Customer Reviews

Arriving Twice

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gilgamesh was founded in the early 70s in England by keyboardist Alan Gowen. The band is generally considered a member of the "Canterbury" family of jazz-influenced progressive rock bands. Gilgamesh shares qualities with these groups, such as extended and obtuse yet warm instrumental passages. The fact that Gowen had auditioned for one of the most notable Canterbury bands, Hatfield and The North, reinforces the Canterbury connection. Ultimately, the liner notes tell the story of Gilgamesh as a frustrating one. Gowen wrote much music, which the band rehearsed frequently. However, it had a very difficult time attracting interest from booking agents and record companies, therefore, the public had few opportunities to discover this group. Judging by this collection of demos and miscellaneous recordings, it is a shame that this band was overlooked. Arriving Twice opens with the subtle and winsome "With Lady and Friend" from 1973. Following that is a seventeen minute long medley showcasing the band's capabilities. Although this track has tentative moments that cause the energy level to waver, it must be remembered that these sessions were not meant for public consumption. However, at its best the musical interplay recalls the aforementioned Hatfield and the North, who would have several live collaborations with Gilgamesh the following year. By the time the last four tracks were recorded in 1975, Gilgamesh had taken a great leap in terms of musical presence. The band sounds cohesive and confident; it had played a fair number of shows and live sessions on the BBC, and released an album. This momentum was not enough for some bandmembers, and Gilgamesh dissolved, though a late 70s project led by Gowen released an album under the Gilgamesh banner. Despite the occasionally rough quality of these recordings, this disc adds a welcome volume to the slim discography of a worthwhile forgotten band.

After all these years of just the two Gilgamesh albums (both out on CD, but at times difficult to find) it is wonderful and refreshing to hear (for all intents and purposes) "new" material.

The musicianship and compositions are just as striking as they have always been and even some of the compositions which did appear on their albums are (dare I say it) better here! "One End More / Phil's Little Dance / Worlds Of Zin" may be an example of this.

The liner notes are exceptional as well. A chronological history of the band as told through various long quotes by its members and associates.

This CD is a wonderful augmentation to the two previous releases from this seminal Canterbury band. Although it is a very satisfying listen, in hearing it, one can only wonder of the musical possibilities had Alan Gowan not died so young...

It really does slay me to hear this after all these years. The feeling is similar to me of that of the National Health "Missing Pieces" release from a few years back....years without anything new, and then all of a sudden, wow...same sound, same musicians, but "fresh" material.

If you've never heard the band before, then this CD is a fine place to start. I'm thrilled to have it. Thank you for releasing this....

Aside from some annoying synthesizer tones (a limitation of the times), this is a superb example of how great a fusion of rock and jazz can be. Highly recommended to fans of Canterbury (Soft Machine, National Health, et al), prog-rock (Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant, et al), and fusion (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dixie Dregs, et al).

This album is made up of some '73 demos (which actually sound pretty good, liner-note protestations about sound quality notwithstanding) and some radio recordings from '74 and '75. (Oddly, the two '74 tracks are mono). The playing and musicianship are first rate. However: Dave Stewart pointed out that he left National Health at one point because Alan Gowen wanted the band to move in a more "free" direction. Hearing this, I can understand those protestations. The compositions are lacking in depth and complexity, with perhaps the exception of the title track, which is only 2 minutes long anyway.