Music Banter - View Single Post - I know what I like: Trollheart's History of Progressive Rock and Progressive Metal

Trollheart · 06-09-2021, 06:42 PM

Seems those gelatine plates weren’t moving for another year, in other words Wiki ****ed up again and the album from the French proto-prog outfit with the interesting title is a 1971 release. So we’ll shelve that for the moment, and remember to add both it and the Gomorra one to next year’s list. Moving on then (but without plates, gelatine or otherwise)...

Album title: Present From Nancy
Artist: Supersister
Nationality: Dutch
Label: Polydor
Chronology: Debut
Grade: C
Previous Experience of this Artist: Zero
The Trollheart Factor: 0
Landmark value:

Tracklisting: Present from Nancy (Introduction/Present from Nancy)/Memories are New (Boomchick): (Memories are New/11/8/Dreaming Wheelwhile/Corporation Combo Boys)/Metamorphosis (Mexico/Metamorphosis/Eight Miles High)/Dona Nobis Pacem
Comments: Just why you would decide to call your band Supersister when all the members are male is a question I can’t answer, but these guys once again break the mould slightly, stretching prog outside of the bounds of the UK in 1970, and like their countrymen Focus they’re still going, so there must be something in it. Indeed, as the title track kicks off with a flurry of drums and some superb piano, I think there may indeed be something in it. Some nice peppy flute, and it’s quite impressive how the almost frenetic drumbeat counterpoints the piano. Nice. The introduction is instrumental, and as we get into the title track itself there’s a definite feel of jazzy lounge merged with later Genesis, say the mid-eighties.

Oh, okay, rather surprisingly this is instrumental too (and damn good I may say) - I assumed the vocal was going to come in, as these guys definitely have a lead vocalist, but I guess they’re waiting to introduce him on the next track. Which is “Memories are New (Boomchick)” and split into a total of four parts. Okay, well there are the vocals now, and they’re not at all bad. This feels a little more disjointed than the other track though, and it goes a little wild and experimental here which doesn’t go down well with me. “11/8” seems to ride on what is credited as a fuzz bass, which is a little hard on my ears, then a piano comes into the mix and it’s a little better, but I still wouldn’t rate this one highly. “Dreaming Wheelwhile” (what?) is much slower and more restrained, as you might expect from the title, faintly reminiscent of “Bolero”, nice use of vibes and flute, and another instrumental, leading into the closing part, “Corporation Combo Boys”, a mere minute and change, a combination acapella thing. Kind of pointless really.

The last suite, as it were, “Metamorphosis”, is in three parts, the first, “Mexico”, a breezy little upbeat tune with some snarling guitar seeming just a little out of place in there, while the title part of the track hammers along breathlessly, the drumming almost sounding like the chugging of a steam locomotive or something. Some good guitar work here and I doubt there’ll be vocals like there was in the other part. Now it sounds like there’s an ambulance joining the steam engine! All good fun, and the last part is thirty seconds of a few words as the tune begun in “Metamorphosis” comes to its end.

That takes us to the closer, “Dona Nobis Pacem”, more Latin which I can guess at being, I don’t know, woman is noble and peaceful? Probably not, probably not. Beautiful slow, stately, almost sepulchral church organ intro, could be on the way to making this the standout. Halfway through now, if they don’t ruin it this could be something truly stunning. Don’t do it, guys. Don’t do it… well okay it sped up right at the end into a piece of nonsense, but even at that it’s a hell of a vehicle for their keysman and one doozy of a closer. Damn though; why didn’t they just leave it as it was. Kind of ruined it at the end. Oh, and there’s a gong.

Favourite track(s): Present from Nancy, Dreaming Wheelwhile, Metamorphosis, Dona Nobis Pacem
Least favourite track(s): Most of Memories are New except Dreaming Wheelwhile
Overall impression: A lot better than expected. The organ and keyboard work is faultless, and these guys really play well together. The only minus I see really is a tendency to go off on tangents and play around a little, maybe for the fun of it, but with seemingly no real end in sight. If they were able to mature a little over the years their next albums might be truly excellent.
Personal Rating:

Legacy Rating:

Final Rating:

06-09-2021, 06:42 PM	#218 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Seems those gelatine plates weren’t moving for another year, in other words Wiki **ed up again and the album from the French proto-prog outfit with the interesting title is a 1971 release. So we’ll shelve that for the moment, and remember to add both it and the Gomorra one to next year’s list. Moving on then (but without plates, gelatine or otherwise)... Album title:** Present From Nancy Artist: Supersister Nationality: Dutch Label: Polydor Chronology: Debut Grade: C Previous Experience of this Artist: Zero The Trollheart Factor: 0 Landmark value: Tracklisting: Present from Nancy (Introduction/Present from Nancy)/Memories are New (Boomchick): (Memories are New/11/8/Dreaming Wheelwhile/Corporation Combo Boys)/Metamorphosis (Mexico/Metamorphosis/Eight Miles High)/Dona Nobis Pacem Comments: Just why you would decide to call your band Supersister when all the members are male is a question I can’t answer, but these guys once again break the mould slightly, stretching prog outside of the bounds of the UK in 1970, and like their countrymen Focus they’re still going, so there must be something in it. Indeed, as the title track kicks off with a flurry of drums and some superb piano, I think there may indeed be something in it. Some nice peppy flute, and it’s quite impressive how the almost frenetic drumbeat counterpoints the piano. Nice. The introduction is instrumental, and as we get into the title track itself there’s a definite feel of jazzy lounge merged with later Genesis, say the mid-eighties. Oh, okay, rather surprisingly this is instrumental too (and damn good I may say) - I assumed the vocal was going to come in, as these guys definitely have a lead vocalist, but I guess they’re waiting to introduce him on the next track. Which is “Memories are New (Boomchick)” and split into a total of four parts. Okay, well there are the vocals now, and they’re not at all bad. This feels a little more disjointed than the other track though, and it goes a little wild and experimental here which doesn’t go down well with me. “11/8” seems to ride on what is credited as a fuzz bass, which is a little hard on my ears, then a piano comes into the mix and it’s a little better, but I still wouldn’t rate this one highly. “Dreaming Wheelwhile” (what?) is much slower and more restrained, as you might expect from the title, faintly reminiscent of “Bolero”, nice use of vibes and flute, and another instrumental, leading into the closing part, “Corporation Combo Boys”, a mere minute and change, a combination acapella thing. Kind of pointless really. The last suite, as it were, “Metamorphosis”, is in three parts, the first, “Mexico”, a breezy little upbeat tune with some snarling guitar seeming just a little out of place in there, while the title part of the track hammers along breathlessly, the drumming almost sounding like the chugging of a steam locomotive or something. Some good guitar work here and I doubt there’ll be vocals like there was in the other part. Now it sounds like there’s an ambulance joining the steam engine! All good fun, and the last part is thirty seconds of a few words as the tune begun in “Metamorphosis” comes to its end. That takes us to the closer, “Dona Nobis Pacem”, more Latin which I can guess at being, I don’t know, woman is noble and peaceful? Probably not, probably not. Beautiful slow, stately, almost sepulchral church organ intro, could be on the way to making this the standout. Halfway through now, if they don’t ruin it this could be something truly stunning. Don’t do it, guys. Don’t do it… well okay it sped up right at the end into a piece of nonsense, but even at that it’s a hell of a vehicle for their keysman and one doozy of a closer. Damn though; why didn’t they just leave it as it was. Kind of ruined it at the end. Oh, and there’s a gong. Favourite track(s): Present from Nancy, Dreaming Wheelwhile, Metamorphosis, Dona Nobis Pacem Least favourite track(s): Most of Memories are New except Dreaming Wheelwhile Overall impression: A lot better than expected. The organ and keyboard work is faultless, and these guys really play well together. The only minus I see really is a tendency to go off on tangents and play around a little, maybe for the fun of it, but with seemingly no real end in sight. If they were able to mature a little over the years their next albums might be truly excellent. Personal Rating: Legacy Rating: Final Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018