Rare Bird - Rare Bird (1969)

This debut featured an organist and an electric pianist, but no guitarist, resulting in a moody Hammond-heavy album from a band that would later become more progressive and varied in its sound. "Beautiful Scarlet" shifts easily from histrionic soul to offhanded slow-four interludes, and the instrumental "Iceberg" shows off the organist Graham Field and the rest of band's chops well. The whispered vocals and weird background noises of "God of War" achieves the kind of creepy gloom appropriate to an era of carpet bombing and napalm.

Indeed, the production and instrumentation of this album makes it very much of a period piece, though certainly not in any derogatory sense. ~ Paul Collins, All Music Guide

In December 1969 their eponymous debut album was released to great critical acclaim, (also becoming a US Billboard chart hit) and was followed in January 1970 by the release of “Sympathy” b/w “Devil’s High Concern”. The single reached the UK Top 30 and was a subsequent major hit throughout Europe.

Musicians:
Steve Gould - lead vocals & bass, rhythm guitar
Dave Kaffinetti - pianos & assorted keyboards
Graham Field - organ & assorted keyboards
Mark Ashton - drums & backing vocals

Tracklist:

01. Iceberg
02. Times
03. You Went Away
04. Melanie
05. Beautiful Scarlet
06. Sympathy
07. Nature's Fruit
08. Bird On A Wing
09. God Of War

LINKS:

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