Customer Reviews

Gryphon

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3 star:		(1)
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I don't really know how to describe this album. Its not too much like Gryphon's "Red Queen to Gryphon Three", probably their most popular album, though its somewhat similar to their second release "Midnight Mushrumps." I really like both of those releases, but their is something very unique about this album. No electric instruments, just recorders, crumhorns (which I love), a harpsichord, bassoon, acoustic guitar, and some frenetic drumming by Dave Oberle. Oberle's voice, which would have no place in contemporary music, fits in perfectly here as well.

The music is a bit medieval, a bit renaissance, and a bit early '70s British Folk, like some Fairport or Strawbs (particularly the song "Witchwood"). This is one of my favorite albums of all time and I recommend it to anyone looking for something interesting or unique with an early music flavor.

There was a lot of interest in things Renaissance in the late 60's and early 70's. This was when the Renaissance Pleasure Faire first began in Los Angeles. (at a time when it was actually pretty cool) It was a time of Steeleye Span and Robin Williamson. It was a time of Gryphon. Gryphon began as a straight ahead if somewhat irreverant consort, with the full complement of Crummhorn, Rackett, Recorder, Organ, Guitar and hand percussion.

This is their debut album, and the musicianship is fine throughout. Kemp's jig has never sounded so ballsy.

This band rolled with the punches and created a suite for the RSC (Magic Mushrumps_ a rock/pop transitional album and finally morphed into a prog rock unit.

Each of their incarnations is worth hearing, and if you look for faithful renditions of Renaissance material, check out Richard Harvey's solo albums. Harvey's dad is possibly responsible for the resurgence of the recorder as a musical instrument.

Most progressive rock fans will look to Red Queen to Gryphon Three as their crowning achievement. It's that point at their career that they most successfully fused the medieval folk elements with progressive. But let's rewind to their 1973 debut. The group consisted of guitarist Graeme Taylor, bassoonist Brian Gulland, recorder player Richard Harvey, and percussionist David Oberle. Notice the lack of bassist Philip Nestor, who'd join the group after, and helped move them to a more progressive direction. OK, so this isn't exactly progressive, it's medieval folk music, heavy on the recorders, bassoons, and crumhorns. Some organ is used too. Many of the songs are covers of centuries old folk songs, including King Henry VIII's "Pastime with Good Company", plus what I really feel is the album's finest song: "The Unquiet Grave", this is probably the finest song that Gryphon had ever done. It's probably one of the finest versions of a traditional English folk song I've ever heard! It's also a rather vocal-dominated album. Many times the vocals work great, but I warn you that "Three Jolly Butchers" (same for "The Devil and the Farmer's Wife") will not appeal to everyone, you'd either find the vocals cheesy or charming. The music is quite different from the likes of Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span simply because of the instrumentation used, and they didn't use a fiddle.

This will not appeal to early music purists. For example, on "Esptampie", you'll hear Brian Gulland slip in "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "Chattanooga Choo-Choo", just to show the not so serious side of the group (any early music purist would cringe at that as badly as folk purists did when Bob Dylan went electric during the 1965 Newport Folk Festival). I got a kick off it. And of course, these songs weren't likely to have originally been played on acoustic guitar, but more likely lute. It might not appeal to the prog rock fan more likely to lean to Red Queen to Gryphon Three, mainly because the focus on traditional material, and you don't get extended compositions on the likes of "Opening Move" or "Lament". But regardless if the album is progressive or not, it's a great album still the same, and I can recommend this.

"Gryphon" had spent some time around butchering traditional English folk-melodies, and finally ventured into prog (although in which aspect - I still didn't get). For the dead body of authentic medieval minstrel they were too alive, for the band at his funerals - not so.
They had a misfortune to get together too early: nowadays they could become regulars in BBC/Hollywood costume melodramas, and to do some touring with Candys Knight on the side (perhaps Ms Knight & Mr Blackmore used the same formula, but they were not inspired by Gryphon).
Not the most successful and/or innovative (Gryphon was not alone - there were far too many) blend of music - but prog it is not. Rather pleasant album, but uninspiring and anemic - at least to my not so refined taste (Renaissance Live at Carnegie Hall/ The Deluxe Anniversary Edition (2 CD) (Original Recording Remastered) scores better). Real cornerstone of British folk was Fairport Convention (Liege & Lief), while Rolling Stones with "You Gotta Move" (Sticky Fingers (Reis)) came much closer to re-constructing the mood and concept of medieval music. When it comes to chamber music, just one track - Bourree - by Jethro Tull (Stand Up) has more life in it than the whole album of Gryphon. I would recommend to listen to "New Trolls" (Concerto Grosso) and "Focus" (Hamburger Concerto) - one might need some creative madness... But, first of all comes true masterpiece - Of Wondrous Legends