Spring was a one-shot Progressive Rock band that released
their only sole self-titled debut album in 1971 on the NEON label which was a
sub-label from RCA Records. The album had been previously reissued on CD from
Akrama, Repertoire and The Laser’s Edge to name a few.
This year, it’s been given the 2-CD format by the good people
from Esoteric Recordings that features a 16-page booklet that features
unreleased photographs, new liner notes done by Malcolm Dome, and not to
mention the notes from Ken Golden on his notes from the time The Laser’s Edge
released the album back in 1992.
Hailing from Leicester, the band recorded their debut album
at Rockfield Studios with the late great Gus Dudgeon (Elton John, Locomotive,
XTC, Joan Armatrading) at the production helm. The album is known for having
three Mellotron’s on here. It’s this combination of Czar, Gracious and a dosage
of The Moody Blues thrown in.
You can close your eyes and imagine being in your house in
the time that the album came out and listening to it from start to finish and
almost being completely blown away on where they would have gone next. Pat
Moran’s vocals is astonishing and very relaxed. With the lush opener The Prisoner (Eight by Ten), it has a
folky feel and a bass line done by Adrian “Bone” Moloney followed by the
Mellotron going in through the emotions that fits the vibe with a sad yet
ascending melody to fit the atmosphere.
Shipwrecked Soldier
starts with militant drumming introduction done by Pick Withers before kicking
off into a political heavy rock roar thanks to the riffs from guitarist Ray
Martinez while the piano ballad of Song
to Absent Friends (The Island) shows Spring their softer side. It has a
reminiscent of Elton John’s song lyrics and Pat showing his singing to the
lyrics as if it was almost written by Bernie Taupin with a strong vibration.
As I’ve mentioned earlier on the opening track, Spring have
a Folkier side. On Boats, it begins
with a intro and in the midsection in the style of Fairport Convention, then
the Acoustic Guitar goes into a Waltz rhythm and featuring a country-like sound
on the electric guitar thrown in.
The closing track that has an ascending rhythm off into the
sunset on Gazing, the tune begins in
the style of the choices that we make and everything that we do is a story in
our head and waking up by realizing, it was all a dream. The song almost
reminded me of the end of Gentle Giant’s Three
Friends with a symphonic feel, but in the moody elements relaxing momentum
that closes the book with a new beginning and a new day.
The second disc shows Spring moving away into the
Progressive Rock sound and going forward into a Jazzier and heavier direction
in which it could have been their second album, but then the band would later
be dropped by the label and soon they broke up after their debut album didn’t
do well. When you listen to the bonus tracks, you could understand why they
weren’t able to succeed, but it is very interesting hearing the tracks and
knowing that it was coming to an end for them.
But many years later, Spring’s only debut album is a
collector’s item, and now it’s finally getting some recognition it deserves. So
a big hats off to Mark and Vicky Powell for reissuing a hidden treasure that
was ahead of its time and dusting it off for a cleanup. So if you love the
sounds of the Mellotron’s and bands such as: Czar, The Moody Blues, Gracious, and
Cressida, then I highly recommend exploring the wonders and magic of Spring’s
sole self-titled debut album.
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