Gravy Train - Second Birth (1973 UK)

No tenía muy claro qué podíamos recordar hoy, y acabo de ver que de este fundamental grupo de Hard/Prog/Rock nos falta este buen disco en nuestras vitrinas, así que aquí va. Os pongo una pequeña historia del inicio del grupo, contada por el propio JD Hughes, en su web 

En 1973, Gravy Train cambió de compañía (de Vertigo a Dawn Records), la rama progresiva del sello PYE Records de Don Kirshner. Y en el nuevo sello apareció este tercer trabajo de la banda, Second Birth: ocho pistas, dos de los cuales ("Strength of a Dream" y "Tolpuddle Episode") se lanzaron como singles. Una vez más el grupo falló a la hora de los charts. Durante su grabación, Barry Davenport, el batería original de la formación fue sustituido por Russ Caldwell.

Al igual que con todos los discos de Gravy Train, las guitarras están en la vanguardia con una excelente combinación de flauta, bajo, teclados y batería, pero sobresaliendo sobre todo la voz y la guitarra de Norman Barrett. Probablemente Second Birth no alcanza el nivel de (A Ballad Of) A Peaceful Man, pero es un trabajo muy aceptable que aunque no fue bien recepcionado por su público cuando fue editado, el tiempo no lo ha hecho envejecer.

- Norman Barrett: guitarra, voz solista 

- Barry Davenport: batería, percusión (temas 1,5,7)

- George Lynon: guitarra

- J.D. Hughes: teclado, voz, flauta, saxo

- Les Williams: bajo, voz

- Russ Caldwell: Batería (temas 2,3,4,6,8,9)

Disponible en Nuestra Fábrica:

1970 - Gravy Train

1971 - (A Ballad Of) A Peaceful Man

1974 - Staircase To The Day

Archivos en mp3 (320 Kbps) y FLAC

LOOK FOR: TERCERO, TERCEROF1-2

Dia G 25.01.09 (5) - Gravy Train - Staircase To The Day (1974 UK)

Gravy Train
Staircase To The Day

From progarchives.com

Track Listings

1. Starbright Starlight (4:28)
2. Bring My Life On Back To Me (5:48)
3. Never Wanted You (4:04)
4. Staircase To The Day (7:31)
5. Going For A Quick One (5:16)
6. The Last Day (5:36)
7. Evening Of My Life (2:59)
8. Busted In Schenectady (8:11)

Total Time: 43:53
Line-up/Musicians

- Norman Barrett / guitar, vocals
- George Lynon / guitar
- Barry Davenport / drums
- Lester Williams / bass, vocals
- J.D. Hughes / keyboards, vocals, flute, saxes

with
- Mary Zinovieff / keyboards, violin
- Peter Solley / keyboards, vocals
- Jim Frank / Drums
- PP Arnold, Faye Doris, Bobby Harrison / Backing vocals
- Vic Smith / Cowbell

Releases information

LP Dawn 1 (1974)
CD Castle NEM613 (1994)
LP Get Back 620 (2002)
CD Repertoire 4133 (2002)


[...] The album stands hundred percent more stronger than the "first" album under the Dawn label (and spell of music), but typicalness still raises to point out that the band's virtue hasn't got (anymore) the fascinating lengths pulled out in the first period. With a refined sense, a couple of pieces shine like never before. Much to the tranquility of "acclaimed compositions", Staircase To The Day is a worthy rock composition, delicate, first of all, within its surmountable quality of rock, of perspective and of fusion. Previous to this one, Bring My Life On Back To Me plays a too soft movement, but has strong vocals and a rhythm of dousing pleasure. The Last Day finally combines the wind-folk simple cut with the bass-groove small sequence of rock 'n' rave. Keyboards share an uncharacteristic expansion towards synthesism, since both guests, Mary Zinovieff and Peter Soiley (oh, that's right, J.D. Hugues departed!), play a mixture of plastic and old-"melo" keyboards - such effects are more entertaining (Starlight Starlight being, anyhow, a cheesy but catchy piece) or do stranger improvisations (Going For A Quick One having nothing in common with good value). [...]

LOOK FOR: STARTRAIN

Dia G 25.01.09 (4) - (A Ballad Of) A Peaceful Man (1971 UK)

Gravy Train 
(A Ballad Of) A Peaceful Man

Extraido de Allmusic.com

Among the lesser-feted jewels released by the Vertigo label during its swirly-logo purple patch, Gravy Train's restful hybrid of jazz-tinged virtuosity, folky pastorals, and heartfelt vocalizing peaks on this, their second album, and that despite A Ballad of a Peaceful Man doing little more than treading water when compared to the experimental peaks of its predecessor. Part of the album's appeal lies in the then-novel concept of splitting its contents neatly in half, the hard rockers on one side, the softer material on the other. On the whole, the ballads have dated a lot better than the monsters, particularly "Alone in Georgia," which clashes sweet soul with (of all things!) Southern rock and, for some reason, sounds a lot like the Heavy Metal Kids. But that is not to denounce the sheer power of the band in full flood. The title track postulates an unholy collision of Uriah Heep and Atomic Rooster, and shows off Norman Barrett's vocals to maximum effect, while "Won't Talk About It" is almost stubbornly likable, and that despite prophesying every yowling power ballad of the '80s and beyond. Best of all, though, is the spookily atmospheric "Home Again," all throbbing percussion, primal flute, and timeless melancholy. On an album that flirts across a variety of moods, the moodiest track of all makes for a breathtaking finale.

Para el refresco, edición de 2006 a 320 Kbps con un bonus

LOOK FOR: BALLADOF

Dia G 18.01.09 (3) - Gravy Train - Gravy Train (1970 UK)

Gravy Train
"Gravy Train"

Texto Extraido de Allmusic

Jethro Tull and Comus had a baby, and they named it Gravy Train. That's not strictly accurate, of course, but as the band's eponymous debut opens with the fluid changes of "The New One," it's not too far of a reach, either. Richly harmonic, daringly jam-laden, and peppered with guitar roars that simply defy comparison, Gravy Train is the sound of the British underground at its most joyously liberated peak — a time when a bunch of apparent freaks could simply go into a major recording studio and let rip. Except Gravy Train's concept of "letting rip" has more in common with a symphony orchestra than the Edgar Broughton Band. Without, of course, the orchestra. But there's a moment in the midst of "Think of Life" that cannot help but put one in mind of later Deep Purple, as the flute and guitar battle for supremacy, while the blues workout "Coast Road" is as breathtaking as any of that genre's better-feted exponents.

If Gravy Train has any faults whatsoever, the fascination with peculiar vocal effects can grow a little wearing, especially as frontman Norman Barrett already appears to have a fabulous range of his own — "Dedication to Sid," in particular, glories in such trickery, although the heartbeat bassline that runs through the number is so hypnotic that it's easy to forget everything else that's going on. In fact, Gravy Train is littered with moments like that, an album of so many surprises that even when you think you know it, you can still find something else you'd never noticed. And it all adds up to a genuine minor classic.

LOOK FOR: GRAVY