Obscure prog!
In the 70s, during the hey day of progressive rock, record labels were looking out for bands that might be the next money-spinner like Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull or Genesis. Thus, numerous second tier prog-rock bands were given the opportunity to become viable recording artists. Not all of these LPs were easily available in Singapore and even if they were, I would be spending my hard-earned allowance on those aforementioned top-tier bands… But thanks to Spotify, I can now listen to these now lesser known outfits. Enjoy…
U.K.
A supergroup in every sense of that word, U.K. originally consisted of John Wetton (vocals/bass), Bill Bruford (drums), Eddie Jobson (keyboards/violin) and Allan Holdsworth (guitar). That lineup recorded a eponymous debut LP which was released in 1978 but the band subsequently imploded. Still, this record remains a wonderful landmark for progressive circa the late 70s.
CARAVAN
An English band that was part of the 70s Canterbury music scene which blended psychedelic rock and jazz. Very pastoral in approach with a lighter touch on the fusion moments than most of its contemporaries, Caravan’s attention to memorable melodies make for closer inspection.
GENTLE GIANT
This talented quintet never quite got out from the shadow of Yes (whom they sounded similar to) and thus remained a cult band for the duration of its decade long existence. Perhaps that lack of commercial success was down to the sheer complexity of its music. Who knows? Octopus (1972) is widely regarded as the band’s finest moment.
CAMEL
Again, this British band never quite achieved the same mega-selling status as say, The Alan Parsons Project (whom they were often compared to) but as is clearly evident from Echoes – a best of compilation – there is enough stellar material from the band’s 14 albums to thrill every diehard prog-rock enthusiast.
… still there’s more …