FRIENDSHIP TIME

If this had actually gotten released back in 1975 through Virgin Records like it was supposed to, Friendship Time's S/T here would be considered a seminal masterpiece today along with all the classic albums by Yes, Genesis, VDGG, King Crimson, etc., but unfortunately they ran out of money before anything could be sent out, and as a result the mastertapes were lost for over 30 years....until 2006! :D

Hence, in honor of the band, I will go ahead and set the record straight - this is a genuine, perfect album from progressive rock's golden age that deserves to be heard by ANYONE who calls themselves a fan of the genre.

For starters, the energy here is something so powerful and organic that groups like Transatlantic and The Flower Kings will seem but merely tame in comparison once it hits your ears; every track here is absolutely rife with the best instrumentation one could imagine, and that's as high a compliment as I can give considering how darn picky I am. It's powerful, driving beyond anything you'd expect, and has such fantastic OOMPH to even the acoustic pieces such as "Clouds". Just...wow!

It makes me wonder...where has this album been all our lives? There's nothing else like it today, bar the sort of crazy power Yes had up until Tomato, and even then there's something here that's special and unique to this particular outfit.

For people who have been craving something of true progressive quality, that ever elusive lost classic that lacks the contrivances that a lot of modern prog. possesses, an album that will pound the hell out of your speakers without you even touching the volume while making your ears feel as if they've died and gone to heaven.

This, my friends, is progressive rock at its most tight and energetic, at its most propulsive and imaginative. Precious gems like this are why I am a fan of progressive rock in the first place!

Infinite stars if possible, and may this poor little gem finally get the recognition it deserves here on ProgArchives.