Customer Reviews

Indian Summer

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

 

 

Who were Indian Summer, where did they come from and where did they go? All that's left behind is this one-album testiment to their greatness. If you like progressive rock where the vocals aren't intrusive and the band knows when to shut its mouth and play like there's no tomorrow, then you've found the right album. Regal, magestic keyboards and subtle guitar work are what you can expect to hear on the opening track, God Is The Dog; the real showcase on this song is Bob Jackson's voice, as he reaches crescendos that recall the era of Deep Purple ascending (think Child In Time). The next song, the best of the album, is Emotions Of Men. It has a fantastically relentless guitar solo that will leave your mind melted and drooling for more: Colin Williams just smokes on this track! As ever, Jackson's keyboards keep time, but never intrude. Things calm down, but not by much, on the jazzier Glimpse. Once more, Williams's guitar work is central. This song recalls some of the more cerebral Winwood moments of Traffic. Half Changed Again begins with acoustic guitars and congas and then shifts gears halfway into a halfway decent keyboard-drum workout. Black Sunshine isn't as interesting, because it hinges on an extended keyboard-drum solo and relies more on slow chord changes. From The Film Of The Same Name once again features an excellent guitar and keyboard interplay, which then breaks into yet another great solo (oh, to have seen this song worked out live!). Secrets Revealed is the slow, mystical,thoughtful and boring part of the album. It's not a bad song, but a bit of a comedown when stacked next to what came before it. Another Tree Will Grow ends the album appropriately with themes of resurrection and renewal; Williams blistering solo is truly phoenix-like; I just can't say enough about this guy! In all, Indian Summer is truly an overlooked band that deserved more than it got with just one meager album's worth of material.

Almost thirty years have not diminished the enduring impact of this music on my ears and mind. The group was from Coventry and haunted the same playing grounds as the incipient Black Sabbath (of whom, with a few exceptions, I am not a fan). Indian Summer recorded only this one album, which was released in the US in the early seventies on the Neon label and was very difficult to find even then. The album is a well-produced recording consisting of eight driving hard-edged progressive tunes brimming with searing vocals and engaging changes of pace. It is difficult to draw comparison with any group, but it can be noted I enjoy such groups as early Yes, early Pink Floyd, early Quicksilver, early Jefferson Airplane, Tomorrow, and the Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Indian Summer, however, bears little resemblance. Nonetheless, they are - to my tastes - in the same league in creativity and enjoyment. Try something different and discover something mighty fine!

Indian Summer (who I believe Hugh Hopper of Soft Machine brother Paul Hopper plays drums) is a "with their time" Jam band with pretty good vocals. I guess it falls into the gandra of Prog, though it is a subtle sound with clean EXCELLENT and not screaming guitar! I read a bit of the history of the band. Apparently, they were shunned in 1969 and Black Sabbath got the contract. Indian Summer is not a "heavy metal" band, but their styled playing is fluent and well worth your time. They sort of remind me of The Animals, though better playing (over all) and not as loud. Maybe even the Allman Brothers. Good spin!

I guess you've probably heard the story about how, 40 some years ago, there was a choice between either signing Black Sabbath or these guys to a record label, and well, we all know who wound up with the long lasting success (I'll give you a hint- Dun DUN DUNnNnNnNnN!!! Sorry that's my weak attempt at singing the guitar riff to the song "Black Sabbath", hehe).

But to be fair, Sabbath's debut *is* considered a groundbreaking album with a sound WAY ahead of its time, and back then music fans and record producers went where the originality was.

Now, many years later, how about that there band Indian Summer? These guys are really good, and honestly, they should have been bigger than they were if "Glimpse" is any indication. This is a song that has jazzy and fast guitar playing similar to the middle section of Sugarloaf's "Green Eyed Lady", has a lead singer who sounds a bit like Steve Winwood, and keyboards that swirl and delight around every turn. The guitar playing really picks up near the middle and is quite exciting if you ask me.

This is just a perfect example of solid rock music and you must discover it.

Indian Summer was a one-shot British prog rock band that managed this one album in 1971 on the RCA/Neon label. It's the only Neon release to receive an American release at the time of release (the American print too was RCA/Neon), although I realize Centipede's Septober Energy received an American release, although it wasn't until 1974, three years after the UK release, and the American version was on just plain old RCA. Aside from Indian Summer, other worthy releases from Neon included Spring, Tonton Macoute, and Raw Material's Time Is..., all from 1971. The American LP of Indian Summer was pressed on very lousy vinyl (RCA was in their "Dynaflex" phase, ridiculously flimsy vinyl, their reasoning, to reduce on warping, but at the expense of quality) and the LP sounds very muddy, even on a decent catridge (I use the Grado Prestige Gold, as I own the American LP). I'm sure the British print would be of better quality, as RCA over there wisely didn't take up on "Dynaflex". Luckily there's also the CD where you never have to worry about sound quality.

Indian Summer was a group that was passed by promoter Jim Simpson in favor of Black Sabbath, but he did come back and bring Indian Summer under his wing. We obviously know what band made it big: Black Sabbath, and we know which one became forgotten: Indian Summer.

They were a four-piece group hailing from the same town as Black Sabbath: Birmingham, and they consisted of lead vocalist/keyboardist Bob Jackson, guitarist Colin Williams, drummer Paul Hooper, and bassist Malcolm Harker. All three do additional vocals. Musically, what you got is early '70s British prog rock, not the most complex out there. It's much up your alley for those who enjoy groups like Gracious!, Cressida, Waters of Change-era Beggars Opera, and perhaps labelmates Spring, in fact this group would have easily fit with the Vertigo discography (I often wondered if Neon took on artists Vertigo wouldn't take, both labels frequently featured covers by Keef, and many times have a sound that would have fit on Vertigo). The music relies heavily on the Hammond organ, although Bob Jackson would slip in some Mellotron (it's nothing on the scale of Spring). "God is the Dog" is a great opening. Bob Jackson's vocals remind me a bit of Steve Winwood or Arthur Brown at times. Not as demented as Arthur Brown, of course. The lyrics are rather critical of organized religion. This song also demonstrates how early prog still hadn't abandoned its psychedelia roots, as the song has some late '60s psychedelic elements. "Emotions of Men" is another great piece. "Half Changed Again" has a more acoustic sound, before the music picks up. "Black Sunshine" is a more straightforward number, but still keeping on the quality. "Secrets Reflected" is a great ballad, but that last piece, "Another Tree Will Grow" shows the one weak spot of this album: the instrumental solo tends to be a bit overlong.

Artwork is by Keef, who also designed covers for Black Sabbath (debut album), Colosseum (Valentyne Suite), Rod Stewart (UK version of Gasoline Alley), Manfred Mann (Chapter III Vol. 2), Cressida (Asylum), Spring, Affinity, and many more. He had a way with photography to often make it otherwordly or surrealistic, and it shows here (of course he used a negative for the Indian Summer cover).

For those who enjoy early British prog, you really couldn't go wrong here.

I purchased this album thinking it would was by another artist by the same name, and I turned out to be very very wrong.
This is not the 90's emo band.
Its a crappier sounding Pink Floyd.