There's no question that certain bands who came out of the progressive rock movement went on to do really well, some phenomenally so, but for every winner there is a loser, and for every band that made it big there are hundreds or more littered across the motorways of music history like trash jettisoned from passing cars; bands who, while successful for a time, never quite made it and faded away, often leaving just one or two albums --- sometimes less --- for them to be remembered by. The recently-reviewed The United States of America are one such case, and it could probably be said that Family are another.
Although the British band flourished for longer than their American counterpart --- they lasted from 1967 to 1973 and put out a total of seven albums in that time --- they have become equally forgotten, for the most part. While bands like Yes, Genesis, ELP, Rush, Camel, Floyd and The Moody Blues have hammered in their own personal stars on the progressive rock version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, bands like Family, while remembered fondly by some, could probably be compared, in the above analogy, to the bit-part actors who look at the stars' names enviously and wish they were alongside them. Not that, to my knowledge, there is any animosity or jealousy directed at the bigger prog bands by anyone who played with Family, but it must hurt, to some degree.
Album title: Music in a doll's house
Artiste: Family
Nationality: British
Label: Reprise
Year: 1968
Grade: C
Previous Experience of this Artiste: Zero
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Landmark value: Seen as one of the definining psychedelic albums of the time.
Tracklisting: The chase/ Mellowing grey/ Never like this/ Me my friend/ Variations on a theme of “Hey policeman!”/ Winter/ Old songs new songs/ Variations on a theme of “The Breeze”/ Hey policeman/ See through windows/ Variations on a theme of “Me my friend”/ Peace of mind/ Voyage/ The Breeze/ 3 x time
Comments: First it's like hearing Deep Purple with a big Gillan-like scream, then vocalist Roger Chapman sounds just like Peter Gabriel! Weird! Nice flutey sounds there with warbling mellotron, then the next track seems to be an acoustic one. Chapman's vocals are very tremelo or vibrato, whatever: sounds like someone's hitting him on the back as he sings. This song reminds me of the early stuff I've heard from The Moody Blues. As does the next one. The saxophones and touches of jazz nod towards VDGG too.
Nice bit of harmonica in “Old songs new songs” and it rocks along nicely, but I must say I'm being possessed by an overwhelming case of don't-give-a-f
uck here: I just can't seem to care about any of the music here. It just ain't gripping me. Actually I take that back: that last track was good. What was it called? Oh yeah: “Old songs new songs”. Good stuff. The next track, “Hey Mr. Policeman”, is good too: has some heart about it. Again love the harmonica. Still, of all the albums I've listened to for 1968 so far, this is the one I've been the least interested in, the one that's just boring me. I said at the beginning that I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to include this, and I'm still not sure. I can see the influence on prog rock to an extent, but mostly it's just standard rock with jazz and some hippy sh
ite again. Not very impressed really. Oh well, at least it's nearly over.
Favourite track(s): Old songs new songs, Hey Mr. Policeman
Least favourite track(s): Wasn't really bothered enough to be listening to most of the rest.
Overall impression: A big fat meh.
Personal Rating: 
Legacy Rating: 
Final Rating: 