The number of progressive Lps never published in CD
it is more and more scarce. With companies like Hi Note or Si-Wan,
every time we have access to disks with more easiness even that in the same time in the
one that they were published. However, they are still works that unaccountably continue
unpublished in digital format. This is moderately the case of the disk in solitary of Dave
Cousins, singer and main composer of those successful Strawbs. For some reason
that is not completely clear, A&M doesn't seem to have interest in its reissue,
in spite of the acceptable success of sales that they had the versions remasterized in CD
of several of the better known disks of the band.
But, is it worthwhile so much concern? Often they are reviews of
disks difficult to get in those that the critic doesn't doubt to exaggerate the it was
worth of the same one for the pure pleasure of ' I have it and a kidney has cost me to get
it, so I will have to show off of he'. Or, more common if it fits in the critic's fields:
' I am the first one in praising him, and if other they follow me, I hang myself the
medals'. Well, to my it has not cost me too much effort to get it. Neither I am critical
professional neither I look for to make myself a name. But, from my restricted opinion
tribune, I can assure that 'Two Weeks Last Summer' is a very good disk. Almost a
classic of the progressive folk. Almost.
In 1972, the Strawbs had culminated their evolution from the
folk to the progressive folk with which is their more representative album for many, 'Serious
New World'. For those the band had two fronts differed in what refers to composition
then. On one hand, the duet Hudson/Ford that spread mainly to the pop music, and
for another Dave Cousins, still with their feet in the folk, but with a bigger
interest in the rock and, specifically, in the progressive one. In this order of things, Cousins
decides to make a disk in solitary in the one that to express all its interests. For it,
in him we will find from old songs composed in their first stage until pure rock, going by
a great progressive epic poetry.
The disk opens up with the song that gives him title, a fragile
acoustic theme of in agreement strangers that dates of the times in those that Sandy
Denny was in the group. Next, 'October to May' is musically a topic taken of
the Scandinavian folklore with letters, like it is usual in the folk in general, and in Cousins
in particular, about the change of stations. While the original version, also of the
first years of the band, it was interpreted to the guitar and bass, that of this disk is
to capella, with a choir to the Russian style that makes that the song communicates, the
same as the previous theme, an ethereal and magic atmosphere.
The third court of the disk is 'Blue Angel', for many, and
for him same, Dave Cousins's work teacher, is a composition of around ten minutes
of duration divided in 3 parts, with the refrain melodically unalterable, although
evolving in her arrangements. In the first part, a ripped electric guitar is the main
character, until he opens the way to the magnificent work of piano of Rick Wakeman
in the second part. The keyboardist had abandoned the Strawbs behind a disk to
incorporate to the lines of Yes, and in this theme it demonstrates the well that
they marry the songs of Cousins its form of interpreting. The third part is more
calmed, with the acoustic guitar as main instrument. Everything culminates with a lively
and moving final in the one that John Hiseman's drums changes the rhythm of the
refrain and bottom choirs like culmination enter.
A beautiful melody to the piano interpreted by the own Cousins
accompanied by instruments of wind presents 'That's the way it Ends', a pleasant
melodic piece that concludes the first face of the disk.
The expensive B opens up with 'The Actor', a piece that
demonstrates the address more ' rock' to which wanted to go Cousins. Great part of
the vocal parts is treated with a distortion of the voice that it can dislike to some
listeners, but the melody and the interpretation they are so powerful that it is
worthwhile to pass this point for high. Next, the tension is lowered again with ' When
You Were A Child', a reminiscent and innocent ballad interpreted by Cousins to
the piano. ' Ways And Means' one of this composer's more interesting letters
contains, always forgotten in this facet in the circles of the progressive one. It is a
theme that it begins with acoustic guitar, to the one that they unite a cheerful electric
guitar and Rick Wakeman's usually playful piano. The piece continues fluctuating
between the acoustic thing and the electric thing, between the calm thing and the most
lively thing, as if it was an image of the own disk, and, like one can see in the letter,
like an image of the life of Cousins in that moment. The following song is '
We'll Meet Again Sometime', a classic smaller than the Strawbs that used to be
the moment of the co-founder's of the group Tony Hooper splendor in direct. It is a
lively one fears folk, interpreted mainly with some acoustic guitars that they remember to
the arrangements that Cousins has made recently in its disk 'Baroque & Roll'.
Until here, it would be a practically perfect disk. However, Cousins
puts an end to the classic rock 'Going Home'. it is not that it is a specially bad
song, but rather it doesn't seem to belong to this disk. From their slight letters until
its something typical rock melody & roll, it can seem a simple one final festival, but
in fact it betrays enough the spirit of the Lp in their group. What happened was that it
was a theme made to be an it sails of Dave Lambert (with a more appropriate
trajectory for this type of songs), and he decided to always include it with the annoying
objective of having an it sails of success. The interest to get a ' hymn rock' would
crystallize better in the following disk of Strawbs with 'Lay Down', one of
the simple ones of more success of the group.
Even this way, and forgiving the final slip, 'Two Weeks Last
Summer' is a big disk of progressive folk. It is a pain that we are still waiting an
edition in CD, because it seems to be that besides that A&M shows a clear
decide toward him, numerous problems of due rights exist to the quantity and invited
musicians' quality: to the noted Wakeman and Hiseman they unite guitarist Miller
Anderson, the Deep Purple Roger Glover, the future Strawbs and former - Fire
Dave Lambert, the producer and composer Tom Newman and the keyboardist Tom
Allon. A stellar allotment for the 'I disk lost of the Strawbs', ironically one
of the best of their trajectory that it is necessary to rescue urgently of the
forgetfulness.
Paco Fox