The Web - Fully Interlocking (s/t)
The Web - Theraphosa Blondi
In progressive rock circles, Web are more known not only for I Spider but the Samurai band to come, but I’ve been wondering about these early two titles since I saw them listed in Rock Record. I’ve never really warmed to I Spider, which is a little weird as I like so much from the same period, perhaps I’ve just never had the listen I needed. However, The Web, before they lost the The, were a totally different outfit. Fully Interlocking is unsurprisingly an era psych or pop album influenced by the Beatles, Moodies and the like, with some occasional mellotron backing and a distinct British sense of melody and song, often upbeat, but still quite ambitious in its layering. I had a sense this one wouldn’t reach out and surprise me later, but it was quite enjoyable. Theraphosa Blondi moves to harder rock realms, their influences transferring more from Beatlesque pop over to blues rock and the like. This is both obvious with yet another Sunshine of Your Love cover and the tedious standby Tobacco Road, a song I think Orange Peel did about the best. This transition does start to hint at I Spider, which is a more genuine progressive album than these first two, although there are only hints of it with TB. I must say, despite thinking the first is 9-ish and the second maybe a touch less, that I’d enjoy returning to these.
Kansas s/t
I checked out Kansas around the time I was stretching out from Yes, Genese and the like and don’t remember going for the debut very much, but this revisit almost completely changed my mind on it. This early Kansas were practically a pure progressive rock outfit, not quite churning out the occasional very popular single yet. The debut’s strength lies in the big suites “Journey from Mariabronn” and “Apercu” which both have lots of melodic twists and turns and a sure sense of the epic. I actually remember the opening track (Can I Tell You) the most, which still strikes me a little on the weake side, but it’s more than made up for the longest material. And I don’t think I’ve ever heard Masque, so that’s likely to be up in the pile soon.
Back Door s/t
A slightly forgettable early British release, sort of a jazzy or horn inflected rock style that’s more influenced by American soul and jazz than the country of origin. Titles like Lieutenant Loose and Jive Grind might actually imply this is a deeper funk than it is, but in some ways this is more like a Canterbury record in terms of the general feel. It’s a bit on the sparse side as a trio with only sax (some flute too), bass and drums; I found myself adding electric piano lines in my minds eye. The songs are generally very short for this sort of thing as well, so there’s not a lot of crazy blowing or excitement. And let’s not even start with their band name…