SHE WAS NAKED / SPIRAL STAIRCASE

This single was released the same year as the debut album (Present from Nancy) of this Canterbury-styled Dutch band. The album however doesn't contain either of these songs, but naturally they appear on the CD reissues.

'She Was Naked' is related to the album's 8½-minute prog highlight 'Dona Nobis Pacem' but they really are very different pieces. 'D.N.P.' is an instrumental and pretty esoteric organ-centred piece slightly reminiscent of 'Sauceful of Secrets' by Pink Floyd. At its peaceful beginning 'She Was Naked' has a CARAVAN reminding elegance with lots of flute and tender vocals not so far from the style of Richard Sinclair (or Rick Wright in his early non-album Floyd songs). Then at 1:40 the intensity suddenly speeds up with a faster tempo and a fuzz guitar, and soon slightly Gregorian-inspired vocals sing briefly in latin ("Dona nobis pacem..."). Some frenzy instrumental playing finishes this peculiar song that seems to end too suddenly. Keyboard player and vocalist Robert Jan Stips (later a member of NITS, which I always like to mention) and his band were most clearly influenced by The Soft Machine, Caravan and the late 60's Pink Floyd.

'Spiral Staircase' is a rather annoying piece of humorous intentions. The music in itself is silly with the staccato electric piano, but the mock-horror narrative read in a monotonous voice is nothing but a joke that wears out quickly. 3½ stars for the A side and 1½ stars for the B side, but for the non-album contents I round the ratio upwards.