NATURE'S CLEAR WELL

The only thing at all controversial or revolutionary about "Nature's Clear Well" is its backstory. Already somewhat hippy- dippy even for 1975, its release was delayed to 1978, and, in a monumental display of record company hubris, they unilaterally changed the name from Waniyetula to GALAXY, Having said all that, while we still can't quite hone in on the band's precise geographic origins - it's either Germany, Switzerland, or some agglomeration of the two - naming themselves after the Lakota word for winter was almost as brazen as the name change stunt. At least the music and lyrics are congruent with the GALAXY moniker. Yes it is a trite, generic band name, but that too is consistent with the contents of "Nature's Clear Well".

This is generally accessible prog with decent and frequent vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, and plenty of vintage keyboards. I'm reminded of the usual suspects, but also of GRACIOUS, NEKTAR, GROBSCHNITT, and even a few American bands of that time that I can't quite discern. While I'm obviously not a big fan, this is well played with a fair share of pleasant passages, but which are rarely dynamic or lasting in their impact. Similarly, the lyrics are not particularly strong but also not embarrassing. By far my favorite track is "Dreams out in the Rain", with everything you might want in a 6 minute prog song, from a fine melody to exquisite vocal harmonies and keyboards including mellotron flute.

In the universe of 1970s prog rock, "Nature's Clear Well" is obscure for reasons that have nothing to do with its contents, but even if it were better known to more of us, I doubt it would merit more than a tiny-fonted footnote. The band went on to release a slightly better album in the early 1980s under their original name. 2.5 stars rounded down.