Genre: rock
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: Heavy Rock Spectacular
Company: Wind Mill
Catalog: WMD117
Year: 1972
Country/State: UK
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: UK pressing
Available: 1
GEMM Catalog ID: not yet listed
Price: $120.00
UK mystery act ... Their one and only LP, 1972's "Heavy Rock Spectacular" was released on the small, London-based budget Wind Mill label that was distributed in England through the Woolworths discount store chain. If you believe the brief liner notes, then this outfit actually toured, though the album's anonymity would lead you to believe these guys were a bunch of studio musicians out to make a little spending money with a throwaway release.
I've seen various high priced collector's sales lists label the album as being psych or progressive. It's not. One of those rare cases of truth in advertising, the title is accurate in terms of musical genres. With all eight tracks credited to a T. Bronsdon, material such as 'Born To Be Free', the instrumental 'Ants' and 'Extensive Corrosion' are Hammond organ and guitar powered rockers. Imagine ELP hanging out with Deep Purple and you'll get a feel for the overall sound. Sporting great melodies, enthusiastic performances and surprisingly strong production, this band could have given early-1970s' metal bands a run for their collective money. Elsewhere, to my ears (in spite of the oddball title), the standout track's the atmospheric 'Blitz'. Nothing that will change your life drastically, but better than a lot of the big ticket items being hyped right and left.
No singles, no follow up LP ... this is it for the band's original discography.
"Heavy Music Spectacular" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Born To Be Free (T. Bronsdon) -
2.) Ants (instrumental) (T. Bronsdon) -
3.) Fast Decay (instrumental) (T. Bronsdon) -
4.) Blitz (T. Bronsdon) -
(side 2)
1.) Idiot (T. Bronsdon) -
2.) Fingals Cave (instrumental) (T. Bronsdon) -
3.) Extensive Corrosion (T. Bronsdon) -
4.) Poltergeist (T. Bronsdon) -