SPYGLASS GUEST

This band was one of the names that colored my teenage life as their albums always sounded different than any other bands in the seventies. Yes, this was not one of the ones that I particularly talked with my friends whom most of them much more familiar with more popular names like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Bad Company or Yes, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Genesis, ELP. Only few friends of mine - or in fact no one - was aware about this band. By that time I was only familiar with one album that I always spun the cassette: 'Time and Tide' album which I like the song called 'Newsworth' that became my longtime favorite at that time.

NOW, when I am looking at the reality that I have not reviewed this legendary (at least for me, personally!) album I was quite shocked knowing that most reviewers have different views about this album that made the overall mark of 3.21 by the time I am writing this. Not bad and it's OK, at least it's not something less than three stars. Next thing is how should I start reviewing this album? First off, my personal mission is really to twist those who aready put the less than 4 stars rating for this album and the following explains why you should mark this album as a four-star one.

First, when you listen to this album, do not expect to find which of the 8 tracks offered here are excellent tracks. Why? If you find good or excellent track, meaning that you have set your mind into what so called song-orientated mentality. No harm with that but ... you miss the opportunity to look at this album into a helicopter view where actually what these gentlemen offered was something that must be looked at its entirety like a concept album - how the music flows overall from start to end and how each passage of music is delivered to cater with transition from one mood / style to another or from one track to another. Push yourself into this condition and look at the whole 8 tracks form as one single track like you enjoy Jethro Tull's Thick As A Brick or A Passion Play. Having done so, I am sure it would change your mind from nitty-gritty things looking at the album so narrowly. Well, I am not sure - and I really don't care - whether or not this is a concept album - as it's totally irrelevant. You can make your concept album by setting your mind into looking at this album in its entirety. For me personally, this is so captivating especially looking at the ways instruments are played here combining the unique keyboard sounds, unique vocal line and jaw dropping drumwork. (This is gonna be another descriptive explanation I am gonna make it for you in the following paragraph...).

Second, please pay particular attention on every single piece of instrument as you enjoy the music flows from one track to another - or in fact from one segment to another in particular track. Have you observed something unique? You bet! You've just found that the keyboard sounds are terrific and they are all unique that you could hardly fine had been played by other musicians! It does not matter who actually played the keyboard - it's Dave Greenslade or Dave Lawson as both of them sound wonderful throughout the album. What else? Vocal! Yes.... smart guess!!! Look at how the vocal quality is really unique especially when it's combined beautifully with keyboard work like you can find at track 5 Joie de Vivre. Oh man .. I really love this kind of sound! It's terrific! What else did you find? The drumming man ....!!! Look at how inventive and dynamic the drumwork performed by Andrew McCulloch! Well, I am sure that if Andrew still continued his existence in music business he would be one of the best progrock drummers in the same or similar style like Bill Bruford. He played also with King Crimson (Lizard), Manfred Mann's Earth Band and other bands. He was a very talented drummer prog music had ever had. Unfortunately he stopped his existence to music business and became a Yacht Master. You can also find very nice violin work throughout this album.

I do not find anything bad from this album and that's why I think this one is worth an excellent rating or 4 stars. In terms of songs, there is last track that was quite well popular in my country at that time and the time when we had classic rock radio M97 sometime in 2000, i.e the last track:Theme for an Imaginary Western (3:51). Keep on proggin' ...!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

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