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THE PEACOCK PARTY

Gordon Giltrap

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Gordon Giltrap The Peacock Party album cover
3.54 | 17 ratings | 5 reviews | 35% 5 stars

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Studio Album, released in 1979

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Headwind - The Eagle (3:00)
2. Magpie Rag (2:37)
3. Hocus Pocus (2:20)
4. Turkey Trot - A Country Bluff (2:44)
5. Tailor Bird (2:30)
6. Black Rose - The Raven (4:15)
7. Birds Of A Feather (3:37)
8. Jester's Jig (2:36)
9. Gypsy Lane (2:56)
10. Party Piece (2:41)
11. Chanticleer (3:29)
12. Dodo's Dream (4:12)

Total time 36:57

Bonus tracks on 2000 reissue:
13. Smiler (2:51)
14. Octavius (2:31)
15. Headwind The Eagle (3:19)

Bonus tracks on 2014 reissue:
13. Shel-Em-Nazam (3:34)
14. Bella Donna (5:51)
15. Birds Of A Feather (First Version) (4:00)
16. Headwind (Single Version) (3:16)

Line-up / Musicians

- Gordon Giltrap / acoustic & electric guitars, composer

With:
- Roger Hand / string & brass arrangements
- Rod Edwards / keyboards, string & brass arrangements
- Eddy Spence / keyboards
- Richard Harvey / recorder, soprano crumhorn
- Bimbo Acock / sax, flute, clarinet
- Ric Sanders/ violin
- John G Perry / bass
- John Gustafson / bass (7,10)
- Ian Mosley / drums
- Morris Pert / tuned percussion

Releases information

Artwork: Alan Aldridge, Harry Willock

LP PVK Records ‎- GIL 1 (1979, UK)

CD Prestige Records Ltd. ‎- CDPT 507 (1990, UK)
CD La Cooka Ratcha ‎- LCVP105CD (2000, UK) With 3 bonus tracks
CD Esoteric Recordings - ECLEC 2453 (2014, UK) Remastered (?), with 4 bonus tracks

Thanks to b_olariu for the addition
and to Quinino for the last updates
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GORDON GILTRAP The Peacock Party ratings distribution


3.54
(17 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of rock music(35%)
35%
Excellent addition to any rock music collection(41%)
41%
Good, but non-essential (18%)
18%
Collectors/fans only (6%)
6%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

GORDON GILTRAP The Peacock Party reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by SouthSideoftheSky
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Team
2 stars Smiler

With this album, Gordon Giltrap shifted focus and presented us with something jazzier. The first few notes of the opener remind of Al Di Meola's distinctive style, and shows promise, but it soon becomes clear that The Peacock Party is a definitive step down from the previous trio of Visionary, Perilous Journey, and Fear Of The Dark, and that it is also a lesser album compared to the subsequent Airwaves. In short, this album is clearly the least good of Giltrap's progressive period of the late 70's and early 80's, and in all honesty, I couldn't call this Prog.

The Peacock Party reminds me of Rick Wakeman's awful Rhapsodies that was released in the same year. The album consists of a set of short (most are under three minutes) and cheerful instrumental tunes with jazzy, folky, bluesy, and Classical elements. The music is very well performed throughout, but has a naive, almost childish, feel. As such, I think it lacks substance and depth. Several songs would work very well to introduce some children's programme on TV! Also, some of the instruments, the brass instruments and some others, have a cheesy sound.

Only for fans this one

Review by kenethlevine
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog-Folk Team
3 stars One becomes known by the company one keeps, and one GORDON GILTRAP might be considered on the periphery of prog rock if only because of his musical friends on this 1979 effort, Bimbo Acock, Ian Mosley,Morris Pert, Ric Sanders are just a few of the household names breaking bread here with the august ace of the axe.

I am not super familiar with Giltrap's exploding inventory but I am intrigued by his shot in the dark commercial success of the late 1970s, his eclectic resume, and his indisputable status as survivor, playing as he is now with a couple of generations of the WAKEMANs, and appearing on tour with the likes of BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST. I know that he issued at least a few albums with vocals, and that my general impression was not favourable. On this instrumental disk, some of the same weaknesses are exposed, mainly that he just is not a composer. Moreover, many of the tracks here sport an uncomfortable tackiness or lack of character. The keyboards and flutes on tracks like "Hocus Pocus" recall mediocre new age music,

Still, can this guy play guitar, especially the acoustic variety. At his best, I can only compare him to another even more obscure Brit, PAUL BRETT, whose album "Eclipse" is as good a reference point for the more imposing numbers here. Those would be the progressive uptempo opener "Headwind-The Eagle", the lively yet dignified romp "Tailor Bird", the more serious "Black Rose-The Raven", the aptly named "Dodo's Dream" which subtly reprises the Eagle theme during one of his more succinct lead guitar solos, and the bonus cut "Octavius". All of these exemplify sparkling English folk and all participants shine. A special shout out to Ric Sanders' work.

While the influence of prog is everywhere here, it's rarely predominant. Nonetheless, this is an album that's at its best when it combines the folk with the prog and steers clear of new wave banalities. 2.5 stars, rounded up because, well, when you have GORDON GILTRAP fanning out his fretted feathers, you at least have the makings of a party in your ear.

Latest members reviews

5 stars The Peacock Party is one of my absolute favourite albums. It's so much fun listening to this bunch of unchained and exuberant folk musicians, led by master guitarist Gordon Giltrap, who keeps astonishing the whole world with his viruosity. And then there are these woodwind players Bimbo Acock, ... (read more)

Report this review (#825536) | Posted by Izabelle | Friday, September 21, 2012 | Review Permanlink

5 stars GORDON GILTRAP is probably one of more unknown and underrated artists by the prog fans community. Since 1968 in activity, counting with 12 studio albuns and only 18 ratings in totality. In counterpart RICCARDO ZAPPA ( another solo guitarist from Italy) only for his first album "Celestion" coun ... (read more)

Report this review (#561463) | Posted by maryes | Wednesday, November 2, 2011 | Review Permanlink

4 stars It's been a while since I've listened to this - man is it good. Gordon Giltrap has always been a favorite, but this is my personal "stranded on an island" album from him. The melodies and performance and writing are a perfect blend of light and dark. The Giltrap sound prevails on each selection ... (read more)

Report this review (#289089) | Posted by tmay102436 | Sunday, July 4, 2010 | Review Permanlink

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