights" of the "Big 5" bands is laughable
Paladin and Gravy Train were easy second-tier references because of the cover art, but the argument still remains. Paladin, Gravy Train, or Greenslade aren't the top tier of prog. They just aren't the same caliber as Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, ELP, Gentile Giant, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, etc. They were neither as innovative, nor as influential, and not nearly commonly referenced in fan communities such as this. They're good, just not that good. You think this album stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Close to the Edge, Larks' Tongues in Aspic, or Selling England by the Pound? You're welcome to it. To my ears it's nowhere close.

[Gravedigger]

Loves me some Greenslade!

I readily accept that they were a second-tier group, never attaining the heights of the Big 5-7-9. What I don't accept is that they were copycats. There is bound to be some similarity when using
some of the same instruments (Rick bass, mellotrons, etc.), but the compositions and keyboard voicings always sounded unique to me. You can tell its Greenslade on first listen.

I always thought of them as less successful contemporaries of the Big 5-11-12. The band Greenslade may have started later than some of the others, but the individual members had been involved
in the scene with other bands prior to forming. I know three of the original members had recorded side-long pieces before Yes or Genesis.

[Progbear]

the keys sound similar, to the point that I wouldn't be surprised if they had the same makes and models.

Well, both bands used Hammond organs and Mellotrons, but what prog band didn’t in those days? :lol Both bands also used the RMI electronic piano. I’m not going to try and figure out what make of acoustic piano both bands used. :lol

Dave Lawson used a Fender-Rhodes electric piano with Greenslade, something only Patrick Moraz used during his brief tenure with Yes (and then only on “Sound Chaser,” I think). Also, Yes were a Moog band, and Lawson used ARP synthesizers (an Odyssey and a 2600). Lawson also used a Crumar Stringman on later albums.

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"Parece cosa de maligno. Los pianos no estallan por casualidad." --Gabriel Garcia Marquez

N.P.:“Toujours trop tard”-Maneige/Libre service

[PROGMONSTER]

If they did 10 albums from 1970-80 they would be a big 5 band probably

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

Paladin and Gravy Train were easy second-tier references because of the cover art, but the argument still remains. Paladin, Gravy Train, or Greenslade aren't the top tier of prog. They just aren't the same caliber as Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, ELP, Gentile Giant, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, etc. They were neither as innovative, nor as influential, and not nearly commonly referenced in fan communities such as this. They're good, just not that good. You think this album stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Close to the Edge, Larks' Tongues in Aspic, or Selling England by the Pound? You're welcome to it. To my ears it's nowhere close.

I would put them far ahead of Yes(the vocals - not good), ahead of Pink Floyd, and on equal footing with the others. This album blows the doors off Close to the Edge and Larks Tongues, and is on a par with Selling England. Had they stayed around longer, they may have started churning out drivel like Tormato, Duke, Love beach, etc, but we'll never know. They left with two great albums, one reasonable one, and Time and Tide(blame Martin Briley for that one), and NOBODY in those other bands could outplay McCullogh.

[lovecraft]

2nd or third tier but some nice tunes and I have no major problem with Lawsons vocals - hell, this is prog, freaky or unusual vocalists is par for the course. I agree that they never did sound as good as they looked on paper. And what is it with that cheap organ he uses.......just doesn't sound right.....?

[Rand Kelly]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WmpxpSQi6jA

thank you notallwhowonder. I did this one without the video in caps and it worked. :)