RECOLLECTION

This vintage live recording is a missing link of sorts. While it contains all but one song from the long ago "Antiques & Curios," it is twice as long. It gives a much truer picture of what Rick Wakeman's keyboard playing really meant to this band. The additional songs are mostly from the first Strawbs A&M album, and include "That Which Once Was Mine," with a jazzy harpsichord ending, a beautiful organ solo on "Josephine For Better Or For Worse," and an excellent version of "The Battle." Prior to this release, one might have thought that Wakeman was only marking time with the Strawbs before moving on to Yes. This CD shows he was an integral member of the band who could interpret the earlier material with great sensitivity. The other members are in fine form here too, and even the previously released songs are often cleaner sounding than on "Antiques & Curios," with John Ford's bass more in control on "Song of a Sad Little Girl." When you combine this release with the live material from the same line-up included on the "A Taste of Strawbs" box set, you suddenly see what all the fuss was about. The audience certainly did.