THE FACEDANCERS

A very very obscure psychedelic gem in US underground rock scene.

When I met this album (of course never known about such an outfit), I could feel something of a fate. Even now I cannot understand this matter enough well indeed, but could not avoid purchasing this old well-used vinyl. Exactly this album recorded by The FACEDANCERS, a five-piece obscure US outfit in early 1970s, could be a brilliant gem not only for me but also for all of psychedelic progressive rock fans.

A graceful piano solo and dry-fruity chorus quietly open the curtain of the first scene "Little Waterfall". The former part is as beautiful as of some symphonic progressive rock band I always feel, and in the middle part an aggressive, percussive rhythm section plus heavy, painful guitar sounds can conquer our heart completely. Certain eclecticism should be in, especially bulky psychedelic essence. Not only plaintive but powerful like a waterfall in a storm, not little. The second track "Dreamer's Lullabye" is very poppy and catchy but at the same time very impressive with the percussion solo and crazy harmonica attacks. Do not forget what they meant to be ... as if they might say so. "Nightmare", the most avantgarde psychic war here, is never refined, with blatantly scattered voices and instrument shouts (yea I do consider they be good!). The vocalist sonorously sings for his "Jewels". Also the flute solo is attractive and addictive. The first song of B-side "Let The Music Set You Free", a simple blues song, is a bit boring but even the song has some overhead air I feel (bravo). And another masterpiece "Children" has three parts ... in the first and the last ones are streaming voices and floating flute solo, safe and sound keyboard raindrops. Please weep. The middle part, characteristic of this album and this band, is very massive active heavy rock one. This mixture mentioned above should be the real pure psychedelic I'm sure. And effective voice effects and loud 'n' rampant instrumental kicks are over the last "Beta". Cannot breathe without watching the face dancing from beginning to finish.

Sad to say The FACEDANCERS could not dance any more after releasing this gem ...

Another brilliant obscure gem! As in a treasure hunt, I greedily guarded every little jewel that I find. When I listen for the first time a new "anonymous" disc, I often expect always something original, and this album has many interesting aspects to offer. Unfortunately the golden age of Progressive Rock didn't gave it the well deserved honor, but today it will be appreciated by the new prog listeners, and maybe like me, listen to it closing my eyes and sail upon a "Dreamers Lullaby"...

All that I know is that it was recorded in USA by "Paramount" and was produced by Teo Macero, the same producer of some Miles Davis albums. It's so hard to find some news about this formation, very hard. The same is for the album, so let's go to talk about it, at least trying to describe its style.

The sound is very interesting. It presents seven tracks strongly influenced by psychedelia and blues, far from classic Prog atmospheres of the time. Maybe, or rather certainly they've been influenced by Led Zeppelin that in 1972 was so active, especially in USA. Nothing to do with Led Zeppelin. No super guitarist, no super voice, but a good mix of Artistic Progressive Rock with a touch of blues and abundant psychedelic elements. These, very presents in that era especially in America, which some years before started the psychedelic movement, makes the album unique full of psychedelic veins. At the same time the movement started also in U.K, with the birth of bands maybe less blues influenced. The first time I heard them, I thought they could come from Sweden or Norway, anyhow from Scandinavian Peninsula, in fact they remember me hard prog band RUPHUS. Later I discovered they are American. The melodies and musical motives they've created are memorable, makes you the wanting to intone them. Is the case of "Little Waterfall, a good song where is appreciable a suggestive mix of the lead voice accompanied by a soft chorus, with a Prog intermezzo blues oriented. What immediately leaps to attention is the voice of lead singer Scats Bloom, probably the highest highs I've ever heard from a man (now I remember also the highs of Gianluigi Di Franco in "Trittico"). In the second song "Dreamers Lullaby" the highs of the beautiful voice of Bloom (which play also the harmonica like Robert Plant) blends with a keyboards solo on the same tonality! Really incredible. Also pleasant is the line bass in all the album making nice grooves.

The most psychedelic is "Nightmare" which describes very well the atmospheres of a vivid nightmare with sighs, screams and anxious tensions..."Things Aren't What They Seem. This Must Be A Dream". After "Jewels", a love song starts "Let The Music Set You Free". An old blues renewed by the Prog trend with a good guitar solo.

The song "Children" at the beginning soft atmospheres that vaguely recall the Zeppelin's "The Rain Song" and "Over The Hills And Far Away". Here there is a strange effect on voice that seems to be breaking like glass. The album ends with the song "Beta", another example of their psychedelic creativity on a nice track.

Personally I prefer the first 5 tracks, and if the others had the same ingenuity maybe I would have given it 5 stars, or 4,5. The musicality of this album is memorable and the moments of psychedelia are very nice. A little treasure made by unknown artists, surely to know and enter in your personal discography.

4 Stars - Better to know of its existence.