Album Club 2019: Room - Pre-Flight
 

Room - Pre-Flight
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Whoop whoop let's get down with the clown. And if you haven't reviewed last week's juicy album, get to it!

Room - 1970 - Pre-Flight


tracklist:

1. Pre-Flight 00:00:00
2. Where Did I Go Wrong 00:08:57
3. No Warmth In My Life 00:14:29
4. Big John Blues 00:19:05
5. Andromeda 00:21:43
6. War 00:26:52
7. Cemetery Junction Parts I & II 00:31:29

band members:

Jane Kevern - Vocals & Tambourine
Steve Edge - Lead and Rhythm Guitar
Chris Williams - Lead Guitars
Bob Jenkins - Drums, Congas & Percussion
Roy Putt - Bass

(These are the lyrics. I could not find them online, so I wrote them out myself. I proof read them several times. If any of the lyrics are wrong I most likely misheard them.)


Pre-Flight
Sitting by a riverside, crimson sun setting
Casting stones at leaves that trees have started shedding
Darkness creeps through the fields
Stars that shine bright

In the sky above the sun glowing gently
Hangs the Starship Venture Blind waiting silently

Make the most while I can
Mother Earth, Mother Earth

Where Did I Go Wrong

Why did you have to go
And leave me all alone
Why did you have to treat me this way
You know I will never ever done you any harm
Please tell me: where did I go wrong?

I washed your clothes, my love
And baby I sat by your side
I really wanted all your love
All you did was hurt me inside
Please tell me: Where did I go wrong?
(instrumental)

I searched this whole town through
But baby I won't stop loving you
I am going to search from shore to shore
Cause baby I can't take any more
Please tell me: Where did I go wrong?

No Warmth In My Life
Body, cold and tormented
I walk the streets at night

Trying to understand
Why you let me down

There is no warmth in my life

Maybe, when the sunset kisses the distance shore
Maybe, when tears of the ocean fade life is no more
When you return with troubles undone
Will you have love in your heart?

Shadow clouding the light of my mind
Waking to find you have not return, or is it night?

Coldness, shaking, breaking my heart
Night - when will this end?

Andromeda

Crystal sun in the empty night
Dark city street holding cold delight
Old beauty thoughts place the time of man
Strips dark and dangerous upon the land

Burning moons fading in the early light of the day
Dripping trees cry upon the silver layer of haze

Spinning on Andromeda is living out in space
Smiling flames moving through the universe without haste
(instrumental)

Burning moons fade in the early light of the day
Dripping trees cry upon the silver layer of haze

Spinning on Andromeda is living out in space
Smiling flames moving through the universe without haste

Followed the snake down to the churning shore
Touch the crimson roses at passion's door
Dancing solar streams of living light
Now by the waves like diamonds bright

Lah la la lah la la lah la lah lah
Lah la la lah la la lah la lah
Lah la la lah la la lah la lah

War
Riding high, through dark and cloudy skies
The war god flies, sent by Jupiter
And the death cry of man goes unheard

Mother Earth sighs as warring nations cry
The war god flies, its face is thunder
And the death cry of man goes unheard

Animals dying without a sound
Buried heads into the ground
Flap-less flying of the dove
Hear the war god flies above

(instrumental)

Riding high, through dark and cloudy skies
The war god flies, sent by Jupiter
And the death cry of man goes unheard

Mother Earth eyes as warring nations cry
The war god flies, its face is thunder
And the death cry of man goes unheard

This one moves from deep in the progressive motif with chants, strings, and an uncommon song structure right into a straight-up blues rock song. Quite a left turn there, but not unwelcome. I dig the female vocals for being soulful but not affected, for being warm but not too polished. For not having any warmth in her life, she sure puts some in mine. I can wrap the rich jazzy rhythms around me and even boogie to the "Big John Blues" if no one's watching. There's a strong return to prog sensibilities with the beginning of Side B, a stronger orchestral feel as the music quickly distances itself from the boogie sounds of Side A, ascending from the rock stage to more galactic considerations. Even the war-god doesn't touch his feet to the Earth. An obvious reference to Western mythological beings such as Mars or Jupiter is a staple in British prog rock of the 1970s, so nothing unexpected there.

I cannot help but like this album for reasons beyond the music, too, because it's one of those fairly obscure solitary releases (when a rather unknown band releases only one studio album). This one will be going on my RYM list. h/t Nea reccing the good shit, as usual.

8.28 / 10

Oh noes. I'm starting to slip. Two albums to review now!

Positives:

The prog sound structures. This album is really interesting during their instrumental prog attacks. Sometimes like Jethro Tull good.

Negatives:

The vocals suck. And that’s the killer. If only she had this sweet clever tuneful sweep you away voice this band could’ve flown. But that flat soulless voice destroys all hope.

The blues. These kids ain’t got ‘em. Dudes! Be prog. What are you doing mucking through a generic blues chord progression like some ****ty bar band of don’t quit your day jobs midlife crisis dads outside of Lincoln, Nebraska? Just stop. That kind of laziness will get you forgotten.

6/10

Guys. I'm going through a move right now. I'm going to review the last three albums including this one as soon as I can. Just letting you know I haven't dipped out early.

Can you say “pulled out early” so we can tease elph like back in the day?

What's the point now that you've unveiled the gag?

Something of an early prog classic. I don't own this one but I've heard the album before at least once or twice through in the past. I love how they keep things bluesy a lot of the time but still bring in off-kilter influences and even a Chicago-esque horn section (who were topping the charts in the U.S. at the time this came out).

The opening title track and 'Andromeda' were two highlights for me among the set, the former for that great groove and the latter for it's sprawling, open nature and more experimental tone. 'War' has a nice melody too, and I love the jazzy drum fills that pop up here 'n there.

8 out of 10 from me

I will say up front that prog is wholly an uninteresting genre to me and something I am, for the most part, not interested in listening to.

This album was at its best when leaning into the blues rock. The prog flourishes were not terrible, but also didn't help it. I think it would have done better has a Jimi Hendrix-esque psychedelic blues freakout album than as a prog album, but that's my bias.

I wasn't crazy about it, but it definitely could've been worse.

6.5/10