SACRED BABOON

Second, but unreleased at the time, album of the Indiana-Illinois quintet combo Yezda Urfa. Recorded in 76 (one year after the release of their debut album), Sacred Baboon didn't see the light of the day, until Greg Walker's label Syn-Phonic (now long-defunct) made it one of their first publications in 89 on vinyl and under a different artwork a bit later on CD. The reason is apparently a change of mind of Dharma Records, but the Gentle Giant-esque derivative sonics might have been somewhat a valid reason to their eyes. Indeed, if the YZ debut had a sense of urgency, due in parts to its rawness, but here, the clean production changes radically the band's soundscapes. Indeed, if the debut was closer to Yes, C-SB is definitely closer to GG, maybe too much or unbearably so, because they lack the originality, but also the pure talent to make such complicated music. Somehow, we're not far from Gryphon's last album Treason (still not recorded until the following year), which had lostall its origins, by hovering between yes and GG. In this case, YU bases its influence on the GG albums of TP&TG and FH, both hardly my fave in the latter's catalogue.

If you really want a Gentle Giant clone, might I suggest you that you go for the Québécois band Et Cetera, whose sole album is a much nicer homage than YU's. But rest assured that if you're into mid-70's unearthed US gems, Sacred Baboon is one that will ravish most progheads starving for such things. Syn-Phonic's release comes with the vinyl artwork reproduced on the booklet's innerfold and a mandrill (instead of a baboon) drawing, plus the usual band pics, individual pictures and exhaustive instrument list, a brief history and the lyrics. What more to ask? Except for a real baboon, maybe.