NATIONAL HEALTH

National Health

Canterbury Scene

4.13 | 462 ratings

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snobb
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator

Debut album of the last BIG Canterbury scene's name. David Stewart is there , but the year is 1977. Then - the album is enough unusual. Unusual for its time, and unusual for you can expect.

First of all, this sound is Canterbury only in part. If you expect to find there that fantastic mix of jazz-fusion, psychedelic rock, humor lyrics and freedom atmosphere ( I believe all these ingredients are main components of Canterbury scene phenomena), you possibly will be a bit disappointed. Yes, Stewart is a great figure, and his keyboards still are as great as before, but the problem is different: extremely complex musicianship seriously missed its free spirit and fusion elegancy. Instead of aerial atmosphere of early 70-s fusion , you will often hear there "third stream jazz" - complex, static and heavyweight constructions with strong chamber classics influence.

In many places album's music balances on the border with later neo-classic based avant garde. Even vocals are often more chamber, than jazzy ( or - in rare cases - sound as Latin fusion adaptation to classic pieces).So - you can imagine Canterbury sound with amputated soul. New heart is working well and is excellent mechanical device, but soul is gone (ok, body is working perfectly).

I really can enjoy level of musicianship on this album, but not the music itself. Great soulless Canterbury album? Complex heavyweight construction which will attract you by its complexity, but you will never love it? You chose....

Good album - and great sign of the beginning of the end.

snobb | 3/5 | 2010-7-14

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