Customer Reviews

Gryphon/Midnight Mushrumps

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gryphon is in a league of their own. Their style and perfection are unmatched. To break yourself in to this album, start at the end and give Ethelion a listen. That was my first Gryphon tune, and it lasted me years until I discovered their Red Queen to Gryphon Three album (buy that, too). Find out what a krummhorn sounds like, and order this CD now.

I recommend this CD without the slightest reserve.

Gryphon don't get a mention in any of the rock encyclopedias in my possession. No great surprise if you listen just to their eponymous debut album, because, outstanding though it is, it simply isn't rock. It's folk, it's medieval, and it's excellently recorded.

By the time they had recorded their initial repertoire had moved onto their second album MIDNIGHT MUSHRUMPS, it appears that they had moved into more 'progressive' territory. This is material that Gentle Giant would have been proud to record.

I have to admit that this is a CD that has been sitting largely unplayed in my collection for four years. It's exactly the sort of CD I snap up quickly but am slow to play: bargain price, technically proficient, well remastered, excellent sleevenotes and a 'soon-to-be-deleted' aura about it. What a treat I have been missing.

This package by Transatlantic Records pairs the self-titled debut album (1973) with the follow-up album Midnight Mushrumps (1974). The lyrics are featured along with a decent and somewhat informative set of liner notes.

Gryphon

The debut album is very heavily influenced by the art music of the English Middle Ages and Renaissance period and as such, there is little rock to be found. Archaic instruments are featured exclusively and include harpsichords, crumhorns, the harmonium, bassoon, and recorders along with acoustic guitars and light percussion. In addition to this instrumentation, there are vocal parts that sound authentic for the period. From a musical perspective, I found their approach to be very interesting and a refreshing change of pace. The 11 pieces are fairly short and range in length from 1'06" - 5'40". The musicians on the debut include bandleader and former Royal College of Music student Richard Harvey (recorders, crumhorns, recorders, keyboards, guitar, mandolin); another Royal College student Brian Gulland (bassoon, crumhorns, recorders, keyboards, and vocals); David Oberle (drums, percussion, and vocals); and Graeme Taylor (guitars, keyboards, recorder, and vocals). All of the musicians are very good and clearly well-trained in the style of early music. Overall, this is a great album that interprets traditional English folk music.

Midnight Mushrumps

This album shows the band incorporating the melodies and harmonies of rock music into their early music compositions and might be said to be their first "proggy" album although it is still pretty far removed from what I consider to be rock music. The lineup is similar to the debut with the exception of the addition of Philip Nester (electric bass guitar). Although archaic instruments are used predominantly (especially the keyboards - including pipe organ), instruments more in keeping with rock music are also used. Vocals are not as big a part of the compositions as they were on the debut. The pieces are longer and range in length from 2'58" (The Ploughboy's Dream) to 19'00" (Midnight Mushrumps) and range from moody to sprightly/upbeat. Overall, this album shows the band starting to move closer to the progressive rock style, which would reach it's fullest expression on the Red Queen to Gryphon Three album (1975) - in fact, this is the album most proggers cite as their favorite Gryphon album.

This package is highly recommended to folks that would like to explore a different approach to the progressive rock style - namely one that incorporates early English music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Recommended.

Gryphon was a '70s band that combined early music with rock to form an unusual but catchy prog-rock blend. The band centered around bassoon/krumhorn player Brian Gulland and keyboard/recorder/krumhorn player Richard Harvey, with guitarist Graeme Taylor and David Oberle on drums/vocals both capable players. This CD combines the first two albums, "Gryphon" and "Midnight Mushrumps", which by themselves would be 3 and 3-1/2 star albums. "Gryphon" is soundtrack music for a Renaissance fair, more folk-based than their later music, and comes off as a junior varsity version of Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span. There are solemn ("The Unquiet Grave") and humorous ("Three Jolly Butchers") takes on traditional pieces. On the second half of the album, the band starts stretching the formula, especially on "Estampie", where Oberle gets to cut loose on drums and Gulland throws in a quote from "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" during his bassoon solo.

On "Midnight Mushrumps", bassist Philip Nester was added and rock was added to the mix. Here you can hear the beginnings of the unique sound that reached its peak on the superlative "Red Queen to Gryphon Three" album. The centerpiece of the album is the 19-minute title cut. The melodies on this album aren't as memorable as on "Red Queen", but "Mushrumps" is still good. My favorite cut is the closer, "Ethelion".

(1=poor 2=mediocre 3=pretty good 4=very good 5=phenomenal)

These difficult to find first and second recordings of Gryphon are a remarkable contribution to the catalog of seventies British prog-rock. Gryphon's self-titled debut was their most traditional recording of mid-evil/traditional English folk music. They primarily used the instrumentation of the times of the traditional pieces performed here, with very little electric instrumentation. One tune was even written by Henry VIII. Elecric bass was added to Midnight Mushrumps and it enhanced the delivery of the material nicely. There was also less of a reliance on traditional material by the second effort but all of the bands original compositions were influenced by the traditional material that they were drawn to in their debut. They were exceptional musicians who never over extended themselves. Wonderful music that holds up well. Highly recommended...Simon

I sincerely mean that- I haven't heard ANY other rock band- prog rock or any other kind of rock, attempt to make a COMPLETELY Renaissance influenced album, from start to finish. To me that makes Gryphon kind of groundbreaking, though not many people are aware of them so maybe they aren't that revolutionary after all.

I remember going to the Renaissance Fair many years ago in 4th grade with my class, and the music on this album brings back those memories.

I can't compare this band to anything else. It's just so DIFFERENT from every other band I've ever heard. A band that truly stands out, in a positive way.

Now, the music will probably start wearing you out after a while, but really, the album is only about 40 minutes long so it shouldn't wear you out THAT much.

The 18 minute monster that opens the album is quite the tune. A folk/progressive rock tune that's just amazing. Lots of melody, lots of feeling, and just a really spectacular song that goes through what seems like a hundred instrumental melodies flowing seamlessly from one part into the next. I love it.

There are some weak moments on the album though. I'm not particularly fond of the closing song even though everyone says it's the best song on the album. To me it just repeats more or less the same sequence of notes for several minutes. Maybe I just can't get into it, who knows.

But yeah, you need to check out this album, and hear a band that stands out from the rest.

My wife thought Midnight Mushrumps was a funny title, how fashions change, but enjoyed the music. I like lilting folkiness of this recrord, and I'm a sucker for unusual instruments. This great playing, plus asense of humour. Gryphon has a sort of innocence about it, and I find mushrumps a little darker. I thoroughly enjoyed thi record. I give it 4 stars, because I prefer Red queen to Gryphon Three. Gryphon along with Gentle Giant defined the entrance of Elizebeathan (the first one) culture into modern music. Although maybe this record is a little too folky for some tastes, but it is always good to be receptive to different genres.

my review will be short. if you enjoy listening to yes, gentle giant, pfm, spock's beard, etc... and you haven't heard gryphon, then you are in for a treat. gryphon/midnight mushrumps are two wonderful albums that should be in any prog collection.

Richard Harvey, is my uncle and i never knew Gryphon were this big. I am only 15 so i know the Led Zeppelins, The Yes's etc. But my Uncles band are well good. For ne fans i reckon i cud nag him and brian into getting the Gryphon boys bak together.