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Thread: FEATURED CD: Public Foot The Roman - s/t

  1. #1
    Moderator Poisoned Youth's Avatar
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    FEATURED CD: Public Foot The Roman - s/t



    Straddling somewhere between Camel and Wishbone Ash, I picked this album up once at a record store for $3 on a whim not knowing what it was. I was pleasantly surprised.

    Review from ProgArchives (Trane)
    3.5 stars really!!!

    Sole album from this formation although their self-titled album bore a striking Hipgnosis artwork that could evoke Close encounter a few years before hand. This Cambridge combo derived their amusing name from road panels, much like a Canterbury band did that same year. A double guitar prog quintet where the vocals played a major role, and three member sang lead, while all of them contributed to choirs, PFTR had a fairly

    Apart the atrocious radio-friendly opening track Land Owner (XXX, , PFTR is still often sounding like those early 70?s UK proto-prog bands (not in PA?s definition or PR) and a prototype of future AOR that would overflow the airwaves later in the decade. Indeed the much superior When You Lay It Down is more in the organ driven hard prog mould (with a bit of Yes Album tinge) meeting Argus-like Wishbone Ash. While not quite as bad as the opener, King For A Day sounds like third rate Lynyrd (that country feel) meeting Wishbone, while the 6-mins Judas Return takes on a Yes turn, simply because the band takes its time to show more than basic song schemas.

    The flipside is filled with more of the same (bat of course the opener) and the Yes and WA influences abound but are never overbearing either, because PFTR has its own sound as well. The organ-driven Don?t Bite The Hand is great moment of interplay, once past the fairly conventional song format. The following on My Mind might just be the catchiest track on the album, starting on acoustic arpeggios and remaining acoustic over triple vocal harmonies (Cressida?s better moments are also on my mind here). All is left is the 8-mins+ Decline And Fall, the Yesser track of the album and again plenty of time to mingle strings, keys and skins.

    The band (half the band, actually) would then commit a strange suicide by getting rid of their original name and changing to a stupid one: the movies. They would go on to record a few albums under that moniker until the early 80?s, but I?ve never of the group or their albums. But getting back to PFTR, their album is certainly not anything essential or groundbreaking, but they stood in the pack of tens of dozens of valid bands that deserved more attention, but there was only so much space in the early 70?s sunlight. In other words if Wishbone ash had done Argus with keyboards and proggier and lesser D&D lyrics, it could?ve sounded like this





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  2. #2
    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    real 3rd tier stuff, imo.
    Steve F.

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    www.cuneiformrecords.com

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    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  3. #3
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Anything but essential, but pleasant at the time of discovery...

    Must say I haven't listened to that album since writing that review (which is fucked up, apparently PA didn't catch I was writing on a French KB with that one)
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  4. #4
    False Number 9 Pr33t's Avatar
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    I'm with the three of you so far. Good record store cheap purchase, but there are myriad bands doing this style better. Worth a listen if you're really into the proto-prog scene.

  5. #5
    Nice but far from essential...
    Macht das ohr auf!

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  6. #6
    Member Lopez's Avatar
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    I feel the same way. Got it for cheap a couple years ago at a used record store. The Sovereign label hooked me, having been the label for the Flash LPs; so, I took a chance. Played it once. Maybe I'll dig it out again.
    Lou

    Looking forward to my day in court.

  7. #7
    Shouldn’t that be “Featured LP”? As near as I can guess, this one never made it to CD.

    In any case, I guess you’d call this “proto-prog,” even though this is a bit late in the game for that kind of thing (1974). As far as UK bands who played a kind of mainstream rock that flirted with prog, these guys are better/more consistently good than, say, A Band Called “O” or Life, but not as strong as the proggier big names like Fantasy, Kestrel or Strange Days. I’d say it’s worth picking up with the realization that it’ll never be your favourite anything; “Judas Returns” and “Decline and Fall” justify this one’s existence.

    After this one album, the band merged with fellow Cambridge band Thunderbox (singer/slide guitarist Jon Cole, percussionist Julian Diggle, bassist Durban Laverde) and changed their name to The Movies. I have all the Movies albums bar the first (which was never released in the States*) and India. Most of their stuff is a bit in the 10cc “quirky pop songs” mode with some funk, blues and even fusion influences. Maybe a little comparable to Quantum Jump at times. In general, they’re bluesier and more “pub-rock,” though. Their last album, Motor Motor Motor (recorded at RCA studios in NYC), unsurprisingly sails into more of a new-wave/power pop direction.

    *there was a self-titled album released on US Arista by The Movies, but it was a totally different band; three refugees from the theatrical pop-rock band Uncle Vinty living and recording in NYC. I have their album and it’s “vaudevillian” pop music, with influences suggesting Nilsson and the Beach Boys. Some of it is good, mostly the A-side tracks, but it is way out-of-date for 1976! Their only other studio output, it seems, was the non-LP single A-side “Ahead of the Game,” the theme song from the original Fun With Dick and Jane:



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

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    Last edited by Progbear; 02-19-2013 at 04:25 PM.

  8. #8
    Moderator Poisoned Youth's Avatar
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    Tough crowd.
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    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poisoned Youth View Post
    Tough crowd.
    mediocre record

    Steve F.

    www.waysidemusic.com
    www.cuneiformrecords.com

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  10. #10
    Progga mogrooves's Avatar
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    Pretty prosaic stuff, but not without its charms. I've always (mostly) dug it--it IS sketchy--but woulld hesitate to recommend it unreservedly......
    Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes

  11. #11
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    Bought the LP in the 70's when it came out, but I kept it only a few years. Listening to the above tracks, it's more progressive than I remember. However, it's lacking in originality and some of the chord progressions reflect a lack of musical sense. Also kind of bland.

  12. #12
    Member Mythos's Avatar
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    I too bought it back in the 70's, back around when it was released, it was on the same label as Flash, it was pretty good back then, but considering everything that has been released since then, I have to agree that it is nothing special. I still have my LP copy...

  13. #13
    The Movies on OGWT:





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

    "The world of the heterosexual is a sick and boring life." --Edith Massey

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  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Progbear View Post
    Shouldn’t that be “Featured LP”? As near as I can guess, this one never made it to CD
    It is on CD on the Flawed Gems ‎label. 2011 unofficial reissue as GEM 68.
    Macht das ohr auf!

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  15. #15
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Progbear View Post
    Shouldn’t that be “Featured LP”? As near as I can guess, this one never made it to CD.
    didn't this get an Esoteric reissue??

    Quote Originally Posted by spacefreak View Post
    It is on CD on the Flawed Gems ‎label. 2011 unofficial reissue as GEM 68.
    Oooh, right... I got a very cheap (made and paid) Russian boot a few years back
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

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    Member interbellum's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poisoned Youth View Post
    Straddling somewhere between Camel and Wishbone Ash, I picked this album up once at a record store for $3 on a whim not knowing what it was. I was pleasantly surprised.
    I'm listening to this one for the first time from a scratched LP and especially the Wishbone Ash-style is clearly there. The one I lend it from also called Capability Brown's Voice. All in all a pleasant recording, although I don't think 'm gonna buy this second hand LP for 30 Euro. Maybe I'll get the CD-version.

    Quite unknown Hipgnosis-cover b.t.w.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by interbellum View Post
    I'm listening to this one for the first time from a scratched LP and especially the Wishbone Ash-style is clearly there. The one I lend it from also called Capability Brown's Voice. All in all a pleasant recording, although I don't think 'm gonna buy thishttp://youtu.be/-jgptB03xWo second hand LP for 30 Euro. Maybe I'll get the CD-version.

    Quite unknown Hipgnosis-cover b.t.w.
    It's a wtf cover with very interesting period stuff.I got vinyl unplayed .If it's scratched,value drops dramatically.

  18. #18
    Member ashratom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by interbellum View Post
    I'm listening to this one for the first time from a scratched LP and especially the Wishbone Ash-style is clearly there. The one I lend it from also called Capability Brown's Voice. All in all a pleasant recording, although I don't think 'm gonna buy this second hand LP for 30 Euro. Maybe I'll get the CD-version.

    Quite unknown Hipgnosis-cover b.t.w.
    Just a reminder that all the CDs for this title are pirates, as stated above. If you still have a turntable, LPs can still be had for cheap. In fact I bought a sealed US copy on ebay last year for $12 maybe?

    As for the music, it took me awhile to come to terms with it, but it's much better than its reputation I think. The opening track is off-putting - and there's a couple of other straight rock and roll segments to endure. But there's some fine progressions within as well.

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    I think it's a criminally underrated record; not perfect, but I've played PFTR more times than anything by Genesis or Yes.

  20. #20
    Member moecurlythanu's Avatar
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    Agree with Tom and Jim. It's not a masterpiece by any means, but a nice, solid album, and better than it's rep. Back in the 80s, when I had few obscure Prog albums, I was pleased to find this. If I was to have found it recently, it might not make make as much of an impression. Who knows?

  21. #21
    I had been asked for it quite a few times as well.

  22. #22
    Fourthed? Fifthed? I lost count, but I agree with those who say it's an above average record. Haven't heard it in a couple of years, though - need to dig out my old LP for another spin.

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    Bought this as a cutout in a store in Philadelphia and think it is great. Just one duff song as I recall. Always thought of it as rock, but back then (to me) the lines between prog and rock were hard to discern. Prog was rock, but rock wasn't necassarily prog. Doesn't matter anyway, I love it. Another I picked up around the same time was Goodthunder. Of course it doesn't apply here, but elsewhere I never come across anyone who knows of these bands.

  24. #24
    Member ashratom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jglfan View Post
    Bought this as a cutout in a store in Philadelphia and think it is great. Just one duff song as I recall. Always thought of it as rock, but back then (to me) the lines between prog and rock were hard to discern. Prog was rock, but rock wasn't necassarily prog. Doesn't matter anyway, I love it. Another I picked up around the same time was Goodthunder. Of course it doesn't apply here, but elsewhere I never come across anyone who knows of these bands.
    GoodThunder is another fine band. From Los Angeles if I recall. Similar to Public Foot the Roman in that its a bit inconsistent, but lots of excellent moments too,. Unlike PFtR, GT did receive a CD reissue a couple of year back (Wounded Bird).

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by ashratom View Post
    GoodThunder is another fine band. From Los Angeles if I recall. Similar to Public Foot the Roman in that its a bit inconsistent, but lots of excellent moments too,. Unlike PFtR, GT did receive a CD reissue a couple of year back (Wounded Bird).
    Yes. That's why I think that many confuse them as being a british band.
    Macht das ohr auf!

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