Size: 135 MB Bitrate: 320 Mp3 Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock Artwork Included Source: Japan SHM-CD Remaster All tracks recorded live at Central Sound Studios, Denmark Street, London 1969. Here's a pretty special thing, rescued and heard for the first time over 40 years later; this is the demos that Cressida recorded before they signed to Vertigo. They sound quality is quite good for what these tapes are, and this is a chance to hear the group in a early stage. Most of these recordings were previously released on a very limited, vinyl-only release, but there are two tracks added for this CD release that have never been released before.
Wow, that's the only word I have for this gold nugget, found by the great Esoteric recordings, this gem by Cressida, before their excellent first album! Yes of course there are sound differentials, wolly sound here and there, but who cares this is a prog pearl, a genuine prog history gem! A promo edition of their first material, where some of it made it through to the first fine album!! I love it, I love the way Esoteric Works, they are true to the thought of refining re-mastering those gems of yesteryear!!
Every serious UK prog/psychedelic/pop/rock history friend/collector should be in awe, supporting this great record company and the bands released herein!! Cressida are superb, even here in their "baby shoes" they are great! With the Hammond to the fore and the excellent vocals of Angus Cullen, this is superb music history!! Thanks to Esoteric Recordings, again!! What? You don't need a review if you are a true prog collector, Cressida should be in your "book"!! A Perfect find, A perfect re-release!! 5 stars for sure!! GET IT!!
Cressida was a British art rock band formed at the tail-end of the 1960s in the shadow of (and their music very much in thrall to) the Moody Blues, with a heavy organ and Mellotron sound courtesy of keyboard player Peter Jennings. The original lineup of Jennings, Angus Cullen (vocals, guitar), John Heyworth (guitar), Kevin McCarthy (bass), and Ian Clark (drums) was signed to Polydor's progressive rock imprint, Vertigo Records. The group had a dense, lyrical sound, and Cullen's singing was of a pleasing, almost pop nature, in a vein similar to Justin Hayward, Paul McCartney, et al. Their self-titled debut album was filled with hauntingly beautiful melodies and relatively accessible, straightforward song structures. It was somewhat derivative of antecedents such as the Moody Blues, but it did well enough to justify a follow-up in 1971. Heyworth had departed by the time of the second album, entitled Asylum, replaced by John Culley and Paul Martin Layton (of the New Seekers) on guitar, and with Harold McNair added on flute as well.
That album, produced by Ossie Byrne, was more ambitious instrumentally and, surprisingly, given Byrne's previous work with the Bee Gees and Eclection, less focused on Cullen's vocals. By 1972, however, the group had run out of steam and recording contract, and they never really had a chance to develop a history. Ian Clark moved on to a brief stay with Uriah Heep and John Culley became a member of Black Widow. ♦ Angus Cullen - Vocals ♦ John Heyworth - Guitar ♦ Kevin McCarthy - Bass ♦ Lol Coker - Organ ♦ Peter Jennings - Organ (on tracks 3,4 & 5) ♦ Iain Clark - Drums 01. To Play Your Little Game 3:09 02. Winter Is Coming Again 3:51 03. Cressida 4:03 04. Depression 3:30 05. Sad Eyed Fairy 3:15 06. Lights in My Mind 3:15 07. Let Them Come When They Will 3:02 08. Situation 3:26 09. The Only Earthman in Town 3:40 10. Down Down 4:29 11. Mental State 3:39 Bonus Tracks: 12. Silent Light [Bonus Track] 05:00 13. Situation (Alternate Version) [Bonus Track] 03:36 14. Wind in the Night [Japan Only Bonus Track] 03:44
Size: 181 MB Bitrate: @320 mp3 Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock Artwork Included Source: Japan 24-Bit Remaster Wucan are back to reap what they sowed two years ago. And if you sow the wind you can reap the storm, at least if you live in the world of Wucan. Two years their album has grown, it is their second album and from the outside it certainly looks like an improvement from their first one. And I had some hopes for this album considering that the first album was quite brilliant at its best, and they left off with a brilliant tune so why not hope for an impressive continuance? And what about the answer, do they give us that brilliance? Well, I think they kind of do.
The music is the same as the earlier album, a bit more evolved, a bit higher quality production, better sound, better songs and better vocals. The album is long with a 74 minute playing time and they have good variation to keep the listener listening for the entire playing time, and the style is similar to bands like Jethro Tull with flutes and that sort of thing. “Hippie rock” is probably a decent way to describe what you get to hear when you listen to this album for over seventy minutes, and Francis the lady who sings manages to sing in both German and English making the album feel a bit exotic even – as they always do when you get to hear the lyrics sung in odd languages. I think this is an album that is clearly better than the predecessor and it is a quality album.
If you had high hopes for this album, you will not be disappointed. To me this is an album that is very close to six points, meaning that it is one of the top albums so far this year. I would describe it as impressive and most impressive is the ending duo of tracks, the two extremely long epics that end this album, the ten-minute opener isn’t shabby either.
And everything between this is good as well, but as I stated before the ending two tracks are quite special and quite brilliant. The two years from the sowing until the reaping has certainly been doing these guys very good, they have clearly taken several steps forward and I can clearly recommend this album to anyone who likes music – I think I might add this double vinyl record to my collection when it is released, it is that good. So, I think you should check out this album, it is certainly worth it. It is a really strong album with strong tracks, they are reaping some great stuff here, and eight great reaps, as it would appear. You should really check this album out, it has more or less everything you could want and it ends in the best possible way – it is thumbs up for Reap the Storm, you really should check it out. Band ♫♪♪: ♦ Francis - Vocals, Flute, Guitar, Theremin ♦ Tim - Guitar ♦ Patrik - Bass ♦ Phil - Drums 01. Wie die Welt sich dreht 09:59 02. Ebb and Flute "The Eternal Groove 06:04 03. Out of Sight, Out of Mind 03:23 04. I'm Gonna Leave You 04:59 05. The Rat Catcher 05:25 06. Falkenlied 04:49 07. Aging Ten Years in Two Seconds 21:05 - The Years I Haven't Lived - Worldwards - Flight of the Crows I - Afterwards - Melinda - Onwards - Flight of the Crows II - Headwards - The Years I Won't Live 08. Cosmic Guilt 18:03
