^^ Don't know from this description. Could be another England: https://www.discogs.com/England-England/release/4476877
^^ Don't know from this description. Could be another England: https://www.discogs.com/England-England/release/4476877
Yes, it's a different band.
WANTED: Sig-worthy quote.
I've been streaming this album since reading the thread. Lots of nice mellotron, and I like the music, but the lead vocals are tough for me to listen to. When they are harmonizing it's not bad, but the lead vocals on their own seem week to me. A little Yes, obvious Hackett influence from the guitarist. I've listened twice, and it's nice, but I dont think it is something I would listen to often.
I see there’s a lot of people coming out of the woodwork to rag on this album, so allow me to give it a little boost. Yes, it’s basically the first second-string prog album (i.e.: the first prog album to be inspired by other prog bands, rather than being formed full-cloth from classical, folk, rock and jazz influences) and it’s not fantastically original. But for what it is, I think it’s excellent, superbly written, arranged and executed. Frankly, I find it superior to a lot of “classic” British releases from the first wave of prog. I find Garden Shed to be superior than the entire recorded output of Greenslade, for example.
Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...
^^^ Every time an England thread pops up here on PE, I give Garden Shed another listen on YouTube. It's taken me 2-3 years but I admit I'm getting hooked. You are right, Progbear, it is the writing and arranging that make this one a winner. I will probably spring for the new 2-cd version.
Disagree about Greenslade, though. I love 'em.
It took a while to hook me as well. I was just about to give up on GS when it finally clicked with me. Funny, I had a similar reaction to the Locanda delle Fate album, which occupies a similar place in the Italian pantheon.
They have their moments, good and bad. But they definitely feel “second tier” to me.Disagree about Greenslade, though. I love 'em.
Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...
Just saw this for the first time. A single?
Here's a question: does the drummer use a tom or have the snares turned "off" on GS? It has that kind of sound to it.
I seem to recall reading that drummer Jode Leigh removed all but two or three of the snare wires (is that what they're called?) from the bottom of the snare drum in order to get that sound.
Hardly so, not even in the UK. Druid, Kestrel and others outbeat them, and they were just the few examples; lots of names on the continent too, like Switzerland's clunky combos Flame Dream and Welcome. Also, the notion of the term "prog band" as generally synonymous with "symphonic rock band" turns into a somewhat misleading outline.
But Yeah, I still agree that Garden Shed is not only "great for what it is" but for basically not pretending to be so much more than what it very obviously is. As for Greenslade, they were essentially an early example of a band more directly indebted to first generation "progressives" than to any raw materials underneath. Some of their efforts succeeded big time, some was highly uneven and parts were simply awful. IMO, of course. I don't find much awful about England, though.
Except:
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
The shown version of The Imperial Hotel was a mini-album which was given away during concerts in Japan in 2006.
It was indeed their first recorded piece, but it wasn't released until 2006.
The version on the live-album Kikimimi is much shorter (almost 15 minutes) than the original version.
Because that EP is hard to get you better buy The Samurai Of Prog's "The Imperial Hotel", which is even longer than the original version.
This lesser-known England kicks some serious *&%$. Olly Allcock is a hell of a guitarist with a lot of good riffs and fills in his repertoire. Shrieking vocals about Ospreys and the like. Pure proto-prog bliss. Had this come out in '68 instead of '76 these guys could've been contenders.
The '76 England left a unique platter of folksy hard rock that slotted perfectly among their UK contemporaries — Alkatraz, Bandit, Charlie, City Boy, Strapps, Stretch, Boxer, Streetwalkers, Lone Star, Krazy Kat, Nutz, Racing Cars, Tiger, et al. Couldn't imagine them emerging at any earlier point in time.
In-depth History of Music from Around the Globe (1967–1985)
Music from the British Isles A–Z (1964–1988)
Jazz-Funk/Fusion Albums from the United States: 525+ titles, semi-annotated
TriMax Soul Albums from the United States: 950+ titles, semi-annotated
Albums from Germany: 1,150 titles, semi-annotated
Albums from France: 1,000 titles, semi-annotated
Albums from Italy: 700 titles, semi-annotated
Zolo Sound Collage
^^^ To me, they sound like contemporaries of High Tide, T2 or Clear Blue Sky. So maybe '70 rather than '68? Of the bands you list I agree with you on Streetwalkers, but they were still doing the '70 sound via Family. Others like City Boy were much slicker.
HuGo"Very, very nice," said a man in the crowd,
When the golden voice appeared.
She was gold alright, but then so is rust.
"Such a shame about the beard."
A friend made me a tape of Midnight Madness. I listened to that many times and blissed out to it years before I ever heard the whole album. That song is a real gem and far outshines the more epic-length tracks on the album, as decent as they are. I find the drumming unique in tone, perfect for the music and brilliant. I'd say this album would be easy to dismiss as silly and derivative if there weren't a pretty substantial level of inspiration and craft at its best moments.
Some "new" music by Robert Webb, from the album The Good Choir Songbook
Balham SW12 includes a cover of the Beatles-track Maxwell's Silver Hammer:
If not playable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czF71nOV1P0
First of all, an unreserved recommendation for the fans of the good ol' Symphonic rock can be made. It's an extremely interesting cross between elements from the 70's Genesis and Yes. The band really knew how to use the characteristic stylistic devices of these two bands without looking like a copy. Rather, a variant that is unique of this kind has been created. Martin Henderson sings in higher registers and he sings well; his voice is clear and goes thoroughly with the music, and therewith he doesn't imitate Jon Anderson.
From the instrumental side, the wonderful Mellotron and the wonderfully booming bass are particularly noteworthy. Parallels to Yes can be drawn precisely because of the variable bass playing, which is very similar to that of Chris Squire. From the general atmosphere one is closer to Genesis. In the case of the sophisticated polyphonic singing, Gentle Giant can also come to mind. Otherwise, what is offered here is wonderfully independent and refreshing.
In terms of quality, England offer five really great songs. Particularly noteworthy is the extremely dynamic "Midnight Madness" as an introduction. Further highlights are the two long tracks "All Alone" and "Poisoned Youth". Here really all the elements are present that make the heart of every sympho-rock nostalgic beat faster. So the style of England is anything but getting used to, you feel at home somehow; "Garden Shed" is always fun if you are into the 'symphonic' sound of the Seventies.
In the end, England weren't like the children who are so similar to the ancestors without reaching their own class and originality that one would rather turn back to the originals. Although the reminiscences and influences are audible, these Englishmen created their own mix of them, which they put under their own fund. After all, doesn't a genre emerge only when great role models get their creative followers?
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