ELMER GANTRY'S VELVET OPERA

'Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera' is a good pre-prog album containing one killer song, sitar, some mellotron, distorted vocals, quite experimental moments - you can really smell the transition to prog music. This group acts in contrast to other bands of that time. Of course they also offer many 'old-fashioned' beat and rock n' roll impressions - how else can it be - rather sophisticated though, in style often similar to The Move, Yardbirds and The Beatles. All in all really enoyable in my opinion.

Business as usual - not one track is reaching the four minute mark here. On the contrary it's a really funny gimmick to introduce the band with the short Intro. The heavy impulsive A Quick B enclosing a great guitar solo and reminding of Spooky Tooth belongs to the outstanding examples. The aforementioned eclectic killer track Walter Sly Meets Bill Bailey is my album highlight - jamming, psychedelic, dazzling and irresistible because a second track is faded in for some time. A fantastic arrangement!

Lookin' for a Happy Life expresses enthusiasm a lot ... but ends with a nervous breakdown. I Was Cool - a suitable title for a blues theme where singer Elmer Gantry offers vocals which are overwhelmed with emotion and grow in confidence over the course. Air is decorated with some indian psychedelia caused by sitar and a rhythm which matches with a camel ride.

As written before - who likes the open-minded Yardbirds or Move is asked to check this out. A convincing workout considering the early times in 1967 when this album was produced. It shows the band on the trip towards progressive rock - 3.5 stars.