Customer Reviews

Beside Manners Are Extra

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I have been long aware of Dave Greenslade, like his works with Colosseum, his stuff with his group Greenslade, and his solo efforts. Bedside Manners are Extra is my first try at a Greenslade album, but not my first exposure to Mr. Greenslade himself (for example, I have Colosseum's Valentyne Suite, which I highly recommend to those who like bluesy progressive jazz rock).

This is Greenslade's second album, released later the same year as their self-entitled debut (1973). Cover artwork is by Roger Dean, just like their first album. The Greenslade logo was also created by Dean, which is pretty obvious. Each of the four musicians had already been in established bands. Keyboardist/vocalist Dave Lawson had been previously in a final version of Web (after the group's original vocalist John L. Watson left in 1970) for their album I Spider (1970). The group then changed their name to Samurai and released one, self-entitled album in 1971 (not to be confused with a Japanese band called Samurai who existed at the same time and released a couple albums themselves with Green Tea and Kappa). Keyboardist Dave Greenslade, well we all know his involvement with Colosseum, who three studio albums (as well as American variants on the ABC/Dunhill label to confuse matters worse) and one live album. Bassist Tony Reeves was also involved in Colosseum (only on their first two albums), and prior to that, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (in which another Colosseum member participated, that is Dick Heckstall-Smith). And then we have Andrew McCulloch, who was briefly a member of King Crimson for their album Lizard, and then with Fields (which featured ex-Rare Bird keyboardist Graham Field).

There is one thing Greenslade had in common with the 1969-70 version of Rare Bird and that was the group featured two keyboardists and no guitarists (let's not forget that Dave Greenslade's first solo effort, Cactus Choir from 1976 featured ex-Rare Bird vocalist Steve Gould). But musically, they don't sound much like Rare Bird. The music has a more bombastic-style of keyboard-lead prog, although more restrained than Emerson or Wakeman. I notice the ocassional Genesis and ELP-influence in the music. For the most part the music is more traditional prog rock, and I recommend to those who might have not been too keen on the bluesy jazzy nature of Colosseum. There isn't much of that Colosseum sound to be found here.

Bedside Manners Are Extra features plenty of Mellotron (a good reason to buy this album), as well as Hammond organ, piano, electric piano, and ARP synth. The title track starts off deceptively as soft rock. Most of this piece tends to be mellow, but it gets more progressive as the synthesizers and Mellotron kicks in. Perhaps the biggest problem one has of the Greenslade album is Dave Lawson's singing. Here he has that high-pitched voice that's definately an acquired taste (he didn't have such a high-pitched voice on Web's I Spider). Only three of the album's six cuts have vocals, the rest are instrumental. The next piece, "Pilgrim's Progress" features a recurring theme played on Mellotron. I was a bit thrown-off by the lighthearted nature of this piece. "Time to Dream" has a more Genesis-like feel in places, especially the Mellotron passages. "Drum Folk" is one of the more criticized pieces on this album because the drum solo occurs twice, but the wonderful themes and great use of Mellotron more than makes up for it. "Sunkissed You're Not" is another pleasant number, with some nice jazzy passages to go with it. The last piece, "Chalkhill" starts off with a theme being repeated a few times before going in to a lenghty keyboard solo that closes the album.

To me, this is actually an excellent prog rock album to have. Maybe just a little short of being essential, but still worth having for those who enjoy keyboard-dominated prog rock.

Prog is a big term. People who know big music names will think ELPs Tarkus when you say the P word. Some love this P- flair, other's recoil at it.

Actually, progressive covers a lot more than what most ascribe to the term, which, again, shows you the futility of genre names. John Lennon said that the Beatles were progressive, and was he ever right. I consider Steely Dan progressive--getting the best musicians and mixing rock with traditional jazz, creating a new type of perfection. If there was ever a progressive idea, it was Aja.

Greenslade is almost on that level of spit-shine perfection, although a listen to Bedside Manners Are Extra will show this band enjoyed those little detours that made prog--in the strict sense- prog.

But what makes Greenslade so enjoyable is how they kept Rover on a leash. All the experimentation here is done in the context of tracks that, take out the back alleys, would have almost worked as straight pop. Check out how on "Sunkissed You're Not," they take a track that could have come from any mainstream, high end 70s pop album, and add a jam coda.

It clicks, and if more art rock bands had this type of restraint and taste, the P-Thang would now have a much better name.

This is the 2nd album by keyboardist Dave Greenslade, who is joined by fellow Colosseum alumnus bassist Tony Reeves, superb drummer Andy McCullough (he played on King Crimson's Lizard LP, 1970), and keyboardist/vocalist Dave Lawson. While all of the musicians are decent enough, it is Andy McCullough that really makes this recording take off. His great drumming, along with the heavy use of synthesizers and moody mellotron atmospherics, makes this recording very listenable and yes, even enjoyable. All of the six pieces feature wonderful melodies, and are evenly divided between instrumental passages and vocal pieces. While the instrumental pieces are pretty good (especially Pilgrim's Progress) and feature some nimble ensemble work, Dave Lawson's vocals are an acquired taste and can be best described as unnaturally high-pitched and somewhat forced - it sounds as if he sings with his throat and not his diaphragm. While most tracks flow reasonably well, the instrumental Drum Folk is desperately in need of a better arrangement. This track alternates thunderous, highly virtuosic drum solos by Andy McCullough with riff heavy ensemble work, and very haunting, delicate parts played on mellotron and soft organ. Trust me, it as much of a messy hodgepodge as it sounds, and it's unfortunate too - the drum solo is excellent and the haunting parts are just great. I just wish it had all been integrated better. All in all, I enjoyed this disc and would recommend it to any fan of progressive rock, although I suspect the typical Yes/Genesis/ELP devotee might find it a bit lacking.

In the absence of Greenslade's third album, 'Spyglass Guest', from amazon's catalogue, this is undoubtedly the masterpiece of their CDs that are currently available.

'Pilgrims Progress' shows Greenslade at their instrumental best -- a jaunty dual-keyboard run with a rocky beat. A bit of dodgy synth here, some mellotron there, and some dubiously recorded electric piano as a bonus. The title track showcases Dave Lawson's whining voice, which may take a little getting used to. The only questionable track here is 'Drum Folk' which contains a long, tedious drum solo. Drum solos were de rigeur for double-LP concert recordings, but for a single-LP studio album, it just unnecessarily takes up limited space, even by the standards of the early 70s. The track cannot be totally written off, as after the duff drum solo comes one of Greenslade's best synth solos.

'Sunkissed You're Not' features a jazzy rhythm and an irritatingly catchy riff that you find yourself humming in an off-guard moment. Again the recording quality of electric piano solo grates on my CD version, which was a Japanese import.

'Chalkhill' starts off ponderously, again in a limpid jazz-rock vein, but it builds to a satisfying climax.

This is my favourite Greenslade album, but I am a tad biased, because I saw them in concert when they were promoting it.

In a league of popular music which puts the Beatles, Stones, Steely Dan and Pat Metheny in the premier division, Greenslade were never more than a second division band, along with the likes of Gentle Giant and Caravan. This was one of their greatest moments, but the album probably ranks somewhere in the 51-100 zone of the top progressive albums of the seventies.

While still plowing the acres in defining their sound and songwriting, the sophomore effort is a mixed grab bag of strange, evocative pieces...and utterly forgettable oddities. Dave Lawson really shines on "Sunkissed You're Not",displaying his distinctive voice while dueling with Greenslade in a formidable keyboard exchange. Also beautifully eerie is the title track which opens the CD, setting the stage for the unique brand of aural originality that follows. Still, this disc is not the achievement of either "Spyglass Guest" or the final, "Time and Tide". Interesting, if rather uneven.

Many make such an issue out of Lawson's voice. If you like progressive music you are one to open your mind to new sounds and love the strong distinctiveness of the various bands. Lawson's voice is what makes Greenslade distinctively Greenslade. While the instrumentals are quite good, they are not good enough to carry a whole album, so the vocal interjection is needed to keep it interesting. Lawson has done a very good job at this. His vocalization is strongly emotive and upfront. Perhaps, as some say, in previous bands his vocals were more laid-back, yet Greenslade music seems to bring out more in his creative use of voice. It is an added instrument.

I do admit upon hearing Lawson's voice at first, I was taken aback a bit, but don't we all feel that way about progressive music? We need to listen many times before judging, because it's an acquired taste. Each band challenges us to acquire the taste. Obviously I have. I love Lawson's voice and the duel keyboards as well.

In bands like Anglagard and Camel the vocals are very tepid, so they don't grate quite so easily, although everyone would also say that although not unpleasant, they are not great either. If you prefer vocals such as those, Lawson voice would challenge you. Greenslade much like Genesis's Peter Gabriel, and Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull; if you don't like those voices, you can never like the band, because the vocals are so strong and upfront. And while Lawson is, admittedly, not as good as those musicians, he is emotive in a similar way. Together with a great Roger Dean album cover, nice keyboard work, and Lawson's voice the music creates a distinct emotional collage in your mind that is Greenslade. Strong voices are not common in progressive music, so try Greenslade as an alternative flavor.

As another reviewer states it, this is indeed a mixed bag! There are a couple of superb instrumental, and also vocal passages (eg. after the drum solo in drum folk). Yet each is at most 4 minutes long, and each is preceeded or succeeded by stuff that can be quite nerve racking - sometimes just due to the bad recording quality. In other words, Greenslade can't keep up the quality throughout a 8 minute track (others like YES [Close to the edge], Genesis [Selling England by the pound], or Pink Floyd [Animals] can do it even longer). Thus Greenslade did the right thing on their fourth album "Time and tide" ...where all tracks are shorter and more carefully structured. To this one I can listen without fast forwarding every once in a while!

Mid-seventies Greenslade might very well be the mariachi of progressive rock. Just about all of his songs are bouncy with catchy, interesting keyboard solos. The lyrics tend towards tight one-lined cleverness, but are never overly sentimental or bitter. The title track and "Pilgrim's Progress" are fine vehicles for some awesome keyboard solos. "Time To Dream" is made exceptional for Dave Lawson's vocal and another keyboard solo. "Drum Folk" unfortunately is too long cumbersome for the needless drum solo, which spoils and detracts from the extended organ workout afterwards. "Sunkissed you're not" begins with a weak vocal, but builds to a redeeming funky jazziness. The last track, "Chalkhill" is the third instrumental and, despite the fact that it is the most propulsive of the three, seems to lack the imagination of the former two. In all, the Bedside Manners Album may not be the most progressive of rock albums, but it is a wonderful time piece of mid-seventies music.

While still plowing the acres in defining their sound and songwriting, the sophomore effort is a mixed grab bag of strange, evocative pieces...and utterly forgettable oddities. Dave Lawson really shines on "Sunkissed You're Not",displaying his distinctive voice while dueling with Greenslade in a formidable keyboard exchange. Also beautifully eerie is the title track which opens the CD, setting the stage for the unique brand of aural originality that follows. Still, this disc is not the achievement of either "Spyglass Guest" or the final, "Time and Tide". Interesting if rather uneven.