GRYPHON

2.5 stars really!!!

Historically important album in progressive music but also in the story of Folk music. Better things to come from Gryphon - very medieval . This is in no way prog per se (and certainly not rock either), but it is showing us a thing or two about how complex and free were the music of pre-renaissance before the churches started calling certain chords demonic and Satanic, because they could send some people in trance. If I talk about pre-renaissance music and medieval , please note that the music present here does not contain the typical drone type (we would call them synths layers today) so typical of some instruments. Extensive use of the Krummhorn (once used as a golf club just before a concert) is the main characteristic of the music .

Not over-bearing music , relatively hard to maintain attention to, even when Estampie (clearly the highlight and my prefered track) is playing.

Gryphon's transformation from a band of bona fide "Renaissance Fayre" strolling minstrels into the prog-rock monsters who could share the stage comfortably with prime-era Yes was a powerful thing to behold. Unfortunately for proggers, the very first album by Messrs Harvey, Gulland, Oberle and Taylor has little to commend it in the way of counterpoint, Moog synths and fantasy lyrics. It is nonetheless a beguiling work that would not shame a prog collection.

The tone for this album is set by the lively Kemp's Jig, which sees Gulland establish the presence of the krumhorn (a Renaissance-era curved horn that both Gulland and Harvey, who met at the Royal College of Music, were masters of). Most of the pieces on this romp are either butsling jigs like Kemp's Jig and Estampie or bawdy folk songs like Three Jolly Butchers and Sir Gavin Grimbold which really aren't for everyone.

The main concessions to prog sensibilities are the brief but challenging guitar and recorder duet Touch And Go and The Juniper Suite, which with mandolin, organ, harpsichord, bassoon, recorders, classical guitar and the obligatory crumhorn quartet was a delightful glimpse into Gryphon's subsequent dizzying climb up the prog-rock ladder.

Nothing on the first album however can remotely approach the brilliance of Gryphon's glorious adaptation of the folk ballad The Unquiet Grave. The lilting melody sung by Oberle, the steady build-up of melodic layers (due in no small part to a four-part crumhorn arrangement!), Taylor's achingly beautiful guitar accompaniment and the eerie bassoon and drum "graveyard interlude" all serve to make this among the most cherished pieces of music I own. The tale of a love that transcends death may be centuries old, but it comes graphically alive in Gryphon's hands, and makes this album far more than the curiousity it might otherwise have been. ... 65% on the MPV scale

This magnificent album is VERY acoustic: the miscellaneous childish but complex MEDIEVAL and slightly Celtic textures of string and wind instruments really steal the show here! The music is VERY sophisticated and well synchronized, rather funny and very disciplined. The bassoon and krumhorns make perfect and solid patterns with the acoustic guitars and mandolin. The rare keyboards I have noticed are harpsichord and harmonium if I am correct. There are no bass, and the rare drums are rather replaced by primitive percussions and small bells. There are many not bad lead & backing vocals like Ian Anderson's ones on the "Rover" track: I think this music does not need such vocals, because they negatively contrast with the delicate and graceful textures. I'm completely transported by the fluid, addictive and catchy second part of the more serious "Unquiet Grave" track. There are NO ordinary tracks. The overall style is a bit like Gentle Giant's Talybont track, without the electric guitars. On the next albums, Gryphon add bass, excellent keyboards and more drums, and they are more progressive rock still with many medieval parts.

Rating: 4.5 stars

This album would not be out of place if you ever went to a Renaissance festival. Pure medival music using old world instruments: bassoons, krumhorn, recorders, mandolin and drums. Lumped in with the folk/prog sect, they are really more folk than prog. One track comes close to prog; "Juniper Suite" it being the longest with several time changes and many instruments used. Most of the songs sung are very nice, except for "Sir Gavin Grimbold" and 'The Devil And The Farmer's Wife". The two are story type songs with humorous lyrics and sung in a bold, silly style. What I like most are the instrumental songs,some haunting ('The Unquiet Grave') and some just plain fun ('Kemp's Jig') with 'Juniper Suite' being the best of the bunch. So, if you like your folk old-style, get this album forthwith, but for all you prog nuts, pass it by. A solid 3 stars nevertheless.

A complex and enjoyable medieval influenced folk romp. There's plenty of modern interpretation.

Kemp's Jig isn't a jig. Sir Gavin Grimbold heads off on hies horse with his sword, but the horse returns without the brave rider leaving his pregnant wife and mother with a barn to build and the crops to cut ... Johnson the valiant one of three butchers stops to aid a woman's cry only - part of a highywaymen's trap. he stands his grounds and kills 9 of the 10 before the woman takes the knide form his side and stabs him in the back. A hue & cry is rasied and she is taken to Newgate in irons for klling the finest butcher " as ever the sun shone on"

The Unquiet Grave is a tradiitonal song about a young man mourning over the grave of his lost love.

Astrologer: hilarious harlot playing the maid gets her cummupence and the astrolger gets a crown. Hmm not many tracks have three part recorder breaks in them. A medieval Golf Girl. The Devil and the Farmer's Wife exhibits a similar sense of humour.

I love it. One of those albums that's not just great listening but guaranteed to cheer you up.

An excellent additon .....

A relatively short album on time as well as thin in overall material, Gryphon's debut is almost if not entirely acoustic. Like much folk music from the British Isles, this has a timeless air about it, yet when considered in the context of the revival of the late 1960s and early 1970s, it is actually preceded by a number of superior efforts. For instance, by now Amazing Blondel had released 4 excellent albums which explored much wider themes. They sang better, did not overuse the precious instruments to the same degree, and performed almost entirely their own compositions. Spirogyra, Incredible String Band, Forest, Strawbs and Steeleye Span had all made several albums of consciously ancient sounds by this time. Sure, a lot of them, including Gryphon, would evolve into quite a different beast, but it is Gryphon's eponymous album we are considering here, and it is in no way a pioneering or even a significant piece of work.

What we have is one wave after another of recorders and crumhorns with occasional self conscious vocals performing versions of material better done by others. Stately it often is, but in a contrived, tight lipped sort of way, as if they were being forced to play by some petulant young prince. Even "Estampie" just comes across as the recycled motifs on speed that it is. The best tracks are the first 2, "Kemp's Jig" and "Sir Gavin Grimbold", which pretty much say everything that Gryphon has to say this time around, along with several parts of "Juniper Suite" where the mandolin all too briefly wrests the controls away from the horns. My recommendation would be to seek out the aforementioned groups' efforts from the preceding 5 years. For medieval folk completists only!

This debut album by Gryphon is basically pure medieval Folk music. Several compositions are traditional. While it is probably the case that they aimed this release at a rock and pop audience, there is not any rock at all in it. As I said, this is pure medieval Folk music played on primarily acoustic instruments. The music is cheerful and, I would say, a bit shallow. It lacks substance and depth.

By 1973 there were many other groups who had recorded new versions of traditional material, or original material with a folky sound, somewhat similar to this. Amazing Blondel and Magna Carta are two examples. And while there is no doubt about Gryphon's instrumental prowess, these other groups' music is much more pleasant on the ear than this. Gryphon was neither really groundbreaking nor very enjoyable.

Not really my cup of tea, I'm afraid. Only for completionists and people with a special interest in medieval music.

I really like this little album. Much better than the overrated 'Red Queen to Gryphon Three'. I guess that's because I like mediaeval instruments. This one is very ancient sounding - in a good authentic way - played with lots of unusual instruments including their famous 'Krumhorn'. I can't believe it only has 2.88 on the Prog Archive Richter Scale. What's the matter with everyone, eh?

It sounds unlike just about anyone I've heard before (and I sit here swamped by thousands of cd's). It's unusual, cheery, bright, VERY Mediaeval and also very English sounding (which I shouldn't like - being from Scotland!). 'Three Butchers' has some bawdy, funny lyrics sung by blokes who sound completely smashed trying to sound sober. There's also a few 'cover' versions of 14th Century tunes which are superb. Forget 'Rock' folks. This one's as far removed from that kind of music as you'll get. For something a bit different I'd certainly recommend this.

One of the few 5 Star awards I'll be awarding on this site. Brilliant!

I rarely agree completely with especial review, but here, this "chosen one" is Sean Trane's (Hugues) one. With this acoustic piece, I feel like on some kind of medieva fair. It's cheerful music (not dull, void and empty by any chance, as some of these renaissance things tends to be). The most progressive one would probably be Estample, but take this as a one eye king amongst the blind. However, I like it, as I'm on this kind of music. Crossing the Styles is similar to "Clap" by Yes.

3(-), because that's my rating for music that's not so much prog, but I like it. Still, far more folk than prog.

I wouldn't really call this a progressive rock or progressive folk album. It is mostly an attempt, mostly successful, to recreate medeival music. There is also an attempt to use traditional instrumentation when possible. And while I enjoy this album quite a bit, I must admit that I never would have been interested in it had it not been for Gryphon's subsequent albums, where they used this type of music as a launching point to create some beautiful progressive rock/folk.

While this music may not be for everyone, it provides a fine but light listen, and should certainly be of interest to an early music fan.

This album is excellently recorded and well performed. The music is interesting, and even historically educational. It is also, however, primarily of interest to Gryphon fans in particular and appreciators of Renaissance and Medieval art folk music in general. Period instruments are used to convincingly recreate the music of this age, but there is precious little "rock" to be found here.

Many scholarly groups performing medieval and renaissance songs unwittingly strip them of their vitality by presenting them in an overly elegant, polished and refined manner. Although Gryphon plays their instruments well, there remains a certain lively jig in their step that works in concert with a vocal style that I will only described as 'rough around the edges'. The end result is a "sound" that is convincingly reminiscent of the period in which this style of music was originally performed.

Once again, I'd like to stress that there is nothing "wrong" with this album. As a historical recreation of the folk music of long ago, I personally rate it rather highly. But not as a "Prog Rock" album. For a Prog Rating, I must give it a "2".

THE ultimate medieval album.

Move over Gentle Giant, Gryphon is the supreme medieval band in the very hard world of entertainment. I know many Middle Earth fans that should get this and play it in their conventions. How come this band is not a cult band? I shake my head with grief, Gryphon hasn't the recognition it should have.

You close your eyes and you are there: the muddy streets, the tuberculosis, the toothless women, the smell of feces and carbonized meat, the life expectancy of 25 and of course, the band in the corner playing a farandole to the joy of the market place.

Come on good people, grab a pint and be amazed of how skilled these men are. They are the absolute high priest of shredding unplugged instruments. Better instrumentists than Yes or Gentle Giant, and just saying that is like unbelievable.

What if Yngwie Malmsteen picked up the recorder instead? You'd have Gryphon.

I have reviewed quite a bunch of "prog" folk albums on this site. But to be honest, I prefer the prog side of some bands from this category (Elfonia, Iona, Karnataka, The Decemberists, and Mostly Autumn) than the folk of others (Amazing Blondel, Los Jaivas, Blackmore's Night?).

In other words, I am not a purist. And this album is really hard to digest if you ever want to discover some prog in here. This is pure medieval English folk. It might maybe be fun during an all English student party ("Three Jolly Butchers"); but for the ones alien to this culture; I am not as positive.

I can hardly find one pleasant song to my ears on this album. I guess that the music would have be pleasant while being played at the court of king Henry VIII. But I don't belong to these times.

My favorite track is the short and acoustic guitar oriented "Crossing The Stiles". Hundred fifty seconds? One star if you are prog oriented (like I am), two to three stars if English medieval stuff can fill your appetite.

GRYPHON's debut album from 1973, graced with a superb artwork by Dan Pearce, offers a charming journey back to Medeival times, yet remains a fantastic relic from the 70's Prog-Folk boom. The musicians here definately know how to play their instruments - crumhorns, bassoons, recorders, guitars, harmonium, organ, harpsichord, percussion etc. and they definately progressed from album to album, honing their instrumental and compositional skills furthermore as well as turning more 'electric' and symphonic. Understandably, this album gets mixed reactions from many, it's mainly based on traditional renaissance compositions (only 3 out of 12 tunes here are credited to the band or members), but executed with a sort of modern technical finesse, placing it firmly amongst the 'Progressive' world of music. Eccentricities are offered up in droves - the character of the vocal delivery by the percussionist Dave Oberle singing from the amusing texts, or be it the quirky instrumental jigs and arrangements, there's always a light-hearted appeal to what these guys are doing. And they do it well. From side one's opening crumhorn of Kemp's Jig, with a mournful stop by 'The Unquiet Grave', to the 2nd side's Estampie, featuring Richard Harvey's virtuosic recorder work, the band written Juniper Suite, suggesting what was to come on their next release, finally closing with the bonk of a teapot on the humour filled 'The Devil and the Farmer's Wife', this album is a beauty. I'm not a big fan of folk music, but this one fills my cup, may it fill yours too. 5 stars.

A majority of Progheads obviously prefer the band's later, more electronic efforts, but Gryphon's self-titled 1973 debut is by far their best album, because it remains the most genuine of the bunch. Unlike the occasional Elizabethan eclecticism of rockers like GENTLE GIANT, or the more traditional post-60s Folk Music of bands like PENTANGLE, Gryphon was the real deal: a quartet of medieval troubadours transplanted to the late 20th century and let loose in a modern, multi-track recording studio.

The music wasn't Progressive Rock (at least not yet), but it wasn't really Folk Rock either. Authenticity was never Gryphon's goal, and yet their interpretation of traditional music (including one song here penned by the Tudor's own rock star, Henry VIII) remained true to their original era even when adapted to ours, circa 1973. The arrangements were honest, and typically very simple, but the sound throughout is discreetly modern.

It's a very short album (less than 37 total minutes), but in presentation and performance a near perfect one, although hard-line Progheads might beg to differ. The material is smartly arranged too, balancing unplugged period instrumentals alongside charming mock 15th century sing-a-longs. And all of it is played with disarming wit and ingenuity, from the haunted romance of 'The Unquiet Grave' (with its near ambient middle interlude) to the toe-tapping morality tale taught by 'The Astrologer', and finally to the ribald comedy of 'The Devil and the Farmer's Wife': Chaucer with krumhorns and cartoon demons.

And, lest you imagine a band of (mostly) unplugged ersatz Folkies unable to generate any musical heat without the friction of electronic instruments, lend an ear to the whirlwind of 'Estampie', propelled into overdrive on the virtuoso recorder trills of Richard Harvey, and David Oberl's manic drumming. There's even a brief quotation from 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' hidden within the bassoon solo, yet another example of the band's playful iconoclasm.

Gryphon would later jump headlong onto the Symphonic Rock gravy train, just before it was rudely derailed at the end of the decade. But here at the start of their career the band's ambitions were still untarnished, and refreshingly modest for 1973. Compare this album to what the major Prog acts were playing that year, and maybe you'll agree: sometimes smaller is better.

GRYPHON was formed in the early 70s when the two Royal College of Music graduates Richard Harvey (recorders, crumhorns, keyboards, guitar, mandolin) and Brian Gulland (bassoon, crumhorns, recorders, keyboards, vocals) met. The two were extremely interested in English folk music, Renaissance music and everything medieval. This academic passion for the music of centuries gone by soon caught the attention of fellow musicians Dave Oberlé (drums, percussion, vocals) and Graeme Taylor (guitars, keyboards, recorder, vocals) who would soon join them to create some serious retro music with a modern day rock energy flair. Soon after this musical union, the band recorded a whole bunch of traditionals dating all the way back to King Henry VIII and caught the attention of Transatlantic Records which released their eponymous debut album in 1973.

While GRYPHON is best known for their unique mix of progressive rock and medieval folk instrumentation on their highly acclaimed "Red Queen To Gryphon Three," on this debut they were in full retro English folk and Renaissance mode staying very faithful to the original compositions on board here. Almost everything on the album is acoustic and heavy use of recorders, crumhorns and bassoon gives a most genuine period feel that instantly puts you in the time of the Tudor's and everything 1500s. The track "Pastime With Good Company" was written by King Henry VIII himself and is perhaps the most famous of the lot. The Dan Pearce fantasy album cover depicting the legendary GRYPHON, the most powerful and majestic creature ever to have lived guarding the treasures is the perfect symbology of the band's approach keepers of the medieval musical treasures that they have resurrected.

I can understand why many prog rock lovers will not find this one appealing. There is absolutely nothing modern or rock on this debut except for, of course, the recording and production techniques. All instruments and tracks are period correct and quite faithfully performed to evoke that good old Renaissance feel, however there is definitely an infusion of modern day rock energy incorporated into this track list of oldies but goodies. The drumming patterns are very energetic and what little interpretations of Renaissance music i have heard do not even come close to the quality of the music on this album. Progressive folk this is without any rock whatsoever but starting with the second album "Midnight Mushrumps," GRYPHON would begin adding rock elements into their retro folk sound. For this debut, however, we get one full-on Medieval folk album that transports you into the world where Shakespeare and English Madrigal Schools flourished. Personally i find this one to be quite the interesting listen heightening my musical and historical sensibilities in tandem. I have never heard anything like this and find GRYPHON to be a sadly underappeciated musical force.

Gryphon was formed in the early seventies, soon after two graduates of Royal Academy of Music, a multiinstrumentalist Richard Harvey and a woodwind player Brian Gulland, met, finding a mutual approach to music. The duo played a few local concerts and were soon joined by a guitarist Graeme Taylor and a drummer and percussionist Dave Oberlé. In March of 1973, the quartet entered the studio to record the first tracks for what would become their self-titled debut album, which was released in June of the same year under the Transatlantic label. The cover art, portraying a mighty, masculine creature, half an eagle, half a lion, Gryphon, was designed by Transatlantic's artist, Dan Pearce.

Since its very first days, Gryphon's aim was to put the original English folk of the middle ages and renaissance into the framework of modern folk music, reminiscent of the sixties folk revival, artists like Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, and even Bob Dylan. The results are absolutely charming. The interplay of a wide plethora of instruments like recorders, flutes, crumhorns, a bassoon, a mandolin, a guitar, a harpsichord, a harmonium, organ, and various percussion instruments gives the album a rich, majestic sound. Furthermore, Gryphon is dripping with cascading, labyrinthine arrangements. Everything, as technical and sophisticated as it could be, is often executed in a tongue-in-cheek manner. All these elements do not give an impression of overabundance. Everything seems to have its own place in the musical layers, while the minimalistic factor makes Gryphon's material sound authentic. The emotion, character, spirit, and atmosphere of this album are dense enough to fire up listener's imagination and put their "alter ego" on a busy street of the 14th century London. With this release, Gryphon created an image of medieval troubadours with incredible instrumental skill.

What undoubtedly shaped Gryphon's sound to a high degree, was its members' classical training. The previously mentioned variety of wind instruments works in favor of the band's unique sound. The instruments are played with great precision and passion. Dave Oberlé's percussion playing is versatile, he finds himself incredibly proficient in rapid rhythmic play on many types of drums at once. While a good most of folk bands at the time usually used two acoustic guitars, Gryphon only needed one - Graeme Taylor's traditional, percussive style covers all guitar parts needed. Harmony vocals, which play a crucial role in the band's sound, range from deep, washy bass, to baritone, to a high, tounge-in-cheek, almost Monty Python-like countertenor.

The album opens with an instrumental piece "Kemp's Jig". Although the title suggests so, this is not a jig in the traditional meaning of the word. Nonetheless, it proficiently sets up the right atmosphere for the rest of the album. "Sir Gavin Grimbold" is the most comedic of the songs, telling a story of an adventurer, who set out on a journey never to be seen again. "Three Jolly Butchers" is quite similar in appeal, showcasing the fantastic harmony vocals of the band's members. "The Unquiet Grave" is less cheerful than the previous tracks, with its meditative, pastoral feel. "Juniper Suite" is in fact not a suite, but only a five minute track with great interaction of various wind instruments and a moody harpsichord. "The Devil and the Farmer's Wife" is another comedic, short-format story song, which closes the album with a quick allusion to Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" on harmonium.

Gryphon are most often associated with their instrumental 1974 release Red Queen to Gryphon Three, which showcased the more classical-oriented, electric folk sound. However, just one year before that, the group had recorded their all-acoustic self-titled debut. It could shortly be described as an incredibly moody take on music of the middle ages and renaissance. The album is an incredibly pleasing journey through medieval England and should be a pleasing experience for folk fans! Highly recommended!

There is something kinda eccentric when hearing a folk band like Gryphon. Progressive Folk and Progressive Folk Rock is an odd genre, with the uses of more acoustic instruments and woodwinds to send you back in the times of olden farms medieval valleys, or take you into a scenic woodland area filled with big mushrooms and bigger red wood trees. It is certainly an interesting genre of Prog I feel is a tad underrated, aside if you talk about bands like Jethro Tull. However I was fairly interested in tackling this band, Gryphon. I felt like they could be fairly interesting to hear, especially since 2 years ago they released their most recent album, and I felt like it was as good a time as any to check what this band could be about.

To be frank here, I'll definitely say I like the medieval aesthetic this album brings. It sounds like I am being sent into a time machine to the dark ages in an olden farm town currently having a festival. It's rather intriguing to say the least. Kemp's Jig is definitely one of the highlights here with an interesting woodwind sound and an almost festival- like charm. They clearly captured the old English folk feel on this album really well, and it definitely does sound milquetoast.

However, even then this album is very boring to me. Tracks like Estampie, Crossing The Styles, and Juniper Suite are just insanely boring. Even for folk music, this is rather dull.

Much of this comes from the lack of any beats or high moments on this album. Obviously this is the type of progressive folk where it's a lot more folk than Prog, which I guess is not a bad thing, but definitely isn't what I really want for a Prog album. It's clearly meant to reflect the olden days of music, but I just don't dig it.

But this album does do something right, and it's how varied the songs are. Sure most are boring, but at least they have some kind of differences between one another so I can at least get my ear's worth in that fact.

So, if you cannot tell, I do not like this album. It's dull, boring, but you know, I cannot be too hard on this album. It's their first and they were clearly trying to find their shoes in this album, and it definitely has a neat folk charm too it. So I can respect the album, but it doesn't stop me from not liking it.

Before they added more prog rock aspects to their sound on Midnight Mushrumps, Gryphon had a fine line in neo-medieval folk music with eccentric takes on classic material, which was expressed in its purest form on this debut album. Not quite as dark or avant-garde as Comus, but still with much more bite than many folk revivalist peers of the era, it's an album which will be incongruous to those who prize the sound they perfected on Red Queen To Gryphon Three, and if you go in expecting something similar you'll probably be confused. However, I actually consider this to be better than Midnight Mushrumps, which was something of a transitional album between the two sounds.