GNIDROLOG

ESOTERIC 2012 REISSUE with Bonus TRack

Blending classical training with folk and jazz influences, Gnidrolog produced this their second album in late 1972. The first striking aspect of the music is how well recorded it is, a fine example of the early 70's studio ethic of dry drums and vocals with the other instruments clearly and cleanly placed in the mix. Written entirely by the Goldring brothers Colin and Stewart, `Lady Lake' is an immensely sophisticated and well written album, and whilst the vocals may not win too many prizes, their strident style is ably supported by beautifully arranged saxes, flutes and guitars. Although frequently compared to Gentle Giant, `Lizard'/`Islands' era King Crimson is also close, and the wonderful `McDonald and Giles' album perhaps the closest in style and sound.

The old `Side One' features a trio of songs dominated by the 12 minute opener `I Could Never Be A Soldier', and ending beautifully on the sparkling acoustic and flutes ballad `A Dog With No Collar'. The title track opens `Side Two' in wonderful fashion, as stunningly recorded sax orchestrations compete against each other framed by the confident drumming of Nigel Pegrum (latterly of Steeleye Span). It's a stunning opening, which shows all its Prog credentials by settling down into a slower paced and entirely unrelated vocal section. This is well thought out first generation Progressive music well worthy of your attention, and it is somewhat of a pity that the band dissolved mere weeks after the completion of this album. The album also ends strongly with the repeated multi-layered riffing and Stewart Goldring's wonderfully Frippian guitar solo at the end of `Social Embarrassment', the album's standout track.

A stunningly recorded testament to the original progressive rock movement and a real joy to listen to 40 years later. It also contains the previously unreleased session track `Baby Move On' which is very much in keeping with the rest of the album.

This is an average album of eclectic, progressive rock has its moments there. However, it did not surprise me.

Gnidrolog may sound appealing to fans of Van Der Graaf Generator and bands like that, but as I include myself in that group, then do not see myself in a very comfortable listening to "Lady Lake", her second album.

Do not get me wrong, the album is good, but does not have "it". But what is "it"? "It" is the thing that pulls you into an album and makes you like it, even if you can not explain. "Lady Lake" hasn´t "it", and that's why I give it 3 stars.

Now I am able to detect very well the main flaw of this album: the vocals. God, these vocals are some of the worst in history! If this were only instrumental album, I would give it a higher rating!

3 stars. A good album, that's all.

Gnidrolog is one of the most extraorinary of the numerous early 70's short-lived prog bands who never gained much success. And this (their second and last one - until the year 2000) album is a huge artistic development over their rather disjointed debut In Spite Of Harry's Toe- Nail from the same year, which mixed Gentle Giant -type complexity and Amazing Blondel/ Gryphon-sort of Renaissance music influences. This is not to say that this album is short of anything heard in the debut, but most of all it has maturity in emotional level that was maybe missing earlier. Also the sound is more mature, thanks to a new member on sax & flute. Recorder is a bit less heard this time as the saxophone is used quite a lot, making the music a close relative to Van Der Graaf Generator's, albeit not quite as extreme in progressivity or emotion, though there is plenty of that too. Mostly dark-toned and melancholic.

'I Could Never Be a Soldier' is a magnificent and emotionally powerful prog opus in 11 and ½ minutes. The title track is another lengthy highlight, the closest in spirit to VDGG. It's delightful to hear also heartfelt simplicity on a couple of shorter tracks.

As a negative side (and there are only few!), the Goldring brothers are not very talented singers. The voice reminds me of Wishbone Ash. But as a whole this is an all-too-forgotten semi-masterpiece of the era. And with a fantastic cover art!

Collecting the two classic Gnidrolog album on one CD makes this package an excellent starting point for people exploring the band - and to be honest, unless you fall in love with them so much that you absolutely have to own Live 1972 and Gnosis as well, it's a decent enough finishing point too.Including both albums on one CD may be slightly annoying for those who only listen to one album or the other - though any CD player can be easily programmed to only play selected tracks these days, and if you're listening to the albums on your MP3 player separating them out is trivially easy. Well worth a shot if you're interested in Gnidrolog's music - if you like them, congratulations, you own their two best albums, and if you're not keen then you've hardly lost much.

Often compared to Gentle Giant or VdGG, Gnidrolog really have a sound that's unique to them, which lurches from extremely avant-garde to surprisingly straightforward giddily across the course of this album. When they get experimental, they're more dissonant and chaotic than any of the bands they're usually compared to - there's something almost RIO-ish about the opening section of Long Live Man Dead, for example - but at the same time they're more than capable of straight-ahead rocking out, as on the outro to the title track. Certainly a diverse and rewarding band to listen to - "eclectic prog" is truly the best tag for them - though those expecting a symphonic-sounding band based on the oft-cited influences may be in for a surprise. Approach with an open mind.

Well, I'm not going to pretend I'm a life long Gnidrolog follower who will tell the world all about this band and album. I just found out about them thanks to PA and noticed this could be prog gem. So time to dive into this near masterpiece (according to PA standards). The band description indicates you'd better be a GG, VDGG and/or Tull fan to appreciate this music. And how right this statement is ! Oh, and intense vocals are another significant aspect, hmm...

For starters, I can't appreciate these intense vocals I'm afraid. Too strident which is unbearable for my poor ears. And as with so many progbands the instrumental handling is a lot better but also here not 100% my preferred style and sound. The compositions are indeed a remarkable combination of the three mentioned bands above. Social embarrassment is a funny combination of Gentle Giant and VanderGraaf Generator whilst the opener I could never be a Soldier could have been one by Tull. Also the other songs are a blend of the famous three.

So a very much eclectic experience and although I start to get used to this bizarre way of making music I will never embrace it as one of my favorite styles. Ok, I could have stayed away from this but in the end I'm always curious how I will digest a band like this when I give them a real chance. Thanks to the opening song and the two short ones I still end up with some respect for Gnidrolog. The other three are too chaotic, dissonant and bizarre to be appreciated by me. But because it is definitely 100% prog and this is after all a prog site I will round up my 2,5* verdict and still give three. Highly recommended for eclectic prog addicts.

I bought this album in a specials bin from WHSmith in 1976. I must admit that I didn't much like it when I first played it - apart from the track, Goodbye, Farewell, Adieu. I think that song could have got to Number One in the hit parade if it had been released as a single and re- jigged a little.

Listening to the album 35 years later I find myself enjoying it much more. However, one of my original observations still applies: I don't know the correct musical terms for what I am about to say, but to my amateurish ear the production seems a little loose - as if it is being performed by musicians who haven't played much together and not sorted out their timing precisely. Don't get me wrong...this is no run of the mill band, they are an accomplished bunch of musoes, although I am not enamoured with their vocals.

I think Gnidrolog was a band of their time - very much in vogue for the years they performed. Their music is not for the masses - no easily whistled tunes here! But if you consider yourself a cut above the masses musically, then you should consider giving them a go.

It's quite a shame, but not a big surprise, that this band never managed to make it big. This album isn't very easy to listen to. Their music is very hard to describe. High pitched, emotional vocals, combined with great wind sections and guitar solos, all with very audible bass playing. They have an extremely original sound, and manage to pull it off very well.

The songs are very crescendo oriented. Things start off very quiet and melancholic, and slowing build up until the guitars and wind instruments are swirling in full force, making for some very emotionally powerful music. I highly recommend this album for anyone who wants to hear some progressive rock at its most beautiful.

It is a bit harsh to bundle these two albums together in one review, but since this compilation is how I've acquainted myself with the fantastic art of Gnidrolog, then let it be that way.

As a few others have said, the first half - meaning In Spite of Harry's Toenail (what a silly title, although forgivable because of its background) - is a very good collection of works, if a little weaker than the latter half. The band really were into their thing, and clearly inspired by i.e. Gentle Giant and perhaps King Crimson.

The opening Long Live Man Dead is perhaps the best of the first six tracks, which make a good but somewhat incoherent whole. What I like most about Gnidrolog is their uninhibited way to build the songs. Where there's a need for a sudden change of climate, let there be one!

The other half of the compilation consists of the album Lady Lake, which is Gnidrolog's undisputed masterpiece. There are no weak tracks on it, and I Could Never Be a Soldier, and Social Embarrassment are absolute classics. The line-up changed a little between the albums, and this shows. The team behind Lady Lake is definitely tighter unit and in the meantime more imaginative. The Goldring twins are obviously still the bosses in the band, but John Earle's singing on Social Embarrassment is simply fantastic.

All in all, these two Gnidrolog albums-packed-into-one are one of my all time favourites among the genre that is called eclectic prog. Strongly recommended!

I rediscovered Gnidrolog in a recent fit of nostalgia partly driven by middle age no doubt and partly in despair at hearing anything interesting in what my children are listening to. It was then a pleasant surprise to find they had made a relatively recent album. I was then coming back to them and comparing the new and old material. I think I would differ a little in the assessment of the other reviewers, on the positive side. What I liked about this album is that it appears to be an attemt to create an artwork without becoming pompous and overblown. One of the interesting evolutions seemed to be in the lyrics. In the first two albums these seemed to be relatively weak compared to the music and the very distinctive voice of Colin Goldring. The new songs seemed to be drawn from lived experience and avoided some of the grandiosity of the early work which is replaced by an authenticity which deepens the work in my view. I would agree that the music is a little less 'edgy' than the early work, but there is real diversity here, between the aboriginal sounds, the middle-eastern and 'cantor' style and of course the rock base. Despite this, they retain the idiom they were working in that gives it a feel of continuity which belies the long period between the composition of some of the songs. Added to this, the production values are very high, which, given that this appears to have been produced on a shoestring is impressive. The vocals and musicianship still have the power to move, especially as they are now exposed by their music rather than hiding behind it. So, I would say they pulled off an almost impossible feat - they evolved from a body of work a quarter of a century in the closet. I can only hope they feel up to doing another album in which they will have the confidence to push their new music into a slightly more edgy form.