Wally - "Wally" (Atlantic 1974)

It's unfortunate that Wally were best known in progressive rock circles just for having their self-titled debut produced by Rick Wakeman, as they musically had something of their own. The combination of melodic symphonic progressive rock and elements of country gave them quite a unique sound. Their sound was dominated by the electric violin of Pete Sage and Paul Garrett's keyboards that included the usual goodies such as Mellotron, harpsichord, grand piano and to a lesser extent, organ. The country-influences were heard mostly in bassist Paul Middleton's occasional use of steel guitar (yes, I'm perfectly aware of the fact that Steve Howe also used lots of steel guitar, but he rarely or never used it in a country-ish way) and the band's west coast-inflected vocal harmonizing. The opener "The Martyr" is one of the best songs on the record, based in a strong melody with lots of harpsichord and a long violin-solo. The perhaps most beautiful moment on the album is when the Mellotron blends in with the steel guitar during the lengthy instrumental part of the 14-minute "To the Urban Man" that also features a choir. "What to Do" is a more song-oriented tune, but still another highlight. The short "Sunday Walking Lady" is the best showcase for the band's earlier mentioned vocal harmonies. The country-influences are sometimes taken a bit too far, exemplified with a title like "I Just Wanna Be a Cowboy" and lines like "all I need is my steel guitar to keep me company". But most of "Wally" is tasteful and pleasant stuff well worth checking out.