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Posts tagged Dave Sinclair
Caravan Of Dreams – An Evening Of Magic (Live 1993) (@256)
21 Apr 2011
(Review from wikipedia, amazon)
The Caravan reunion in 1990 inspired Richard Sinclair to form a new band to play his material. Caravan of Dreams was launched in 1991 as a trio, continued until 1993, often joined by former Caravan members Dave Sinclair and Jimmy Hastings.
This live album was recorded at Teatro Verdi, Genova, Italy on 26th March 1993 with a stunning and satisfying audio quality.
It features a pleasant mix of Caravan, Hatfield & North, Matching Mole classics and then new songs by Richard Sinclair.
Line-up:
- Richard Sinclair / vocals, guitar
- David Sinclair / keybards
- Rick Biddulph / bass
- Andy Ward / drums
Track List:
CD1
01. In The Land Of Grey And Pink – 5:40
02. Only The Brave / Plan It Earth – 10:53
03. Share It – 4:53
04. Videos – 6:57
05. Heather – 7:54
06. Going For A Song – 5:01
07. O Caroline – 4:38
08. Nine Feet Underground – 7:16
CD2
01. Felafel Shuffle – 8:58
02. Keep On Caring – 8:27
03. Cruising – 6:08
04. Emily – 5:58
05. Halfway Between Heaven & Earth / It Didn’t Matter Anyway – 13:22
06. Golf Girl – 5:49
Link in comments.
Caravan – Canterbury Comes To London (Live From The Astoria 1997) (@256)
19 Apr 2011
(Review from allmusic)
This is one of the better 1990s live performance recordings to feature core band members (Pye Hastings, Geoffrey Richardson, Dave Sinclair and Richard Coughlan) as augmented by other non-Caravan alumni. Notable for their tenure in this incarnation is lead guitarist Doug Boyle (ex-Robert Plant), bassist Jim Leverton (ex-Fat Mattress, ex-Savoy Brown, ex-Juicy Lucy). Percussionist Simon Bentall’s contributions may seem out of place at times.
Enthusiasts whose interest began to wane in Caravan’s post-”Cunning Stunts” era will, at the very least, be pleasantly surprised at the residual intensity and attack which are readily displayed throughout this live set.
Immediately the togetherness of the band is demonstrated during the multi-rhythmic passages of “Headloss”, as well as throughout “For Richard”. There are no lagging tempos, forgotten lyrics, or neglected solos here. Caravan’s motifs of musical economy while providing multi-hued sonic canvases are alive and well.
Line-up:
- Doug Boyle / guitar
- Richard Coughlan / drums
- Pye Hastings / guitar, vocals
- Jim Leverton / bass, vocals
- Geoffrey Richardson / flute, mandolin, viola, spoons
- Dave Sinclair / keyboards
- Simon Bentall / percussion
Track List:
01. Memory Lain Hugh – 5:04
02. Headloss – 4:53
03. Nine Feet Underground – 17:33
04. The Dog The Dog, He’s At It Again – 6:28
05. Cold As Ice – 5:47
06. Somewhere In Your Heart – 5:39
07. I Know Why You’re Laughing – 5:47
08. Liar – 6:42
09. For Richard – 11:04
10. Golf Girl – 7:08
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Caravan – Live in Nottingham (1990) (@256)
17 Apr 2011
(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)
The band were largely dormant in the eighties until this one-off 1990 reunion for the television.
It features the classic Caravan line-up of Pye Hastings, Richard and David Sinclair, Richard Coughlan with the ever reliable Jimmy Hastings on flute.
Most of the songs here are well known Caravan classics including “Head Loss”, “Winter Wine”, “For Richard”. A nice version of “Nine Feet Underground” breaks things up a bit with the ubiqitous flute and sax.
Line-up:
- Pye Hastings / guitar, vocals
- Dave Sinclair / organ, piano
- Richard Sinclair / bass, guitar
- Jimmy Hastings / flute, saxophone
- Richard Coughlan / drums
Track List:
01. Head Loss – 4:38
02. Videos Of Hollywood – 6:38
03. Nine Feet Underground – 18:59
04. If I Could Do It All Over Again… – 3:17
05. Winter Wine – 7:47
06. In The Land and Of Grey And Pink – 4:36
07. For Richard – 13:15
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Caravan – A Hunting We Shall Go (Live 1974) (@256)
15 Apr 2011
(Review from progarchives.com)
Recorded in November 13th 1974, this is a rather lightweight live album, only thirty four minutes long, with three songs.
The minor classic suite “A Hunting We Shall Go” features some brief bits of curious improvisation with a magnificent riff.
The highlight here, “For Richard” takes up more than half of the album. It is translated brilliantly to the new line-up. Richardson’s viola really changes the flavour of the piece to something a little more pastoral while the bass-heavy mix keeps it powerful and punchy as ever. Pye Hastings’ vocals are fleeting but delightful. In the nearly 20 minutes running time, we see the whole plethora of cool, loose improvisations and tight, light-hearted rock music that defines Caravan taken over wholesale by a fresh line-up with a star soloist.
“Hoedown” is the encore… Caravan bring out the participational elements of that song in a trite, amusing, ironic way. Hastings’ echoey guitar and Richard Coughlan’s drums hold things down and various cutesy improvisations from the band’s major instrumentalists change the song more drastically.
Line-up:
- Pye Hastings / guitar, vocals
- Geoffrey Richardson / viola
- Mike Wedgwood / bass
- Richard Coughlan / drums
- David Sinclair / keyboards
Track List:
01. A Hunting We Shall Go – 8:43
02. For Richard – 19:16
03. Hoedown – 5:51
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Caravan – Live at the Fairfield Halls (1974) (@256)
14 Apr 2011
(Review from allmusic)
Documented during an era in which U.K. performances by Caravan were few and far between, “Live at the Fairfield Halls 1974″ is a complete presentation of a concert held just prior to their inaugural tour of North America. This warm-up show took place on September 1, 1974, at Fairfield Hall in Croydon. The sound is crisp and the stereo image is direct and very warm.
Although Caravan had been subjected to several key personnel and managerial alterations in the preceding months, once they hit the stage they shed any behind-the-scenes acrimony and were transformed into a stunning synergy of progressive and symphonic rock.
Enthusiasts who prefer the band’s lineup and subsequent edgier tone, circa For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night, will be doubly thrilled with this release as they re-create most of the album. Additionally, they wrap themselves around the crushing “Memory Lain, Hugh”/”Headloss” opener. Perhaps foreshadowing how powerful this rendition will be, the evening’s proceedings fade in to the hovering resonation of Geoffrey Richardson’s electric viola as he fiddles underneath the band’s introduction.
Caravan’s most recent release concurrent to this performance is the equally impressive “Caravan & the New Symphonia”. From that album comes “Virgin on the Ridiculous” — performed here by just the quintet. Although composed for the incorporation of an orchestra, this rendition is leaner and displays the band’s almost conversational way of jamming and improvising.
The transition into the “Be Alright Now” suite is seamless, and, under the thunder sticks of Richard Coughlan (drums), the band is propelled into one of the only live versions of the medley to have been professionally documented.
This is the same concert released in France, in 1980, under the title “The Best of Caravan Live”.
Line-up:
- David Sinclair / keyboards
- Geoffrey Richardson / viola
- Mike Wedgwood / bass
- Pye Hastings / guitar, vocals
- Richard Coughlan / drums
Track List:
01. Memory Lain, Hugh / Headloss – 9:27
02. Virgin on the Ridiculous – 7:14
03. Be Alright / Chance of a Lifetime – 6:37
04. The Love in Your Eye – 15:23
05. L’Auberge du Sanglier / A Hunting We Shall Go / Pengola / Backwards / A Hunting We Shall Go (Reprise) – 9:49
06. The Dog, The Dog, He’s at It Again – 6:23
07. For Richard – 19:01
08. Hoedown – 5:58
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Caravan – Ether Way (BBC Sessions 1975-77) (@256)
07 Apr 2011
(Review from progarchives.com)
Here are some excellent renditions of their more commercially produced sounding albums recorded live at the BBC from 1976-1979 and in great sound quality.
Highlights include “Nightmare” with an impressive guitar crescendo at the end. “All The Way” has some of their most ethereal vocal. The version of “Dabsong Conshirto” is more impressive and “raw” than that of the version on “Cunning Stunts”.
Line-up:
- David Sinclair / keyboards
- Dek Messecar / bass
- Geoffrey Richardson / viola
- Jan Schelhaas / keyboards
- Mike Wedgwood / bass
- Pye Hastings / guitar, vocals
- Richard Coughlan / drums
Track List:
01. The Show Of Our Lives – 4:54
02. Stuck In A Hole – 3:15
03. Dabsong Conshirto – 12:32
04. All The Way – 6:33
05. A Very Smelly Grubby Little Oik-Bobbing Wide-Come On Back-Grubby Oik Reprise – 11:44
06. Behind You – 5:13
07. The Last Unicorn – 5:34
08. Nightmare – 6:17
09. Better By Far – 4:48
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Caravan – Songs For Oblivion Fishermen (BBC Sessions 1970-74) (@256)
22 Mar 2011
(Review from progarchives.com, allmusic)
These BBC tapes published in a uncharacteristicly medium sound quality. Apparently some of the original tapes were stolen or lost and they had to use transcripts. The sessions features examples of both styles of Caravan, witty pop songs as well as complex but melodic extended workouts.
Half the disc features the band’s original lineup with highly rated bassist Richard Sinclair. For the seasoned Caravan enthusiast, the repertoire is somewhat predictable, including standards “If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You”, “Hello Hello”, “In the Land of Grey and Pink” and “Memory Lane Hugh”. To the band’s credit, it does not attempt to recreate its studio recordings note for note, adding interest for longtime fans. Also included are two songs that were never released on Caravan’s studio albums, “Mirror for a Day” and “Virgin on the Ridiculous”.
Line-up:
- Pye Hastings / guitar, vocals
- Dave Sinclair / keyboards, vocals
- Richard Sinclair / bass, vocals (1-6)
- John Perry / bass (7-12)
- Richard Coughlan / drums
- Geoffrey Richardson / viola (7-12)
Track List:
01. Hello Hello – 2:51
02. If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You – 2:48
03. As I Feel I Die – 4:31
04. Love Song Without Flute – 3:20
05. Love To Love You – 2:25
06. In The Land Of Grey And Pink – 3:39
07. Memory Lain Hugh – 4:54
08. A Hunting We Shall Go-Backwards – 8:25
09. Love In Your Eye – 13:52
10. Mirror For The Day – 4:15
11. For Richard – 15:03
12. Virgin On The Ridiculous – 7:00
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Caravan – Show Of Our Lives (Live at the BBC 1968-75) (@256)
20 Mar 2011
(Review from progarchives.com)
The amazing thing about Caravan is just how much they recorded for the BBC, whether in radio sessions or live concerts. This is is yet another one of those releases, a double disc affair for that matter, and still no overlapping from sessions.
It’s quite pleasant to hear three from their debut album, including a rare Wilde Flowers/Soft Machine stunning tidbits “Feelin’, Reelin’, Squelin’” from a 1971 session. Other rarities are the rarely heard “Love To Love You”, a vastly different “Love Song With A Flute” (Sinclair on electric piano) and an unfortunately abridged “9 Ft Underground”.
The second disc offers us a bunch of Richardson-era sessions, but not past the Stunts album. Of interest is the “Love In Your Eyes” with violin and the two new for the New Symphonia gig tracks as well as a “For Richard”. We even hear Pye answering Geoffrey’s great violin runs in “For Richard”. One of the best versions of “Dabsong Conshirtoe” is also present here.
Line-up:
- David Sinclair / keyboards
- Pye Hastings / guitar, vocals
- Richard Coughlan / drums
- Richard Sinclair / bass
- Steve Miller / keyboards
- Geoffrey Richardson / viola
- Jan Schelhaas / keyboards
- Mike Wedgwood / bass
Track List:
CD1
01. Place Of My Own – 4:13
02. Ride – 4:18
03. If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You – 2:47
04. Hello Hello – 3:13
05. As I Feel I Die – 6:25
06. Love To Love You – 3:13
07. Love Song Without Flute – 3:34
08. In The Land Of Grey And Pink – 3:46
09. Nine Feet Underground – 14:28
10. Feelin’, Reelin’, Squealin’ – 9:31
11. A Hunting We Shall Go – 9:16
12. Waffle Part One- Be Alright & Chance Of A Lifetime – 6:46
CD2
01. Memory Lain Hugh – 5:04
02. Headloss – 4:29
03. The Love In Your Eye – 13:55
04. Mirror For The Day – 4:17
05. Virgin On The Ridiculous – 7:02
06. For Richard – 15:06
07. The Dabsong Conshirtoe – 15:13
08. Stuck In A Hole – 3:16
09. The Show Of Our Lives – 4:54
Link in comments.
Caravan – Unauthorised Breakfast Item (2003) (@256)
18 Mar 2011
(Review from progarchives.com)
Eight years after “Battle Of Hastings”, Caravan comes back for a strong effort.
Pye is of course Caravan almost by himself and his songwriting is still the same (very pop with delightful melodies and witty lyrics) and he has his signature on most of the songs on this album. Caravan makes more diverse albums as others make their influences better felt other than by their impeccable playing but to enlighten these tunes.
Most of the tunes on here are typical Caravan numbers but the more interesting times in them are the spaces where the instruments are doing the talking and then one can see those slots alloted were “glued on” at the end of a song or “stuck/fitted” in the middle of one.
The brilliance of the early days might not be on the rendez-vous, but this is a good and unexpected come back.
Line-up:
- Pye Hastings / vocals, guitars
- Richard Coughlan / drums
- Jan Schelhaas / keyboards, backing vocals
- Doug Boyle / lead guitar
- Geoffrey Richardson / viola, banjo, ukelele, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Leverton / bass, vocals, backing vocals
with
- Dave Sinclair / keyboards (9)
- Jimmy Hastings / tenor and soprano saxophone, flute
- Simon Bentall / percussion
- Ralph Cross / additional percussion (3)
Track List:
01. Smoking Gun (Right for me) – 5:36
02. Revenge – 5:15
03. The Unauthorised Breakfast Item – 4:44
04. Tell Me Why – 6:16
05. It’s Getting a Whole Lot Better – 8:56
06. Head Above the Clouds – 7:21
07. Straight Through the Heart – 4:40
08. Wild West Street – 4:47
09. Nowhere to Hide – 8:54
10. Linders Field – 3:38
Link in comments.
Caravan – All Over You…Too (1999) (@256)
16 Mar 2011
(Review from progarchives.com)
This is a reunited return to the band’s beloved songs from the early 70s. The guitar work is heavier and more up to date but the same Caravan spirit is here in all the tracks.
There are some incredible moments on this album. “Hoedown” and “Very smelly grubby little Oik” sound terrific with the heavier guitars, Pye’s vocals are fabulous. “The Dog The Dog He’s At It Again” is an excellent version of the classic. Stuck in a hole has a great lead break and very powerful guitar work. Doug Boyle is a key factor to the heavier sound and it is a welcome change darkening the music that is usually lighter and giving it a razor’s edge, The version of ‘Cthlu Thlu’ is much darker than the original and has an incredible time sig change and killer riff. The nasty laugh at the end augments the portentous impending doomy atmosphere.
‘Nightmare’ is a well executed throwback to the classic version and it ends with a reprise of ‘Bobbing Wide’. The dynamic enthusiasm and vibrant energy of the band even in their twilight years is surprising and delightful. They still inject humour and potent instrumental breaks in the songs making them one of the genuine survivors of the 70s Canterbury prog movement.
Line-up:
- Pye Hastings / Rhythm guitar, bass, vocals
- Richard Coughlan / Drums
- Jim Leverton / bass (1-5, 7-9), guitar
- Dave Sinclair / Keyboards
- Geoffrey Richardson / viola, cello
with
- Doug Boyle / lead guitar
- Hugh Hopper / bass (6)
Track List:
01. Hoedown – 4:08
02. Very Smelly Grubby Little Oik – 3:28
03. Bobbing Wide – 3:01
04. The Dog, The Dog, He’s At It Again – 6:01
05. Stuck In A Hole – 3:57
06. Ride – 7:27
07. Nightmare – 7:00
08. Cthlu Thlu – 7:03
09. Bobbing Wide – 4:22
Link in comments.
Caravan – Battle of Hastings (1995) (@256)
14 Mar 2011
(Review from progarchives.com)
Recorded after the band’s heyday, the title “Battle of Hastings” is a play on words referring to both the Norman invasion of England, and the surname of two of the band’s key members. Following disagreements about the band’s direction in the early 90s, Richard Sinclair is missing from the line up, and so therefore is his usually strong influence.
“Battle of Hastings” is essentially a pop orientated album, with little in the way of progressive sounds or structures and the complex jazz tingled. Caravan’s shorter tracks have always tended to be rather whimsical, and serve as lighter intermissions between their more complex longer tracks.
Tracks such as “Liar”, “I Know Why You’re Laughing” and “If It Wasn’t For Your Ego” are excellent, but little more than high class pop songs. Indeed, the verses of “Liar” sound like they could have been taken from an Alan Parsons project album.
One of the more interesting tracks is “Travelling Ways”, which features a rare appearance by Jim Leverton on lead vocals. The track sounds similar to Simon Nicol’s work with Fairport Convention.
Although there is some pleasant instrumentation, in particular the flute work on several tracks, there is little in the way of instrumentals and certainly none of the lengthy breaks which characterised their early output. An album full of their short tracks will probably be of less appeal to Caravan fans and “Battle of Hastings” was clearly directed more towards the transient, pop orientated market.
Line-up:
- Richard Coughlan / drums
- Jimmy Hastings / clarinet, flute, flute (alto), flute (bass), piccolo, sax (soprano), sax (tenor)
- Pye Hastings / accordion, guitar (electric), vocals, harmony vocals, guitar (Leslie)
- Jim Leverton / bass, vocals, harmony vocals
- Geoffrey Richardson / guitar (acoustic), clarinet, mandolin, violin, accordion, guitar (electric), tambourine, viola, wind, kalimba, harmony vocals, shaker, amplifiers
- Dave Sinclair / keyboards, harmony vocals
Track List:
01. It’s A Sad, Sad Affair – 3:23
02. Somewhere In Your Heart – 5:43
03. Cold As Ice – 4:09
04. Liar – 6:07
05. Don’t Want Love – 6:48
06. Travelling Ways – 3:52
07. This Time – 5:18
08. If It Wasn’t For Your Ego – 3:35
09. It’s Not Real – 5:30
10. Wendy Wants Another 6′ Mole – 2:26
11. I Know Why You’re Laughing – 5:30
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Caravan – Back To Front (1982) (@256)
12 Mar 2011
(Review from allmusic)
In 1982, Pye Hastings decided to reconvene all four original members for “Back to Front”. In an unusually democratic move, he divided the writing between himself, Richard Sinclair, and David Sinclair (with drummer Richard Coughlan abstaining).
The result was a generally uneven album, but one which maintains a certain nostalgic charm.
Surprisingly, the best songs here were written by Dave Sinclair, who was usually overshadowed by vocalists Hastings and Richard Sinclair in the early days. On “Sally Don’t Change It” and “Videos of Hollywood”, he reveals a soft romantic side previously hidden. “Proper Job/Back to Front” is another gem. It most closely recalls early Caravan.
Another winner is cousin Richard Sinclair’s “Back to Herne Bay Front,” an amusing cameo of daily bingo and fish and chips in the small seaside town of Herne Bay.
The three songs written by Pye Hastings, on the contrary, are fairly pop numbers.
“Back to Front” doesn’t equate with their best work, but admirers of the group will be intrigued by the disparate personalities that emerge from this quiet reunion.
Line-up:
- Richard Coughlan / drums, percussion, voice (8)
- Pye Hastings / guitar, vocals
- David Sinclair / keyboards, lead vocals (8)
- Richard Sinclair / lead vocals, bass, guitar (3)
with
- Mel Collins / saxophone
Track List:
01. Back To Herne Bay Front – 5:58
02. Bet You Wanna Take It All – 5:20
03. AA Man – 5:01
04. Videos Of Hollywood – 5:11
05. Sally Don’t Change It – 4:07
06. All Abroad – 4:10
07. Taken By Breath Away – 4:53
08. Proper Job – 8:19
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Caravan – Album (1980) (@256)
10 Mar 2011
(Review from progarchives.com)
The Album is the ninth full-length studio album, David Sinclair has returned on the keyboards once again.
The music is soft rock with only a few of the progressive elements left that made earlier albums by Caravan so great.
The highlight of the album is “Watcha Gonna Tell Me” with its flute and those quirky fast vocal lines. The opener “Heartbreaker” and the song “Piano Player” are also respectable.
Line-up:
- Richard Coughlan / drums
- Pye Hastings / guitars, vocals
- Dek Messecar / bass, backing vocals
- Geoff Richardson / guitar, viola, flute, vocals
- David Sinclair / keyboards
Track List:
01. Heartbreaker – 3:38
02. Corner Of My Eye – 3:38
03. Watcha Gonna Tell Me – 5:48
04. Piano Player – 5:22
05. Make Yourself At Home – 3:27
06. Golden Mile – 3:10
07. Bright Shiny Day – 6:17
08. Clear Blue Sky – 6:25
09. Keepin’ Up The Fences – 5:18
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Caravan – Cool Water (Compilation 1977) (@256)
09 Mar 2011
(Review from progarchives.com)
This album contains material, recorded by Caravan in studio in 1977. Recordings spent 17 years somewhere in the vaults before they were released for a first time. Obviously material wasn’t developed till the end, so many songs sound more as demos with simplistic arrangements.
Not too many traces of Canterbury sound could be find there. Just pop-rock with nice vocals harmonies.
Line-up:
- Richard Coughlan / percussion, drums
- Pye Hastings / guitars, vocals
- Geoff Richardson / guitars, flute, violin, vocals, soloist
- Dave Sinclair / organ, piano, keyboards, Mini Moog
- Mike Wedgewood / bass
Track List:
01. Cool Water – 4:06
02. Just The Way You Are – 3:41
03. Tuesday Is Rock And Roll Nite – 4:19
04. The Crack Of The Willow – 5:35
05. Ansaphone – 4:57
06. Cold Fright – 5:21
07. Side By Side – 4:36
08. You Won’t Get Me Up In One Of Those – 3:54
09. To The Land Of My Fathers – 4:55
10. Poor Molly – 5:53
11. Send Reinforcements – 4:46
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Caravan – Caravan & The New Symphonia (Live 1974) (@256)
03 Mar 2011
(Review from progarchives.com, allmusic)
Fusing with a 39-piece orchestra is a daring move that pays off. This live album includes over a half an hour of Caravan, with and without the New Symphonia Orchestra, during the same October 28, 1973 Theatre Royal concert. It captures the band at a creative zenith.
The concert commences with a brief introduction from BBC Radio’s Alan Black. The band then presents three from their latest album: “Memory Lain, Hugh”/”Headloss” suite, “The Dog, the Dog, He’s at It Again” and “Hoedown”. This mini-set sparkles with the frenetic energy that a live audience will often provide. The intense interaction during the waning moments of “The Dog, the Dog, He’s at It Again” allow Caravan to reach a whole different stratum.
The second set features the orchestra with the band and commences with “Introduction”, an orchestrated piece which leads into the very delicate preface of “The Love in Your Eye”. The synergies truly begin to flow as the band weaves in and out of the orchestra. Pye Hastings composed two new pieces specifically for this recording: “Mirror for the Day” and the brilliant “Virgin on the Ridiculous”; the latter became a performance staple for Caravan.
The remainder of the set features some of their most formidable performance numbers, including an emotive “For Richard.” The newly restored encore, “A Hunting We Shall Go” is stunning in it’s scope and perfectly encapsulates what Caravan & the New Symphonia is really all about: allowing good music and good musicians the chance to be mutually superior.
Originally this album only included performances with the New Symphonia Orchestra. In this expanded edition, songs have been placed in their correct positions as they originally were performed on the night.
Line-up:
- Richard Coughlan / drums
- Jimmy Hastings / flute, alto saxophone
- Pye Hastings / vocals, guitar
- John G. Perry / bass, vocals
- Morris Pert / percussion
- Geoff Richardson / electric viola
- David Sinclair / keyboards
Track List:
01. Introduction by Alan Black – 11:00
02. The Dog, The Dog, He’s at It Again – 6:35
03. Hoedown – 3:54
04. Introduction – 6:49
05. The Love in Your Eye – 12:49
06. Mirror for the Day – 4:29
07. Virgin on the Ridiculous – 7:57
08. For Richard – 14:18
09. A Hunting We Shall Go – 10:23
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Caravan – In The Land Of Grey And Pink (1971) (@256)
28 Feb 2011
(Review from progarchives.com)
The band’s third album is one of its finest. While the centrepiece is the side long “Nine feet underground”, the complete album offers a melodic and coherent 40 minutes.
“Golf girl” and the title track are whimsical almost pop tracks, the former having fairly basic double entendres. They bookend a couple of fine Caravan pieces to form an excellent first half. “Winter wine” in particular is a classic Caravan track, with that unique keyboard sound, a lovely melody and a totally relaxed feel.
“Nine feet underground” is nominally in 8 parts, but it’s very much a single piece. Being largely instrumental, the band clearly had fun naming the sub-sections, with titles such as “Hold Grandad by the nose” and “Dance of the seven paper hankies”. The track weaves through various themes, with a mainly rock orientation, occasional wandering into more jazz like freeform areas, but always tight.
For this album, Pye Hastings, who had written most of the material for the first two albums, took a back seat. Although the credits are, in true democratic fashion, attributed to the four principle band members, Dave and Richard Sinclair in fact did most of the writing. Credit is also due to David Hitchcock and Dave Grinsted who edited together the five original sections of “Nine feet..” into the masterpiece it became.
A truly superb album, worthy of any music collection (prog or otherwise!).
Line-up:
- Richard Sinclair / bass guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals
- Pye Hastings / electric. guitars, acoustic guitar, vocals
- David Sinclair / organ, piano, mellotron, harmony vocals
- Richard Coughlan / drums, percussion
- Jimmy Hastings / flute, tenor saxophone, piccolo
- David Grinsted / cannon, bell, wind
Track List:
01. Golf Girl – 5:01
02. Winter Wine – 7:36
03. Love to Love You (and Tonight Pigs Will Fly) – 3:03
04. In the Land of Grey and Pink – 5:00
05. Nine Feet Underground – 22:43
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Caravan – Caravan (1968) (@256)
27 Feb 2011
(Review from progarchives.com)
The Wilde Flowers were a popular music group based in the vicinity of Canterbury, England. The group was active between 1964 and 1967 but never released any records during its existence; however it led to the formation of two other groups that became well-known and influential: Caravan and Soft Machine.
Caravan’s 1968 self-titled debut is a hybrid of jazz and psychedelia, rather than the classic Caravan of the later years. The sound is is much more closely related to Pink Floyd’s debut, the legendary “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn”. Their take on psychedelia is highly original and entertaining, and the members of the band, in spite of their youth, are more than capable as musicians and songwriters.
The album’s opener, “A Place of My Own”, released as a single, attracted quite a lot of attention at the time. It’s an endearing ditty, sung in a slightly more uncertain voice than usual, with great organ work. The keyboardist is possibly the real star of this album, as his trademark organ makes the overall sound fuller and richer, as well as adding complexity and interest to the compositions. The closing track, the 9-minute “Where but for Caravan Would I?” is the album’s most convincing stab at fully-fledged progressive. It is outstanding, the sinuous sound of the organ weaving in and out of the vocal interludes. Richard Sinclair sings lead in the Beatles-flavoured “Policeman” and the distinctly Syd Barrett-ish “Grandma’s Lawn”, backed up by haunting organ – a slightly disturbing song with weird lyrics, further enhanced by Richard’s smooth delivery. His best vocal performance, though, comes towards the end of “Where but for Caravan Would I”, where his voice achieves that velvety tone that is so irresistible.
The sinister, almost discordant “Cecil Rons” is probably the most uncharacteristic of the band’s output. On the other hand, the romantic “Love Song with Flute” is almost classic Caravan with beautiful vocals.
The band’s follow-up album was a rather giant leap forward in terms of songwriting and overall sound; but this endearingly homespun album, for all its shortcomings, deserves recognition of its own for being a gem of late 1960s psychedelic progressive.
Line-up:
- Richard Coughlan / drums
- Pye Hastings / vocals, guitars, bass
- David Sinclair / keyboards, vocals
- Richard Sinclair / vocals, bass, acoustic guitar
with
- Jimmy Hastings / flute
Track List:
01. Place Of My Own – 4:00
02. Ride – 3:41
03. Policeman – 2:45
04. Love Song With Flute – 4:09
05. Cecil Runs – 4:05
06. Magic Man – 4:01
07. Grandma’s Lawn – 3:23
08. Where But For Caravan Would I Be – 9:01
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Matching Mole – On the Radio 1972-1973 (@256)
21 Mar 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
Over the year Matching Mole were together, they managed four BBC sessions but only one of them had been issued as “BBC in Concert” in 1992. This “On the Radio” album contains all four sessions (including the “BBC in Concert” session) with a good sound quality. The sessions aren’t chronologically ordered (the Jan 72 session is even broken up in two parts).
The first session we are subjected to is the April 1972 one, where all three tracks are meddled into a 20-mins — the band already has some tracks down for their second album. Indeed “Marchides” and “Smoke Signals” were only works-in-progress and both sound much different than in their future studio version (including a drum solo in the former); and are sandwiching “Instant Pussy” where Wyatt explodes his scat voice into echo effects.
Up next is the Jan 1972 session, broken up by the March 1972 session, with the delicious “Part Of The Dance” (with Sinclair still in the line-up and McRae in as well), with their first album just about to be released. The Miller-penned “Part of the Dance” song features both an Hammond organ and a Fender Rhodes, and even though the sound quality is a bit approximate, this is one of the album’s highlights. The two March session tracks (Sinclair was gone by then) are much clearer sounding, especially the Ayers cover “No ‘alf Measures” and the never studio-encapsulated “Lithing and Gracing” track, an exciting Miller, McRae & Wyatt composition. Rounding up the unreleased tracks is an extended version of “Immediate Kitten”, where Sinclair’s organ charms into the superb intro, then going fuzz into the body of the song. An extended and excellent workout that confirms that Matching Mole’s best moments were with both Sinclair and McRae in the band.
The second part of the album is an In Concert feature from late July 1972, just as their second album was almost finished; less than three months away from the group’s demise. This “session starts on the best Wyatt scat vocals ever with Instant Pussy, he yodels away madly in their best-ever version of this track. The next three tracks have been already featured in this archival release but are presented in much different versions and you’d have to be a chiefmasterconoisseur to guess blindly where “Lithing And Gracing” track begins. It sees Matching Mole in full madness roaring and “Marchides” sees McRae’s Fender Rhodes take a solid intro, before the group blinds us with their dexterity and virtuosity a bit further down the track. “Part Of The Dance” is again much livelier in this version than either the radio or studio version. Here, it is the pinnacle of Matching Mole’s short career, with Phil Miller shinning throughout the 6 minutes of the track. Absolutely essential stuff, with the closer ode to Benj (a roadie) melted in as a finale for the track.
Line-up:
- Robert Wyatt / drums, vocals
- Phil Miller / guitar
- Dave MacRae / e-piano.
- Bill MacCormick / bass
- Dave Sinclair / organ
Track List:
01. March Ides + Instant Pussy + Smoke Signal – 20:33
02. Part Of The Dance – 7:56
03. No ‘alf Measures – 6:49
04. Lithing And Gracing – 7:18
05. Immediate Kitten – 9:59
06. Instant Pussy – 5:47
07. Lithing And Gracing – 4:49
08. Marchides – 6:49
09. Part Of The Dance – 6:32
10. Brandy As In Benj – 1:16
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Matching Mole – Matching Mole (1972) (@256)
19 Mar 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
With his first solo album under his belt, Robert Wyatt returned to Soft Machine, only to find that opposition to his vocal experiments had grown stronger than ever, and he left “this group that was making him so miserable”.
Wyatt called up Dave Sinclair, Delivery’s Phil Miller (brother of then-Caravan member Steve Miller), and found Bill McCormick during a Quiet Sun eclipse and formed his group, which only rehearsed three months before recording their debut album. About halfway through it became apparent that Sinclair wasn’t going to stay in Matching Mole, so the group added jazzman Dave McRae on electric piano, but supposedly as a guest.
The links between the two bands didn’t severe though. Not only did Wyatt name his new band after his former group’s French translation (Machine Mole >> hence Matching Mole), but the two groups spent much time touring together, the newcoming Matching Mole opening for the veteran Soft Machine.
Recorded around Christmas 1971, the band’s debut album is an uneven affair, with the record basically divided in three sections. The first section seems to elevate Wyatt as a superstar with his vocals brought to the fore, while the second movement is a wild fusion of jazz-rock and progressive rock, and the third part being quite experimental.
The opener “O Caroline” is a sentimental ballad with Wyatt’s fragile vocals accompanied by piano and mellotron sprawling all over the song. Next is the superb “Instant Pussy” where Wyatt orgasms into the microphone as if he was a woman, the whole thing over a tranquil bass line and a gentle jazz-rock rhythm. Segueing directly into “Signed Curtain”, Wyatt starts with his no nonsense “first verse and chorus” lyrics over a piano. After the first three songs celebrating Wyatt’s diverse fortunes as a singer, the albums veers (first gently with a soft electric piano) but less than a minute into Miller’s “Part Of The Dance”, we are deeply in hard-driving uncompromising jazz-rock, the type that fries your brains when looking out for the sun. This track blazes and smokes all the way throughout its 9-mins+.
The flipside starts on two tracks that could’ve easily come from the better Caravan albums, and it’s a bit surprising to find that Sinclair didn’t write these two. “Instant Kitten” is a slow developing track that pays tribute to its sister “Instant Pussy”, but once the second part of the track has arrives, it sounds stunningly like a Caravan track looking for home (Grey & Pink era). The next track, “Dedicated To Hugh” (after a Vol 2 Soft Machine track) starts on weird electronic noises, before returning to a Caravan sound (this time Waterloo Lily era), before veering completely insane RIO improvisation. “Beer As Braindeer” is a cosmic theme in its middle section, but takes upon the RIO realm for the opening and losing parts. The latter “Immediate Curtain” is spooky cosmic track that resembles eatly Tangerine Dream.
Matching Mole’s debut album is a bit of a confusing and uneven, but the qualities are so much greater than its flaws. Though it’s hard to recommend any Matching Mole albums to a novice Canterbury pilgrim.
Line-up:
- Robert Wyatt / drums, vocals, piano, mellotron
- Dave Sinclair / keyboards
- Bill MacCormick / bass
- Phil Miller / guitar
with
- Dave McRae / keyboards
Track List:
01. O Caroline – 5:05
02. Instant Pussy – 2:59
03. Signed Curtain – 3:06
04. Part Of The Dance – 9:16
05. Instant Kitten – 4:58
06. Dedicated To Hugh, But You Weren’t Listening – 4:39
07. Beer As In Braindeer – 4:02
08. Immediate Curtain – 5:57
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Camel – Breathless (1978) (@256)
01 Jun 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
The band have a happy knack of coming up with a really strong opener for their albums, and the title track here is no exception. It’s a lilting, melodic piece, with some infectious instrumental hooks which are guaranteed to make you feel good. Unfortunately, the feel good factor was the one thing which was missing for the band themselves when they recorded ‘Breathless’, with Peter Bardens being all but ostracised by the rest of the band. By this time, Mel Collins had formally joined the band, his sax contributions once again providing an extra dimension to the sound. Despite the bitter acrimony during the recording of the album, Bardens and Latimer worked together on many of the songs.
The track ‘Breathless’ provides early evidence of the generally lighter feel to this album. Richard Sinclair may have had more influence than he did on ‘Rain dances’, but it is his whimsical side which comes through, rather than anything resembling the early work of Caravan. Sinclair’s vocals certainly help to make tracks such as “Breathless” more melodic though.
There are effectively three feature tracks here. ‘Echoes’ (no relation to the Pink Floyd track) a melodic upbeat number, ‘Summer lightening’ which has a superb long guitar solo by Andy Latimer, and ‘The sleeper’, the intro to which was inspired by seagulls flying in Cornwall where Bardens and Latimer wrote together. On ‘The sleeper’, Andy Latimer uses different guitar sounds to create both fusion and rock feels within the track.
There are several weaker tracks too. ‘Wing and a prayer’ is dull, with a lifeless melody, and an overt pop influence. ‘You make me smile’ takes the blandness a step further, being a nondescript love song, with cringe inducing lyrics.
The story behind the track ‘Down on the farm’ illustrates the divisions in the band well. Peter Bardens had submitted a track for inclusion on the album, but such was the desire of the rest of the band to evict Bardens from the band that they rejected the song, on the pretext of allowing Richard Sinclair to include one of his. Bardens disliked Sinclair’s song so much, that he does not play on it at all. To be fair to Bardens, Sinclair’s dominance of the track, and its whimsical nature make it sound more like a discarded Caravan outtake than a Camel song. In retrospect, Bardens was right, the song should have been left off the album.
The final track, ‘Rainbow’s end’ was written by Latimer for Bardens, the soft reflective nature and delicate vocals conveying the end of an era nature of the album.
In all an uneven album, with some tracks which are well up there with the band’s best, but with others which should have been left in the studio.
Even before recording of the album had been completed, Bardens had left Camel to work with Van Morrison, and to rekindle his solo career. For the tour to promote ‘Breathless’, Bardens was replaced by two keyboard players, including Richard Sinclair’s cousin Dave, who had guested (without being credited) on two tracks on the album. Both the Sinclairs would leave the band after the tour, which had taken its toll on all the band members.
Line-up:
- Pete Bardens / organ, synthesizer, piano, keyboards, mellophonium, vocals
- Richard Sinclair / bass, vocals
- Andy Latimer / flute, guitar, vocals
- Andy Ward / percussion, drums
- Mel Collins / sax
Track List:
01. Breathless (4:16)
02. Echoes (7:22)
03. Wing and Prayer (4:41)
04. Down on the Farm (4:20)
05. Starlight Ride (3:20)
06. Summer Lightening (6:03)
07. You Make me Smile (4:13)
08. The Sleeper (7:02)
09. Rainbow’s End (3:00)
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Caravan – Cunning Stunts (1975) (@256)
08 May 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
“Cunning Stunts” is the last of the great Caravan albums. The school playground humour of the title, and the rather nondescript sleeve disguise an excellent work which features many fine moments. The jazz influence which came to the fore on “Waterloo Lily” is seldom in evidence here, the album being among the band’s most accessible releases, while retaining a significant depth of Canterbury progressive.
“The show of our lives” is a majestic opener, complete with chiming bells contributing to a veritable wall of sound. The stately pace and choral vocals give an almost stage show feel to the track. “Lover” and “No backstage pass” combine well to form a beautiful 10 minute piece which was to become a regular feature of their live set.
The “Dabsong concerto” occupies virtually all of side 2 of the LP. It carries many of the Caravan trademarks, with some fine instrumental work. It does tend to drift a bit midway through, but is brought back together by a reprisal of “The show of our lives” to end the track.
Overall, a slightly more commercial album than their previous offerings, but another classic Caravan release nonetheless.
Line-up:
- Richard Coughlan / drums, percussion
- Pye Hastings / vocals, guitars
- Geoff Richardson / viola, guitars, flute
- David Sinclair / keyboards
- Mike Wedgwood / basses, vocals, congas
+ Jimmy Hastings / brass arrangements
Track List:
01. The Show of Our Lives (5:47)
02. Stuck in a Hole (3:09)
03. Lover (5:08)
04. No Backstage Pass (4:35)
05. Welcome the Day (4:03)
06. Dabsong Conshirto (Pt. 1 the Mad Dabsong… (18:01)
07. The Fear and Loathing in Tollington Park (1:09)
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Caravan – If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You (1970) (@256)
05 Mar 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
Considering this album was originally released in 1970, it still sounds astonishingly fresh.
The title track was a surprise hit single at the time, but it is not really representative of the band, or indeed the album. The distinctive vocals and Canterbury keyboards are already present, especially on tracks like “And I wish I were stoned/Don’t worry”. Caravan found their direction on this album, and subsequent releases explored a similar vein.
The track “For Richard (etc.)” first appeared on this album. It has of course gone on to become arguably the band’s best known and most popular song, appearing on a plethora of live albums, and being performed (I believe) at every gig they have done since. There is a strong jazz influence on parts of the track, but that never overpowers the prevailing prog structure.
It was only because there were so many other innovative and exciting bands around at the same time, that Caravan never went on to achieve the success they deserved, and that this album undoubtedly warranted. They did enjoy a level of success with subsequent albums such as “In the Land of Grey and Pink”, but this album remains something of a hidden diamond.
Line-up:
- Richard Coughlan / drums, congas, bongos, maracas, finger cymbals
- Pye Hastings / vocals, guitars, claves
- David Sinclair / keyboards
- Richard Sinclair / vocals, bass, tambourine
- Brother James / sax and flute
Track List:
01. If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You (3:07)
02. And I Wish I Were Stoned – Don’t Worry (8:21)
03. As I Feel I Die (5:17)
04. With An Ear To The Ground You Can Make It / Martinian / Only Cox / Reprise (9:56)
05. Hello Hello (3:46)
06. Asforteri 25 (1:21)
07. Can’t Be Long Now / Françoise / For Richard / Warlock (14:18)
08. Limits (1:34)
09. A Day In The Life Of Maurice Haylett (Bonus) (5:40)
10. Why? (And I Wish I Were Stoned) (Bonus) (4:22)
11. Clipping The 8th (Hello Hello) (Bonus) (3:13)
12. As I Feel I Die (Bonus) (4:39)
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Jeff Wayne – Spartacus (1992) (@256)
24 Feb 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
For the follow up to “War of the Worlds”, Jeff Wayne brought together once again many of the same ingredients. Talented performers, orchestration, and a strong storyline (in this case the story of Spartacus from the epic film of the same name) all indicated that this would be another fine album.
It is then, all the more surprising that this such a disappointing album. The main problem here is in the quality of the compositions. There is a real dearth of strong melodies, and the performances themselves can be best described as average. Perhaps it was the fact that unlike “War of the Worlds”, the performers here, while highly competent, were not “stars”. It’s only speculation, but perhaps Wayne did not get the expert feedback from the performers this time which he enjoyed previously, and thus the quality control was compromised.
A quick examination of the list of performers reveals that the rock orientated musicians who dominated War of the Worlds are largely missing, to be replaced by generally lesser know performers with dance music backgrounds. Ladysmith Black Mambazo play the part of the “crowd” giving the album a significant “world music” feel. Only Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s Chris Thompson remains from the War of the Worlds guest singers. If that’s not concerning enough(!), the lead female role is sung (yes sung) and narrated by Catherine Zeta Jones! At the time, she was not nearly as well known as she is these days. To be fair, Jones is actually a pretty good singer in a stage show context, and the album does have the feel of a Lloyd-Webber/Rice musical, rather than a rock extravaganza. On the plus side, Fish (ex-Marillion) also appears, albeit briefly.
The tracks are lengthy but rather drawn out, with too little variety, and some sections become downright boring. The peculiar mixture of dance, world music, orchestration, story telling, stage show and a small amount of rock do not sit particularly well together resulting in a disjointed and unsatisfying mix.
The narration is shared by Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta Jones, and while the album tells the story well, it can become a bit tedious. It has to be said too, that while the film was undoubtedly a classic, the story has not transferred well to the audio only medium.
“Spartacus” may appeal to someone who enjoys all the diverse influences include in it. Unfortunately, for me those influences have not been put together in a coherent and enjoyable format, and when seen as a whole, the album fails to inspire. Indeed, inspiration appears to largely lacking from the project as a whole.
Line-up:
- Anthony Hopkins / Marcus Crassus (spoken part)
- Catherine Zeta Jones / Palene (spoken and sung part)
- Ladysmith Black Mambazo / The “voices of Spartacus army”
- Incantation / multi-instrumentalists
- Jimmy Helms / Isoricus the Cicilian pirate
- Fish / Crixus the Gaul Alan King & Spartacus
- Chris Thompson / Oeomanus
- Bill Fredericks & Jo Partridge / guitar
- Danny Campbell & Marwenna Haver / backing vocalists on “For All Time”
- Lorna Bannon & Carol Kenyon / Slave Girls on “Trust Me”
- Gaetan Schurrer / programming
- Steve McLaughlin / programming
- James Cassidy / keyboards
- Jeff Wayne / keyboards
- Jo Partridge / guitars and guitar synths
- David Sinclair / bass guitar, stick
- John Cann / live drums
- “The Parting of the Ways” & “Trust Me” Kick Horns / brass section
Track List:
CD1:
01. Destiny
02. Animal & Man (Part One)
03. Animal & Man (Part Two)
04. For All Time
05. Whispers
06. The Eagle & the Hawk
CD2:
01. Going Home
02. The Parting of the Ways
03. We Carry On
04. Trust Me
05. Two Souls With a Single Dream
06. The Last Battle (leading into)
07. The Eagle & the Hawk
08. The Appian Way
09. Epilogue (Part One)
10. Epilogue (Part Two)
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