Customer Reviews

As Your Mind Flies By

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

 

 

Rare Bird supposedly formed in October 1969 and had their debut album, simply called Rare Bird released within two months of their formation. The band had a distinction of being one of the first rock bands to feature two keyboardists (David Kaffinetti, Graham Fields, David played electric piano, Graham played organ) but no one on guitar. The band also featured the powerful voice of Steve Gould (who also played bass) and drums from Mark Ashton. As Your Mind Flies By, released in 1970, is regarded as their best album by many prog fans, and some claim it to be the best prog album, but I wouldn't go that far, but it's still a fine example of what early prog was all about. The original LP was released on Charisma on the pink scroll label, and the American LP was released on ABC with a totally different cover. Now it's available on CD. Side one contains four, somewhat shorter pieces, "What You Want to Know", "Down on the Floor", "Hammerhead" and "I'm Thinking". My favorite is the heavy and powerful "Hammerhead" with some truly killer vocals and Hammond organ. The rest of these cuts often have pop and soul tendencies, but still progressive enough not to scare off the progheads. "Down on the Floor" has a more classical feel thanks to the presence harpsichord. Side two (that is, if you own the LP) is a four part suite called "Flight" which is often regarded as the album's masterpiece and without a doubt the most progressive thing on the album. Choir is used from time to time, not to mention a middle part that features some rather experimental and spacy Hammond organ that reminds me of those Krautrock bands from around the same time. Most of the rest of "Flight" is very much in typical early British prog fashion. Unfortunately As Your Mind Flies By was Rare Bird's last album with the original lineup, Graham Fields and Mark Ashton left, replaced by a new drummer and two guitar players making their first two albums their only albums not to feature any guitar. It might be interesting to note that many years after Rare Bird broke up, David Kaffinetti later appeared on the movie This is Spinal Tap, he shorted his name to David Kaff. Anyway, if you enjoy early keyboard-driven British prog, be sure to get a copy of As Your Mind Flies By.

RareBird were a late 60's English rock band that had a unique keyboard sound which is self evident when you listen to As Your Mind Flies By .
This CD is a superb blend of hard keyboard driven rock with a couple of beautiful melodic compositions also included.
The talent of the four band members is there for all to hear on the title track.From the sublime keyboard playing of David Kaffinetti and Graham Field to the outstanding vocal talent of Steve Gould,backed up by some great percussion from Mark Ashton.As Your Mind Flies By is a great and unique example of keyboard driven rock.
RareBird were indeed, a very rare talent!

The original lineup's second and final album, and another brilliant one. Music like this just isn't made anymore, and the musicianship is just top-notch. RB's most progressive certainly, and a shame the original members went their separate ways shortly after its release. With the trademark dual keyboards and no guitar other than bass, the music is at times heavy, yet still melodic. "Down on the Floor" is a classic with the medieval harpsichord, and evocative and otherworldly vocals from the underrated Steve Gould. "Flight" is a progressive classic that virtually no one has heard of nowadays. Another seminal album from the great English band who didn't even make it big in their homeland, seemingly being more popular in the USA, Germany, France and elswhere in Europe. These guys just put out great music and faded away when not enough people noticed. If only we had more like them today. Get this one, the two-for-one CD w/ the 1969 debut and 1973's Somebody's Watching, and of course, the all time classic from 1972, Epic Forest. These three CDs are unparalleled, and progressive/classic rock fans will not be disappointed. If Born Again, the swan song album from 1974, is ever released to CD (with a few bonus tracks), we can all live happily!

This album knocked my socks off in college, and it is one of the few that still does all these years later. How many albums have you not gotten tired of after 34 years?

I recently played Flight for my 21 year old daughter (she's into the current indie scene). Her reaction: "it's really different, but I think the choir is a tad melodramatic." She's right, but Flight's still an absolute work of art (hence the 5 stars). So is Hammerhead. I'm Thinking is not too bad. I'm not as crazy about the other cuts.

This album should be played loud on a good stereo to really appreciate its tremendous power.

Rare Bird was such a breath of fresh air in the early 70's: this (and their first) still hold their own. The music philosophy was different back then: major labels would risk new stuff like this. What a great era for musicians, and how sad that it is over.

After Flight, Rare Bird had a personnel turnover and abandoned that special keyboard drive. I lost interest.

I was thrilled to see what is one of my all-time favorite albums released on cd. My vinyl is scratched from heavy use. This album is the forerunner of what became progressive rock later. Every track is good, and to my mind, the best album from the band. Too bad they couldn't use the original cover which was a big fat bird painted in the style of Bosch.

I first encountered "As Your Mind Flies By" as a record-store employee back in the mid '70's, and even then it made a BIG impression on me, and continues to do so to this day. Despite its hefty import price tag I say the quality of this product is more than worth the extra lift, and though all Rare Bird's releases are worth a listen, THIS is their essential recording.

"As Your Mind Flies By" was the second (and final) release by the original quartet, Dave Kaffinetti (electric piano), Graham Field (organ), Steve Gould (bass, lead vocal) and Mark Ashton (drums, 2nd lead vocal). That's right, NO guitar, however the skill of Field & Kaffinetti's Hammond/Rhodes arrangements never left me feeling I was missing anything. Artistically "AYMFB" was a substantial step up from Rare Bird's 1969 eponymous debut album, and certainly to my ears a major "buried treasure" in the slagheap of forgotten pop culture.

Not that this kept me up nights, but I wondered for years whether AYMFB really qualifies as "prog rock"; there are at least two straightforward pop "love songs" ("What You Want to Know" & "I'm Thinking")that should have gotten radio airplay in any fair universe. All the rest of "side one" (as us LP era folks knew this release) is as punchy & direct as any straightforward pop/rock recording of its day. In fact, I would recommend this as entry level prog for anyone interested in sampling the best of the genre without being left perplexed by something weird & hard to "get" like (for example) "Tales from Topographic Oceans" by Yes (to name one). Ultimately, because the no-guitar format was/is SO adventurous, and because "side two's" 25-minute suite, "Flight" is very much in the prog tradition, I'm glad to let it into the prog club AS WELL AS to commend it for your consideration as a sterling example of what prog rock had (& has) to offer.

The songs here are all OUTSTANDING and the performances & arrangements deliver with commanding authority. Let me praise first the soaring vocals of the Mighty Steve Gould, who really shines here. He delivers the previously noted love songs with heartfelt sincerity and passion, but he is nothing short of astonishing on the twin tracks "Down on the Floor" and "Hammerhead". "Down on the Floor" is a medevial-flavored harpsichord/voice duet of great understatement and melodic charm, setting the stage for the berserker fury of "Hammerhead"; here the quartet dials it up to "11" (remember--pianist Dave Kaffinetti DID appear in "This is Spinal Tap" decades later, and who knows what part of his Rare Bird experience was channeled there). Regardless, "Hammerhead" is a tour-de-force for the entire band, especially Gould, who roars the lyrics with fierce intensity my descriptions simply can't do justice to; "The Hammerhead has thrust its sword, the strife is on the battle won again". That line--indeed, the whole track--still gives me shivers with its battering ram fury and storm-the-battlements blood & thunder. A serious jaw dropper and definitely something you need to hear!

The suite, "Flight" is definitely more "prog rock" and could presume on your patience if you're not already dialed into the conventions of the genre. The big white noise/organ/churning Leslie speaker section in the middle will surely baffle modern listeners, but this is the only time you need to make allowance for the era this was a product of. My guess is that this section would have provided an opportunity for some dazzling stage pyrotechnics, but even if that was not their intention, as a prog-rock "propellerhead" of lifetime pedigree, I find the interlude an interesting and anticipation-building set up for the high-agression close, "Central Park". This was drummer Mark Ashton's chance to step up as lead vocalist, and he acquits himself heroically, even if he clearly wasn't the natural talent Steve was. The "head hawk shark" vocal section builds to a massive, surging pile-up conclusion of smoking Hammond organ bubbling up to a volcanic eruption of massed electric keyboard, bass & drums; a powerful and memorable close to a one-of-a-kind recording by a most unique band indeed.

Graham Field appears to have been the "brains" and leader of the group, and his skill as an organist and arranger/composer is all over both of his Rare Bird releases. His Hammond organ leads are so assertive I never felt "shorted" for lack of a lead guitar. After multiple listens, I also grew to greatly appreciate the clever two-keyboard arrangements between Field's organ and Kaffinetti's Fender Rhodes that subtly optimized each song's impact. Allow me to also praise Mark Ashton's drumming & Steve's bass playing for their impeccable poise & restraint in accelerating and easing off as the material demanded. Probably again, this was due to the influence of Graham Field, who certainly appears to have been Rare Bird's founding cornerstone & "artistic director". If you can, check out the band photo in the gatefold of the US LP release of "Rare Bird" (1st LP); the only grown-up depicted there is obviously Field, with Ashton, Gould & Kaffinetti looking like teenagers. As with so many other bands of the prog rock era, the flowering of creativity it exhibited is all the more remarkable for just how YOUNG these guys were. A double edged sword indeed--imagine living into your 50's or later with the highest watermark of your life's creativity 30+ years in your past... Take some solace from the fact that few will EVER ascend such heights, I say!

IF YOU LIKE "AYMFB" I recommend that you make the effort to seek out two later (and even more obscure) related recordings: "Fields" was Graham Field's only post Rare Bird effort that I'm aware of, and it VERY successfully revistited some of the same ground first explored on AYMFB. MARK ASHTON resurfaced in the early '90's with an outstanding solo album from out of nowhere called "Modern Pilgrims" which showcased Mark as a worthy vocalist as well as an outstanding songwriter and bandleader. Both are pretty hard to find, but well worth the search if "As Your Mind Flies By" staggers you as it does me. Truly one of very few recordings "for the ages" and WELL worth your attention today.

It's really REALLY amazing Rare Bird has to become one of the unknown rock bands of the world. If you ever heard one of their 70's albums I have a really good feeling you'd fall in love with their songwriting, because they can just write really good songs with a beautiful variety of instruments giving their music an adventurous feeling that feels SO good. If you like Procol Harum or Genesis for instance, because of the beauty in the songwriting, then you should really like Rare Bird as well.

This particular album is a bit different from their debut because there's more soulful singing, but the keyboards are located in all the right spots, and I strongly believe these guys are VERY talented. Please check out As Your Mind Flies By or the debut for some of the most moving rock music you will ever listen to.