Gracious - Gracious! (1970/2004 Remastered Expanded Mini Gatefold Sleeve Edition)
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Album: Gracious - Gracious! (Remastered Expanded Mini Gatefold Sleeve Edition)
Released: 1970 (2004)
Genre: Progressive Rock
Repertoire Records - REPUK 1033
I know this will sound pretentious, but Gracious!' debut (of two) albums was probably the most progressive album that was released in 1970 (albeit VDGG, Soft Machine, and KC were close.) Why would I say this? Listen to it! - New Gibraltar Encyclopedia Of Progressive Rock
Superb re-mastered/expanded mini gatefold textured sleeve re-issue of the debut album from 1970 by this quality early '70's UK progressive rock band. Melodic vocal/keyboard driven progressive rock similar in feel to Cressida, Czar, Fantasy etc. Lots of mellotron in work long instrumental passages on tracks like "The Dream" which clocks in at 16 minutes.The 5 powerful songs which make this album essential for any serious collector of this genre/period have now been enhanced by the addition of 3 tracks from the original session! - Reissue Description
Legendary British progressive band, and their classic debut-album explains why. The first side of the album seems to have a concept about heaven and hell, and the lifestyles which will lead to one of those places (if you believe that bullshit!). The music is good old English progressive with loads of mellotron and harpsichord. The highlight is the beautiful "Heaven". With its floating mellotron theme and symphonic sound, this track lives up to its name. "Hell" is, as you may suggest, a much more uglier and heavier track with some very distorted organ creating a perfect hell-atmosphere. You can almost smell the sulphur! "Fugue in 'D' Minor" is a pure baroque piece played on guitar and harpsichord. The 16-minute "The Dream" features a load of time changes and different moods. From symphonic and beautiful, to disharmonious and energetic. This is a impressive and truly progressive rock album that every 70's progressive rock fan should own. - VintageProg.com
All these years of being aware of GRACIOUS and the two albums they released in the early 1970s, it was only a matter of time before I snatched the 2-for-1 CD reissue deal that BGO Records released back in 1995, and I have not regretted it! This review here, of course, is for their first album. This band consisted of a bunch of former Catholic school boys who lived in the affluent stockbroker belt of Surrey (to the south of London, this was also the same county GENESIS resided in). The band had toured with KING CRIMSON, and their keyboardist Martin Kitcat was impressed enough with those guys that he bought himself a Mellotron as well. They signed up to Vertigo and released this incredible album in 1970 (the album also had an American release on Capitol Records, but with a totally cover). The rest of the band consited of vocalist Paul Davis (not the Paul Davis of "I Go Crazy Fame"), guitarist Alan Cowderoy, bassist Tim Wheatley, and drummer Robert Lipson.
This is an album that often received the Mellotron hype. Whatever you do, don't buy in to it, sure he uses is, but on only three cuts, "Heaven", and only a small amount on "Hell" and "Dreaming". The electric piano, piano, and harpsichord are the more dominant instrument. This is suprisingly complex music for 1970. The album opens with "Introduction", with some GENTLE GIANT-like vocal harmonies, but is actually the most straighforward piece on the album. I really like the guitar solo in the middle. "Heaven" features some great Mellotron work, and I like the acoustic part of the song, which is totally 1970, before you hear a chorus repeating "Do you have a clean mind?" over and over. "Hell" is far more like KING CRIMSON, far more sinister sounding piece. Also some ragtime and classical (specifiaclly OFFENBACH's "Can-Can") pops up, showing the band had a sense of humor. These three songs have religious themes (no surprise because of the band's Catholic school upbringings). "Fugue in 'D' Minor" is basically a classically-oriented piece on harpsichord and guitar. "Dreaming" is the longest piece and is incredible! It goes through several movements, with some great use of guitar and electric piano, as well as the occasional dreamy vocals I can't get enough of. The myth that seems to be is that this album is not too far off from the Moody Blues as far as complexity is concerned, you need to listen to this album, and that myth is actually myth. Essential album, in my book! - Review by Proghead, ProgArchives.com
1970 England was an incredible time for inventive music. But while Yes was slumping with its sophomore effort A Time and a Word, and ELP was stretching 20 minutes of good music into 40 for their debut, the Vertigo label released one of its prime triumphs, the eponymous album by quintet Gracious, truly one of symphonic rock's most fertile masterpieces. The array of styles blended into this album are dizzying, from classically structured epics, to Beatle-esque vocal harmonies, to a quick trip into a barroom boogie and on to lavish, mellotron layered pastorales. Entirely written by vocalist Paul Davis and keyboards maestro Martin Kitcat, Gracious perfected a form of symphonic rock that would not reach its more popular peak until several years after. Side one of the original album was a highly complex suite in three titles, "Introduction," "Heaven," and "Hell." This is wonderfully orchestrated rock at its finest, paving the way for the Fantasy's, Springs and Kestrels to come, but being internally much more varied and complex; lining up melodic choruses with intensely labored, rhythmically challenging structures that are a wonder to follow. Side two opens with the gorgeous "Fugue in 'D' Minor," a piece for harpsichord, two guitars and bass that paves the way for the album's long finale "The Dream." This is the band's most challenging piece, a wonderful suite of psychedelic mood and dreamy symphonic air. Its juxtaposed moments where one will hear a Beatles snippet followed up a declamatory Gnidrolog-like vocalization and then a small interlude on piano before breaking into a great fuzz guitar solo are the stuff legends are made of. In modern days where symphonic rock has become a wasteland of morbid copies and prog-by-numbers, an album like this reminds one strongly of just how inventive this style used to be. - Mike McLatchey, Gnosis Ratings
Das Debüt von Gracious, 1970 in der Besetzung Alan Cowderoy (g, voc), Paul Davis (g, voc), Martin Kitcat (key, voc), Robert Lipson (dr) und Tim Wheatley (b) eingespielt, hatte fantastischen Heavy Progressive drauf. Zwar waren da noch einige typische Elemente der 1960er zu hören, wie der Gruppengesang, der teilweise an die Beatles erinnerte und die charmante Naivität des frischen symphonischen Klanges. Doch vor allem gibt es in den Songs auf "Gracious!" eines zu hören: Mellotron. Breite Mellotron-Flächen malten den klassisch anmutenden Sound, auf dem die Rockband schön heftig abrockte.
Das geht gleich mit "Introduction" gut los, einem Heavy Prog mit knackigem Rhythmus. "Heaven" im Anschluss daran ist eher entspannt und gießt in 8 Minuten neben dem warmen Mellotron-Sound eine genüssliche laid-back Stimmung aus. Als Gegensatz dazu, auch über 8 Minuten lang, ist das düstere und schräge "Hell" ein fetter Rocksong, der sich aus einem zerstörerischen Orgelsolo entwickelt. Ein Sahnehäubchen mit starkem Rhythmus und großer Wirkung.
Die zweite LP-Seite beginnt mit der "Fugue in D-Minor", einem klassischen Recital, von akustischer Gitarre und Cembalo gespielt, das gut zur Vampir-Tanzszene im Film "Tanz der Vampire" passen würde. Schönes Stück, das die klassische Seite und die technischen Spielmöglichkeiten der Band perfekt präsentiert. Als Höhepunkt der Platte folgt das 17-minütige "The dream" mit einem schweren Heavy-Thema, das in ein geklautes klassisches Motiv umkippt und sich steigert und steigert, bis die Heavyness wieder kraftvoll knüppelt. Ein tolles, lange Zeit rein instrumentales Stück, das viel Frische und nichts von seiner Qualität und seinem Charme verloren hat.
Die im LP-Sleeve Design (wie im Original mit rauer Oberfläche!) wieder veröffentlichte restaurierte und remasterte CD mit Mini-Poster hat 3 weitere Songs drauf. Die beiden (Beat)-Songs einer Single von 1969 und die A-Seite der LP-Auskopplung (die B-Seite war "Fuge in D-Minor") haben nicht die Qualität der LP-Stücke. 1972 veröffentlichten Gracious ihre zweite LP "This is Gracious" und lösten sich danach auf.
Paul Davis spielte später Gitarre für J. J. Cale und einige Country-Größen und veröffentlichte ab 1974 Platten unter eigenem Namen. Martin Kitcat und Tim Wheatley waren noch eine Weile als Sessionmusiker aktiv, die anderen an späteren LP-Aufnahmen nicht mehr beteiligt. Keiner der involvierten Musiker, vielleicht mit Ausnahme von Paul Davis, hatte je wieder einen solchen Erfolg wie mit Gracious.
Tolle Platte, Empfehlung! - Ragazzi - website fur erregende Musik
For every Yes, ELP, Genesis, King Crimson, etc., there were many more lesser known prog rock bands. Bands like Gentle Giant, Van der Graaf Generator, Caravan, Cressida, Beggars Opera, Spring, etc. all created some great music but were often forgotten in the mists of time, but those who found out about these bands gave high praise to many of these albums, and for good reason. Gracious was yet another one of these bands. They released two albums and then disappeared. Gracious formed in the mid 1960s at a Catholic school in the well-to-do stockbroker belt of Surrey, England (south of London, Surrey was also home to Genesis as well) playing typical pop covers. The band was known as Satan's Disciples at that time, probably to cause a stir, since the school they went to was religious in nature. But as the '60s came near an end, and the band members graduated, the progressive scene started with the likes of King Crimson, Colosseum, Rare Bird, Yes, Genesis, etc. The band started writing original songs, and changing their name to Gracious. They even had the pleasure of being King Crimson's opening act! And that inspired Gracious' keyboardist Martin Kitcat to buy a Mellotron. They then signed to Vertigo and released their debut in 1970, which was entitled Gracious! (with the exclamation mark). The album was also released in America on Capitol Records (making that one of the more collectible artists on that label), but with a different cover.
Anyway, their debut is a wonderful, early British prog classic. A lot of the music is quite complex, with lots of great use of piano, harpsichord, and Hohner electric piano, as well as great guitar work from Alan Cowderoy, and jazzy drumming from Robert Lipson. Paul Davis adds some great vocals, in that typical early '70s British prog style. Don't buy in to the Mellotron hype on this album, as it's only used on two cuts, that is "Heaven" and "Dreaming". The album opens up with "Introduction". I like the use of harpsichord, and those wonderful Gentle Giant-like vocal harmonies (I'm pretty sure Gentle Giant, who were also Vertigo labelmates, listened to Gracious) and that wonderful guitar solo in the middle.
"Heaven" starts off with some great use of Mellotron, before the acoustic guitar kicks in. When the vocals kick in, the chorus keeps repeating, "Do you have a clean mind?" over and over while singing about doing deeds, good or bad. "Hell" is a truly bizarre piece, where Martin Kitcat playing on a distorted electric piano that makes it sound almost like a synthesizer. This piece sounds a lot like what King Crimson had done, with those dissonant passages. Then suddenly the music changes sounding like honky-tonk music with that ragtime piano and the band being silly, then they suddenly get in to a silly version of Offenbach's "Can-Can" before going back to Crimson-like territory. "Introduction", "Heaven" and "Hell" all have religious themes in their lyrics (thanks to their Catholic school upbringings) but don't let that scare you off.
Side two starts with "Fugue in 'D' Minor", which is basically a classically-oriented piece played on harpsichord and guitar, and is the least rock-oriented piece. The album ends with the 16 minute "Dreaming". I like how the band starts playing Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata", before they start jamming on electric piano and guitar, being silly by playing a very short clip of the Beatles' "Hey Jude". I also love those dreamy vocals passages that just blow me away. This piece goes through many different changes and styles... - Gracious: Gracious!/This Is... (1970/72) Music Reviews - UK - Hippyland
1. Introduction 5:54
2. Heaven 8:08
3. Hell 8:30
4. Fugue in 'D' minor 5:01
5. The dream 16:58
BONUS TRACKS
6. Beautiful (Single A-Side, 1969) 2:50
7. What a lovely rain (Single B-Side, 1969) 2:49
8. Once on a windy day (Single A-Side, 1970) 4:04
Paul Davis - vocals, guitar, timpani
Martin Kitcat - Mellotron, piano, electric piano, harpsichord, vocals
Alan Cowderoy - guitar, vocals
Tim Wheatley - bass
Robert Lipson - drums
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