|
|
|
|
||
|
 |
 |
Highlighting in album tracklistings denotes 'contains Mellotron'. On 'multi-part' tracks I've tried to indicate which parts contain 'Tron, although this isn't always possible.
Ratings:
The * rating (½-5) is my personal, entirely subjective and completely partisan rating of the music.
The 'T' ('Tron, of course...) rating (0-5) is an only slightly more objective indicator of an album's Mellotronness.
By the way, if you know of any Mellotron albums that aren't listed here, please look at my albums page first! Thanks.
|
Fear of Pop D Henry Fenton Jean-Pierre Ferland Bryan Ferry |
Fibonaccis Fiel Garvie Fields |
Fiery Furnaces Finch Finisterre |
Finn Neil Finn Fireballet |
 |
Volume 1 (1998, 41.37) ***½/TT |
|
| Fear of Pop Kops Slow Jam '98 Blink In Love Interlude Avery M. Powers Memorial Beltway |
I Paid My Money Rubber Sled Root to This Still in Love |
|
Current availability:
It's rather difficult to know exactly how to list this album; is it by Fear of Pop? Is Fear of Pop the title? And who's behind it all, anyway? It turns out it's a Ben Folds side-project, presumably recorded while Folds took a breather from his cheesily mainstream Ben Folds Five. Thankfully, Volume 1 (as we shall presume it's actually titled) is an awfully long way from Folds' day job, being an eclectic mix of almost every style going, with an excellent police show/blaxploitation feel to Kops, a mixture of Appalachian folk and Theremin on Avery M. Powers Memorial Beltway and ridiculous spoken word pieces In Love and Still In Love, the latter featuring the inimitable (and almost unrecognisable) William Shatner. All in all, every track is different to every other, making for a most uncommercial work, although a far more artistically satisfying one than Mr. Folds usually produces.
John Mark Painter plays Chamberlin on the album, with flutes and occasional strings on Kops, with more strings and some great cello/double bass work on Slow Jam '98, although I can't tell whether the latter is Chamby or real (Painter also plays cello on the album). Distant strings on In Love and Avery M. Powers Memorial Beltway, and what sounds like Chamby female voices on the exceedingly brief Interlude, making a nice change from the usual suspects.
This is an interesting, albeit fairly weird album, made all the weirder by being by an artist known for his dedication to the mainstream. Should you buy it? Don't ask me... Several decent Chamberlin tracks make it almost worth a (cheap) purchase on that account, but Ben Folds fans probably need not apply.
 |
Autumn Sweet (2002, 42.41) ***/T½ |
|
| Trouble Comes Autumn Sweet Over n Over Sleep I'm Not Ready for You Lightning Love Only Lies Half Naked Next to Me |
Slow Down Dixie New York Song Only Angels Can Fly The Many Faces of Esther Sad Hotel Jericho's Horse |
|
Current availability:
Aussie D Henry Fenton relocated to the States in 2000, so it's not so surprising that Autumn Sweet has an Americana streak a mile wide, although elements of intelligent pop (notably on Sad Hotel) creep in here and there, too. While diversity is good, the mish-mash of styles on the album can be confusing; just as you think you've got Fenton labelled, he steps one pace to the left and switches genre. Unfortunately, his Americana leanings are more of the Ryan Adams variety than the Beachwood Sparks one, although at least he beats the tedious Dave Matthews into the ground.
Fenton and producer Mitch Easter (R.E.M.) both play Chamberlin on the album, with the standout track being opener Trouble Comes, with nice, upfront flutes and high-end cellos. The only other obvious Chamby track is The Many Faces Of Esther, with a high string part, while Over N Over can only manage almost non-existent flutes, and there's nothing audible on Sad Hotel at all.
So; those of you who can still see something romantic about America may well like this album. In fairness, it's not actually bad, but didn't engage me either, and with only one decent tape-replay track, you're probably best off looking elsewhere.
 |
Le Showbusiness (1975, 29.28) ***/TTTLe ShowbusinessLe Pap-pi-Douz Maman, Ton Fils Passe un Mauvais Moment Swingnez Votre Compagnie Une Peine d'Amour Ce Soir-là... Le Système Métrique Une Femme Extraordinaire 820-0822 La Soucoupe Volante |
Current availability:
Ferland had been around since the late '50s, and by the mid-'70s seems to have settled into a comfortable musical middle age of mainstream folky pop/rock, with a country edge in places. Le Showbusiness, confusingly sometimes referred to as L'Autobus du Showbusiness (I haven't been able to source a cover image to prove it one way or the other) typifies his approach, with, like some many of his Québecois contemporaries, a distinct nod towards the French chanson tradition.
Plenty of Mellotron here, played by Mario Provençal, with flutes all over the title track, and more of the same on Maman, Ton Fils Passe Un Mauvais Moment. Une Peine d'Amour and Ce Soir-là... have some orchestrally-arranged 'Tron strings, along with the flutes, and is that Mellotron cello I can hear on the latter? More of the same on the last two highlighted tracks, with probably the best use being the slightly menacing chords under the spoken-word section at the beginning of the weird-synth laden La Soucoupe Volante, with what sounds suspiciously like backwards 'Tron flutes further into the song.
So; this isn't an album for the progressive fan or, indeed, anyone who doesn't have a soft spot for French pop. It has, however, got quite a bit of Mellotron scattered throughout its grooves (or micro-pits in an aluminium sheet), so you may wish to dabble anyway.
 |
Frantic (2002, 46.56) ***/½ |
|
| It's All Over Now Baby Blue Cruel Going Down Goddess of Love Don't Think Twice it's Alright Nobody Loves Me Ja Nun Hons Pris Fool for Love |
Goodnight Irene Hiroshima (Ash Howes Mix) San Simeon One Way Love I Thought |
|
Current availability:
The original lounge lizard finally gets around to a new album, and would you believe, it actually isn't at all bad? Bryan Ferry has a deserved reputation for ultra-smoothness, but Frantic features a decent selection of songs new and old, and a dry, upfront vocal sound that the Ferry of old would never have contemplated using. Two Dylan covers and a Leadbelly song (Goodnight Irene) sit amongst co-writes with the likes of (evil) Dave Stewart and Eno, although all are moulded to fit the Ferry Sound, as are instrumental contributions from the likes of Chris Spedding and old Roxy compatriot Paul Thompson.
There's allegedly a Mellotron part on Nobody Loves Me from Colin Good, but I have to say I can't hear anything especially Mellotronic, unless the voices running through the track are yer classic 'Tron choir stuck through some effects. That aside, I was expecting to dislike this album strongly, and am pleasantly surprised to find it very listenable, if not actually something I'll play on a regular basis. Older persons' music, but then, we're all getting older, aren't we?
 |
Tumor EP (1982, 9.37) ****/TTT½TumorSlow Beautiful Sex Psycho |
 |
Civilization and its Discotheques (1987, 40.25) ***½/TTT½ | |
| March to Heaven Narcissist Had it With Girls Crickets Leroy The Thread Stay Home Medicine Waltz |
Some Men Old Mean Ed Gein Romp of the Meiji Sycophants The Snap |
|
 |
Repressed: the Best of the Fibonaccis, 1981-1987 (1992, 79.33) ****/TTTT½ |
|||
| Stay Home Somnambulist Narcissist Ordinary Women The Genius Tumor Anti-Oedipus Sergio Leone Medicine Waltz |
Maculae Rice Song Some Men Lisbon Had it With Girls Psycho Old Mean Ed Gein Tiny Pizzas The Thread |
Terrorvision Leroy Dancing With the Bears March to Heaven Romp of the Meiji Sycophants The Snap Purple Haze Manifesto |
||
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
The Fibonaccis were an early-'80s US band who stubbornly resisted categorisation, but who can probably be placed at the weird end of 'New Wave', whatever you take that to mean. Their first EP's title amusingly told their countrymen how to pronounce their name (Fi-Bo-Na-Chez), and it was quickly followed by the Tumor EP. Apart from the originality of the music, with a strange cabaret-cum-fairground feel, there's some excellent Mellotron to be heard, especially on the Psycho theme, with its discordant strings.
Never the most prolific of bands, it took The Fibonaccis five years to produce a full-length album, and the wittily-titled Civilization and its Discotheques doesn't disappoint, although they had (slightly) curbed the weirdness by this time. Saying that, there are some superb lyrics to be heard, particularly on the sardonic Old Mean Ed Gein. I have to say, it's good to hear an American band, particularly from the '80s with such a well-developed sense of humour (is that patronising? Sorry).
Again, there's plenty of Mellotron to be heard, along with some more straightforward instruments, including a rare sighting of someone doing something interesting with a DX7. Apparently keys man John Dentino used to change his 'Tron tapes several times during gigs in an effort to replicate his studio sound as closely as possible, although he admits "There were maybe two people in the audience who really cared". Strangely, he sold it after the album's release, later regretting his decision.
I rarely review compilations, for the obvious reasons, but in this case it's quite relevant. A few years after their untimely split (never a band for the awful '80s, those Fibonaccis), a CD appeared titled Repressed, as in 're-pressed', no doubt. Although I can't find a tracklisting for Fi-Bo-Na-Chez anywhere, I know it contained seven tracks, of which six are included here (Somnambulist/Ordinary Women/The Genius/Sergio Leone/Maculae/Rice Song). Two of the Tumor EP's three tracks are present and correct (the two containing 'Tron, incidentally), and nine of Civilization and its Discotheques' twelve, with live radio session versions of two more, plus two compilation appearances, including their, er, 'breathtaking' version of Purple Haze. This leaves five entirely unreleased pieces, plus the two different versions of the Civilization tracks, making this CD worth reviewing, not to mention that it's also the easiest way to get hold of the bulk of the band's back-catalogue, and even appears to still be in print.
Of the previously unreviewed tracks from Fi-Bo-Na-Chez, Ordinary Women has some typical strings work, The Genius and Maculae go for the flutes, while Rice Song has both. Terrorvision, from the soundtrack to the film of the same name has a choppy choir part, while their bonkers take on Purple Haze manages a few piercing string chords, while of the previously unreleased stuff, the choirs on Anti-Oedipus and strings on Lisbon and Leroy prove that they dragged their 'Tron into KPFK's studios in 1982. To my knowledge, this leaves precisely one Fibonaccis track (from Fi-Bo-Na-Chez) that I haven't heard, and I don't feel particularly inclined to splash out on the offchance that it's another 'Tron classic, but should a copy come my way, I'll give it a proper review.
Anyway, don't expect an easy ride with this music, but it's worth hearing, both for its musical content and its 'Tron use. Incidentally (and I have to include this), the guy who wrote the long review of the album on Amazon commented that he'd heard a snippet of the Fibonaccis on a 'Star Trek TNG' episode, representing an alien culture's music, which just about says it all. In the nicest possible way, of course.
 |
¡Vuka Vuka! (2000, 46.02) ***/TT½ |
|
| Right Out and Forced Risk Hold on Better Gaze Than Fear A Man Glass Faced Warrior Dress Down Difference of Me |
Shuffle Deliberately Alright For What I Love OK K |
|
Current availability:
Norwich's Fiel Garvie have been compared to PJ Harvey, Tricky and even Björk, but to my ears they strongly resemble a more electronic version of yer typical UK indie thing, at least on debut ¡Vuka Vuka!. Online reviews seem split on whether or not they're any good, with one notably dismissing them as goth-wannabee rubbish, and others praising their ethereality and Anne Reekie's downbeat vocal stylings. What do I think? Dunno, mate - this sort of thing really isn't my department, but what I will say is that despite their playing a style with which I'm pretty unfamiliar and in no way a fan, the album didn't distress or even especially bore me at all, which you can probably read as some sort of recommendation.
Reekie also plays guitar and keys, with a specific 'Mellotron' credit, and she's as good as her word, getting it onto five of the album's twelve tracks. Better Gaze Than Fear has cellos stuck through an effect (tremolo? Synth modulation?), with more cellos on Glass Faced Warrior and Dress Down, plus an upfront string part on the latter. Cellos again on Deliberately Alright and For What I Love, with extra flutes on the former, making for a reasonably fulfilling Mellotronic experience, particularly if you're into (for once) very audible cellos. So; not exactly one for the prog fan, or indeed, anyone into rock as against pop, but not a bad listen, and some very nice (and seemingly genuine) 'Tron work.
 |
Fields (1971, 40.16) ***½/½A Friend of MineWhile the Sun Still Shines Not So Good Three Minstrels Slow Susan Over and Over Again Feeling Free Fair-Haired Lady A Place to Lay My Head The Eagle |
Current availability:
Fields consisted of keyboardist Graham Field, ex-Rare Bird (of Sympathy fame), drummer Andrew McCulloch, ex-King Crimson and future Greenslade member, and Alan Barry, who covered vocals, guitar, bass and Mellotron, so God alone knows how they reproduced their material live. I've always been under the impression that Fields' sole album was going to be a rather laid-back dated effort, and indeed, some of it is, but opener A Friend Of Mine powers along very nicely indeed, with some unusual (for the time) double-kick drumming, and several other tracks confound expectations by being far more dynamic than expected.
Despite Barry's 'Mellotron' credit, unless I'm very mistaken, there are about two string chords near the beginning of The Eagle, and that's yer lot, so not exactly a 'Tron album, then. Fields is a varied and interesting record, though, and I'm surprised it doesn't have a higher profile amongst progressive fans, so try to hear it anyway.
 |
Widow City (2007, 59.05) ***/TTTTT |
|
| The Philadelphia Grand Jury Duplexes of the Dead Automatic Husband Ex-Guru Clear Signal From Cairo My Egyptian Grammar The Old Hag is Sleeping Japanese Slippers |
Navy Nurse Uncle Charlie Right By Conquest Restorative Beer Wicker Whatnots Cabaret of the Seven Devils Pricked in the Heart Widow City |
|
Current availability:
I've been aware of indie darlings the Fiery Furnaces for some time, but I've been caught on the hop with their sixth album, Widow City. For some unknown (though far from unwelcome) reason, the 'musician half' of the brother/sister duo, Matthew Friedberger, has opted to slap Chamberlin all over the album, and I mean ALL OVER. I will admit to not being so keen on the music; in all honesty, I really don't understand where they're coming from, to the point where I couldn't even name their influences, although the music press seem to be all over them like a rash. The 'singer half', Friedberger's younger sister Eleanor, makes up for a less-than-arresting voice by half-speaking many of the lyrics, although she copes admirably well with her brother's offbeat compositional twists. Is this the New Prog? (Pt.96). I can see how this grabs people, although I'm afraid it's failed to grab me; my fault, I'm sure, but I just can't warm to this record.
Although I've seen references to Friedberger Major playing both Mellotron and Chamberlin on the record, I've seen others, including an official record company one, that only mention the Chamby, so who knows? Whatever it is, or they are, it's/they're on almost every damn' track, and unlike so many supposedly Chamby-heavy albums, it's never lost in the mix. Several near-solo sections, too, like the brass on Automatic Husband or the beautifully clunky string intro to Restorative Beer, but to be honest, it's only ever a brief wait before another woodwind or string line appears. Do you want to know what a Chamberlin actually sounds like? Buy this album; like a tiny handful of others I've heard, it's practically a demo record for the instrument. And who knows? It may yet grow on me.
 |
 |
Glory of the Inner Force (1975, 42.49/49.50) ****/TT (TTT)Register MagisterParadoxical Moods Pisces A Bridge to Alice [CD adds: Colosus Part 1 Colosus Part 2] |
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
Finch were a mid-'70s instrumental Dutch outfit who played a rather lush form of symphonic progressive, utilising the sort of chord changes that may be slightly too 'sweet' for some tastes, especially later in their career. The band actually cover a variety of styles on Glory of the Inner Force, from the lushness of Register Magister through to the jazz-rock influenced Paradoxical Moods, always managing to adhere to the twin tenets of prog, complexity and melodic invention. Despite their being guitarist Joop van Nimwegen's band, guitar solos aren't horrifically overdone; in fact, all the band members have a chance to show their 'chops' at one point or another.
Finch never (to my knowledge) used a Mellotron live, or even owned one, but Cleem Determeijer made sparse but interesting use of one on just this one album. Every track has a few string chords thrown in, at one point even drowning out van Nimwegen's guitar, but never lasting more than a few seconds. You rarely hear the 'Tron used with such restraint, and actually, it might've been nice to have heard it a little more. I suppose they were worried about reproducing the effect live, given that their sole live string sound was a Solina. Nice, but not quite the same...
So; recommended musically, though the Mellotron use is decidedly, er, 'low key'. Interestingly, the CD includes both sides of a single released after the album, Colosus Parts 1 and 2, apparently being the theme music to an imaginary film. Typical Finch, except in their length, the tracks feature a load more 'Tron than the album tracks, for some odd reason. Finch went on to release Beyond Expression (****) and the possibly slightly too cheesy Galleons of Passion (****), then fell into disarray as with so many of their contemporaries. In 1999, a double CD suddenly appeared, The Making of...Galleons of Passion/Stage '76 (****), pairing demos for their third album with, funnily enough, a live recording, including Paradoxical Moods, also worth hearing.
 |
In Limine (1996, 61.37) ****/TIntroIn Limine XXV Preludio Ideenkleid Leibnitz Frei Hispanica Interludio Algos Orizzonte degli Eventi |
 |
In Ogni Luogo (1999, 50.06) ***½/TTT |
|
| Tempi Moderni Snaporaz Ninive In Ogni Luogo Coro Elettrico Le Citta Indicibili Agli Amici Sinestetici ContinuitadiLaraneltempo |
Peter's House Wittgenstein Mon Amour |
|
 |
La Meccanica Naturale (2004, 53.49) ***½/TTT |
|
| La Perfezione La Mia Identita' Il Volo La Maldeducazione Ode al Mare Rifrazioni Lo Specchio La Ricostruzione del Futuro |
La Fine Incipit |
|
 |
Camel Tribute: Harbour of Joy (1996, 9.34) ***/T[Finisterre contribute]Nimrodel |
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
The Italian movement away from '80s neo-prog fired its first warning shots from the likes of Calliope and various (though by no means all) ex-Arti & Mestieri keyboard player Beppe Crovella projects, fighting against the likes of the Egoband, Edith and Theatre, Mellotron or no Mellotron. Finisterre (****) is, in retrospect, very good rather than excellent, but compared to most contemporaneous Italian bands, it was a revelation of thoughtful, restrained progressive rock, influenced by the '70s greats, with only the occasional Marillionesque synth arpeggio or obviously digital keyboard patch to remind you it was actually the '90s.
In Limine is in the same basic vein, with considerable quantities of acoustic guitar, flute, piano etc, and not a single digital 'chiff' anywhere, not to mention a level of compositional complexity undreamt of by Syndone and their like. The closing double-whammy of Algos and Orizzonte Degli Eventi add up to half an hour of excellent classically-influenced progressive rock, with a well-arranged string section and other orchestral instruments, making for one of the highlights of the '90s scene. Boris Valle plays a little Mellotron on the album, with faint strings on XXV, and a very upfront part towards the climax of Orizzonte Degli Eventi, but not really enough for the hardened Mellotron connoisseur.
Three years on, In Ogni Luogo appeared, and while there seem to be few references to any Mellotronic activity on the album, my ears tell me otherwise. I'm not convinced the album is quite the match of its predecessors, although subsequent plays may well prove me wrong; there certainly seems to be less musical variety on board, though bands are allowed to vary their approach... Valle sticks that 'Tron all over the place this time round, with choirs on Coro Elettrico and Agli Amici Sinestetici, very upfront flutes on Le Citta Indicibili, rather shrieky strings on ContinuitadiLaraneltempo, with more strings and choirs across the other highlighted tracks. I'm still not 100% convinced it's real, but until I find otherwise...
Harmony of the Spheres, a double-disc compilation off odds'n'sods, including tracks by Höstsonaten and others, appeared in 2002, although it took the collective another five years to come up with their next 'proper' album, La Meccanica Naturale. It isn't wildly different to its predecessor, to be honest, despite the gap, and also doesn't really match up to their early work. Saying that, it's a pretty good album, just lacking something in the 'wow!' stakes. It features a mixture of laid-back and more aggressive material, as you'd expect, though the only track that really stands out immediately is slow-but-powerful closer Incipit. (Real?) Mellotron on most tracks; a string chord on one track holds for too long, so I'm still suspicious, although that could well be studio trickery (been there, done that). Strings and choirs throughout, with a short flute part on the slightly Cardiacs-esque La Fine, but nothing really jaw-dropping.
Finisterre are still a going concern, although their releases are few and far between, largely because Zuffanti and co. seem to be too busy with their various side-projects, not least Höstsonaten, originally labelled the 'Finisterre Project' by their record label, obviously fearful of the public's ability to sniff out a classic without help. Their first three albums are all very worthy of your attention, although In Ogni Luogo's the only one worth it for the 'Tron. I shall review their subsequent efforts when I get hold of copies.
Incidentally, Finisterre contributed to Mellow's Camel Tribute: Harbour of Joy, with a version of Nimrodel featuring a nice 'Tron string part, although the synth brass is entirely unacceptable.
 |
Finn (a.k.a. Finn Bros) (1995, 38.29) ****/TT |
|
| Only Talking Sense Eyes of the World Mood Swinging Man Last Day of June Suffer Never Angels Heap Niwhai Where is My Soul |
Bullets in My Hairdo Paradise (Wherever You Are) Kiss the Road of Rarotonga |
|
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
Finn (a.k.a. Finn Brothers) were Tim and Neil, both ex-Split Enz and Crowded House, although elder bro' Tim only played on one of the latter's albums. Both brothers are excellent writers in that 'intelligent pop' area, so unsurprisingly, a straight collaboration was always going to be pretty good. There's not a bad track to be heard, with standouts including Angels Heap and Paradise (Wherever You Are), although Kiss The Road Of Rarotonga spoils the mood a little. Mind you, for an album released in the mid-'90s, Finn is incredibly (not to mention refreshingly) short, so losing a track would almost push it into mini-album territory, at least by modern standards.
There's a reasonable amount of Chamberlin on the Crowded House albums, and it's used again here, with a couple of tracks benefitting from the typical Chamby woodwind sound, particularly Eyes Of The World, while there's some kind of brass (solo trumpet?) on Angels Heap; my usual Chamberlin complaint applies, with me having trouble working out what is and what isn't, not to mention what sound might be used, so I wouldn't swear the above are correct, but I can't be too far off.
So; if you like later Enz/Crowded House, you'll love this album, although in some ways, it's a bit of a musical stopgap between Crowded House and Neil's solo career (see below). Not a Chamberlin classic, either, but a good album of its type. Recommended.
 |
Try Whistling This (1998, 54.46) ****/TT |
|
| Last One Standing Souvenir King Tide Try Whistling This She Will Have Her Way Sinner Twisty Bass Loose Tongue |
Truth Astro Dream Date Faster Than Light Addicted |
|
 |
One Nil (2001, 48.48) ***½/½ |
|
| The Climber Rest of the Day Off Hole in the Ice Wherever You Are Last to Know Don't Ask Why Secret God Turn and Run |
Elastic Heart Anytime Driving Me Mad Into the Sunset |
|
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
After the Finn duo with elder brother Tim (see above), it took Neil three years to come up with his first solo album proper, Try Whistling This. It has a few contemporary touches, but they're used to enhance the material, not swamp it, and as such, hopefully won't sound too dated in years to come. The songwriting is, again, excellent, with standout tracks being hard to pinpoint, although Souvenir is particularly good. Finn plays most of the instruments himself, although there's quite a few other people involved, chiefly programming by Marius De Vries, who had previously collaborated with Björk.
Chamberlin problems again, although Neil has gone on record as saying "All the strings on the record are Chamberlin", though the strings on Sinner have to be either real or samples, so I'm not 100% convinced. Anyway, Souvenir opens with Chamby cellos, and turns out to be a bit of a monster, with (I think) juxtaposed sampled strings and Chamberlin, with a solo strings part closing the track. Twisty Bass is also very obviously Chamby, while the other tracks noted above probably contain it somewhere, though I'm not promising. Either way, an excellent record.
Another three years passed before One Nil, but Finn's muse hadn't left, although I'm not convinced that the album is quite the equal of its predecessor. To be fair, it probably needs a good few plays for its charms to be fully appreciated, so don't be surprised if I rewrite this review in a year's time... Full instrumental credits this time round, with Mitchell Froom playing Chamberlin oboes (?) on Secret God, and Finn on inaudible Chamby-something on Into The Sunset.
For some odd reason, after releasing an album recorded in Auckland with loads of famous friends, Seven Worlds Collide, Finn reissued One Nil in the States in 2002 as One All, with two songs removed (neither being the Chamby ones) and two new ones added, though I don't have any info on their possible Chamberlin content. Whatever, both of these albums are well worth owning, although I currently prefer Try Whistling This. Neither of 'em's a Chamberlin classic, but the former is nearer to one than the latter.
 |
Night on Bald Mountain (1975, 42.47) ****/TLes CathèdralesCenturion (Tales of Fireball Kids) The Fireballet Atmospheres Night on Bald Mountain (Suite) Night on Bald Mountain Night-Tale The Engulfed Cathedrale Night-Tale (Reprise) Night on Bald Mountain (Finale) |
Current availability:
Fireballet are one of the few US progressive acts of the '70s to get any sort of deal at all; they were signed to the rather wonderful Passport label, who I believe eventually went down the 'chute. Pity. Anyway, Fireballet were completely overblown, and all the better for it; two keyboard players, a drummer 
with every bit of orchestral percussion known to man, thoroughly ridiculous lyrics and a penchant for 'borrowing' bits of other people's music. Sometimes they even credited them. Album opener Les Cathèdrales openly rips off George Martin's Theme One, as performed by Van der Graaf Generator, but puts its own twist onto the tune.
The only Mellotron on Night on Bald Mountain is the first track on side two, Atmospheres, with some fairly ordinary strings, played by Frank Petto. The following Night on Bald Mountain (Suite) is vastly better, if 'Tron free; a rearrangement of Mussorgsky's 'Night on Bare Mountain', it works brilliantly, and is probably worth the price of admission on its own.
Despite being produced by ex-Crimso Ian Macdonald (who also guests here and there), the album is somewhat derivative, but I've heard an awful lot worse; it definitely comes under the banner of 'a good listen', although not exactly one for the Mellotron fan. The picture on the rear sleeve (right) certainly lets you know where they were coming from; check out the hair of the guy on the left... I believe Night on Bald Mountain was briefly available on CD, but has since been deleted. Fireballet released a second album, Two, Too (***½), but many progressive fans dislike its rather lightweight approach to the genre. To my ears, the band had moved into Styx/Ambrosia territory, and the album's still very listenable, despite the appalling sleeve design of a bunch of hairy men wearing tutus (ha ha). Sadly, the last anyone heard of the band was several members' involvement with the extremely ropey Intergalactic Touring Band project.
So; some would disagree, but I say buy, though not for its 'Tronic content.
