Whenever a new, yearly themed box of prog rock cuts gets released by Esoteric Records, genre fans automatically know they’re in for some great listening. Even when their ‘Underground Sounds’ and ‘Progressive Sounds’ anthologies merely recycle a world of album cuts, these affordable multi-disc sets create something that isn’t just well rounded; when approached in the right mood, they’re compilations which are incredibly absorbing. Whether approaching them from a nostalgic perspective or in the hope of discovering something new – hopefully both – these anthologies supply a huge amount of entertainment.

The release of ‘Ring The Bells & Sing’ – a four disc celebration of ‘The Progressive Sounds of 1975’ – comes a full year after the release of its 1974 counterpart, and with material pulled from great albums by Steve Hillage, Steve Hackett, Camel, Hawkwind and Renaissance, the 1975 collection has a very strong backbone, but with a few more “obscurities” and more cult stuff waiting in the wings, it’s actually more interesting collection than its immediate predecessor.

‘Sheba’s Song’ by the lesser known Fruupp is one of this anthology’s greatest deep cuts. It opens with a stabbed electric piano which gives the feeling of something Supertramp-esque. Later during an epic arrangement, the stabbed notes are joined by 10cc-like harmonies, but this doesn’t otherwise take on any real pop flair. Between those accessible moments, the band indulge in a mix of prog and jazz that sounds like the missing link between Hatfield & The North and Greenslade. At the track’s jazziest, a wandering bass underscores a tinkling keyboard venturing into the fusion end of things, but you’ll also find occasional hints of early Genesis and Van Der Graaf Generator fleshing out the complex melodies. Best of all, however, is the way Fruupp are unafraid to look towards other contemporary 70s sounds too, and this number even takes in several bars sharing more of a proto-disco vibe. What you won’t find here is anything catchy; there are times where it all feels like prog for prog’s sake, but that doesn’t make it any less great. The equally overlooked Druid mix hippie vocalising and busy melodies on the title cut of their ‘Toward The Sun’ LP, which makes them come across as a combination of Renaissance and Affinity, without being as strong as either. Nevertheless, they’re good players, and a few listens to this lesser remembered tune should provide entertainment with its jazz-oriented keys and an occasional jaunty melody that knows it would sound so much better under the wing of Jon Anderson.

Makers of four enjoyable albums between 1973 and 1975, Greenslade are represented by ‘Doldrums’ from their ‘Time & Tide’ swansong. Although that album isn’t anywhere near as good as the earlier ‘Bedside Manners’ or ‘Spyglass Guest’, it isn’t without its moments, and ‘Doldrums’ is a particular highlight. Measured against the band’s more “typical” material, the number is minimalist, and it finds vocalist Dave Lawson in an uncharacteristically quiet mood as he croons over an electric piano. Despite not really showing the range of a great band’s talents, these three minutes capture a truly 70s vibe somewhat effortlessly. “Effortlessly” isn’t a word you could ever throw at Gentle Giant. Even their finest work (found on 1972’s ‘Octopus’) feels overworked and often sounds like a band just trying far too hard to impress. The same goes for the title cut from ‘Free Hand’ that manages to share the sound of a tuneless shouter over something that sounds like Stevie Wonder clanking on his clavichord with the help of an extra arm. Even when the Giant quieten down just a little, a wailing vocal darts in and out of a jazz groove with an unsettling manner, and the rhythm section appear to play something entirely different. Gentle Giant really aren’t for everyone, and it’s unlikely that this track will sway the long-term unconvinced.

There’s a double helping here from compilation regulars Barclay James Harvest. Despite 1975’s ‘Time Honoured Ghosts’ not reaching the musical heights of 1971’s ‘Time Again’, its a record that still offers much to enjoy, and the picks here really reflect that. ‘In My Life’ flaunts a whole world of perfectly pitched twin lead guitars against a funky keyboard line – arguably capturing a peak 70s sound – and applies that to a hooky melody where a world of multi-layered harmonies draw from a baroque pop past. The lead vocal isn’t particularly good, unfortunately, but since everything else brims with strong melodious elements and the band have clearly focused on the idea that a song should trump wanton musical indulgence, it still works well enough. ‘Hymn For The Children’ is even more accessible, working a vocal around a few bright sounding guitar arpeggios, opting for more of a chirpy pop-rock style than out and out prog. Fans – and potential fans – will still discover some great vocal harmonies – the blend of voices are worked brilliantly throughout – and the track’s warm sound exudes a huge 70s charm.

Taking the melodic heart of BJH and fusing it with something that sometimes feels closer to something by Gerry Rafferty, Global Village Trucking Company present some great 70s pop-rock on ‘Watch Out There’s A Mind About’, a tune that only becomes prog, rather nominally, due to a busy jazz guitar occasionally clouding the radio friendly vocal. It will surely feel like easy listening to those who’d like to lose themselves in a world of weird from Van Der Graaf Generator (they’re here too with ‘Arrow’, a ten minute freakout that takes the guts of jazz rock and wraps them around something closer to a theatre based horror rock ugliness) or Gentle Giant, but it’s great for what it is. Another tune in more of a straight ahead rock vein, ‘Dancer’ by Babe Ruth revisits a Uriah Heep-esque sound on a number that centres around a high pitched vocal contrasted by huge, overdriven guitar chords. The bombastic sound really suits the slow, rhythmic tempo, and in terms of being a semi-theatrical proto-metal tune, it ticks a lot of the right boxes. Unfortunately, it isn’t quite interesting enough to stand alongside the Rush output from ’75, or even as solid as the best of Lone Star. With that in mind, this is unlikely to send people rushing to hear more, but as part of this compilation, it’s enjoyable enough.

Welsh rockers Man have a few very vocal fans in internet land, but in terms of the bigger map of 70s rock, they’ve been overlooked in recent years, and especially so compared to some of their peers. The eleven minute ‘7171 551’ (the opening cut from their ‘Maximum Darkness’ LP) is absolutely superb. The band fills the extended arrangement with a stomping groove that feels like an overspill from glam rock combined with the excesses of Foghat’s huge boogie rock, and as such, this gives them ample scope for sharing some heavily wah-wahed leads and bluesy fills – eventually peaking with the kind of blues rock solo that typifies the era. It isn’t just about excess, though: there’s a very muscular bassline at work and a decent song here, too, with Man’s use of harmonies adding a great focus to the jammed out arrangement. For those who’ve never explored the band’s catalogue – and there are likely to be a lot of you – this is a perfect place to dive in. Adrian Gurvitz will often be best remembered for his 1982 hit ‘Classic’ (home to the clumsy couplet “Gonna write a classic / Gonna write it in an attic”), but seven years before that, he was a member of the short lived Baker Gurvitz Army with the legendary Ginger Baker. Taken from BGA’s second studio record ‘Elysium Encounter’, ‘People’ adds Cuban inspired rhythms to a funk rock workout and also manages to fuse a hard rock guitar riff to smooth yacht rock inspired vocals. It’s the sound of several different ideas battling each other and shouldn’t work, and yet, somehow, it presents itself like a rockier cousin to Osibisa’s world music/jazz fusion from a similar time. The rhythm is superb, as is the frantically busy mood that’s worked throughout, but there’s something here for the less adventurous rock fan too, since it hosts a wonderfully fiery lead guitar break. Those hoping to hear Baker supplying the kind of wallop present on the Cream and Blind Faith records might be disappointed; this is certainly more of extension to his work with Airforce and Fela Kuti, but within a surprisingly succinct four minutes, there’s a lot to enjoy.

Renaissance’s more distinctive recordings were never shy of sharing a musical indulgence, and ‘Trip To The Fair’, especially, finds the folk/jazz/prog band in the throes of excess. Taken from their ‘Scheherazade and Other Stories’ LP, this ten minute epic opens with classical piano – conveying hints of film score – before branching off into a musical world where stabbed piano motifs jostle with a dark and ominous melody. It’s hardly the opening to an easily digestible, fun track, and the arrival of Annie Haslam’s banshee wail and manic laughter accentuates a very dark feel. Militaristic drums rise from within, leading everyone through a melody that sounds like a cross between the work of an old Russian composer and a hard edged tango, and with the arrival of sweet sounding bells and a folk vocal, the haunting qualities increase considerably. The tale which unfolds tells of a fair that’s essentially a ghost town, and Haslam’s pure vocal juxtaposed with a heartbeat rhythm and tinkling keys creates an atmosphere that feels genuinely unsettling. For those who’ve yet to hear this, it’s terrific: sort of like experiencing one of Jon Anderson’s flights of fancy colliding with a theatre production that nobody is enjoying. It takes six minutes for anything vaguely rocky to emerge from the indulgence, and even then, it shows more of Renaissance’s talents within the jazz rock sphere rather than out and out prog. It’s safe to say this won’t be everyone’s bag, but those who like it will adore it – and likely have done so forever. A second offering from the band (‘Ocean Gypsy’) is shorter, but not any less excessive, but as you might expect, it shares some superb musicianship throughout. The heart of the number makes a great feature of Annie’s voice soaring over light synths and a high toned bass sound, before drifting gently through a world of 70s stage/prog sounds that occasionally sound like Steve Hackett’s collaborations with Sally Oldfield, sans smart guitar work. There are better Renaissance tunes to be found, but in terms of sharing a pure example of the band at their most melodic, this is a very effective cut.

It’s always a pleasure to find Procol Harum featured on a collection such as this, and ‘Pandora’s Box’ – taken from ‘Procol’s Ninth’ – is a great track. The number had begun to take shape as early as 1967, but was abandoned when the pieces didn’t quite fit. Trading in its psych roots for a more pop/rock style, the finished version included here pitches various clanking xylophone sounds against a slightly haunting arrangement where stabs of synthesizer fight for dominance against a very rhythmic backdrop. Gary Brooker’s lead vocal isn’t as powerful as some of his earliest performances, but he retains a husky soulfulness that really has a distinctive edge, whilst guitarist Mick Grabham – a fixture of the band since 1973 – turns in a fantastic solo. Despite a quirky arrangement, the track became popular on US radio and, for most fans, remains ‘Ninth’s best loved offering. The album itself isn’t exactly Procol’s finest, but there’s a lot to enjoy on there. ‘Pandora’s Box’, especially, stands as a welcome reminder that there had always been far more to the band than their omnipresent ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’. Another welcome surprise is Alan Hull’s ‘Squire’, a solo outing from the Lindisfarne man that finds his recognisable voice weaving in and out of a wobbly 70s groove peppered with weird keys and occasional psych-ish flourishes, including some lovely backwards guitar. To make this sound extra proggy, Alan’s voice has been given an odd place in the end mix; he sounds as if he’s miles away at a couple of points, rather than in the expected place at the centre of everything. It’s interesting, too, to hear a riff or two that sounds like a faint echo of Supertramp’s ‘School’, a track that would have still been very much a part of the prog fans’ essential listening at that time.

A couple of picks from Steve Hackett’s solo debut are on hand to remind people that the best bits of ‘Voyage of The Acolyte’ are up there with his best Genesis work. Although casual observers have been robbed of the truly phenomenal ‘Ace of Wands’, sharing a marriage between Phil Collins absolutely nailing a jazzy drum part worthy of his own Brand X and Hackett delivering a fuzzy, proggy lead guitar with one of the most distinctive riffs, and the moody ‘Tower Struck Down’, both ‘Star of Sirius’ and ‘The Shadow of The Hierophant’ are top notch prog fare. The former takes in some fine, cleaned toned guitar work, mellotron drones and wibbling keys to form something massively in keeping with the hippie sounds of the era, whilst Phil Collins has been subjected to a world of vocal filters to make him sound like a cross between a benign wizard and weird little goblin. Moving into the rockier part of the track, you’ll hear a few hints of something that’s not far removed from ‘IT’ from ‘The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway’. Playing more like a tribute to Renaissance, the eleven minute ‘Hierophant’ (featuring Sally Oldfield) will be more of an acquired taste for some, but those who love a good mellotron and a floaty melody will have a ball as Hackett disappears into a world of hazy indulgence.

Also from the “hugely familiar” pile comes a duo of tunes from Camel’s ‘Snow Goose’ (‘Rhyader’/‘Rhyader Goes To Town’) which share haunting guitar work contrasted with jaunty prog rock grooves and likely won’t require any kind of introduction to anyone interested in this set, Steve Hillage’s ‘Salmon Song’ – a rocky little ditty that features Steve recycling the main riff from Gong’s ‘Master Builder’ with members of Gong in tow – and a duo of tunes from Caravan’s ‘Cunning Stunts’. ‘The Show of Our Lives’ is ostensibly the poster child for this box set with its soaring vocal melodies, grand sounding piano work and blend of guitar and bass that takes the melodic heart of Genesis and Camel and stretches it into something more indulgent, whilst the eighteen minute ‘Dabsong Conshirtoe’ wraps Caravan’s entire repertoire of weird into an epic track where scary falsetto vocals aren’t afraid to try and muscle in on funky rhythms, and jazzy electric piano glides between wondrous noodling guitar. Caravan are one of those prog-centric bands that don’t appeal to everyone, but these picks are brilliant, since they take the Canterbury proggers into a world of fusion that’s excessive, yet still more melodic than most.

The Yes number ‘Soon’ is ostensibly the vocal coda from the epic ‘Gates of Delirium’ cut down for a single release. In some ways, its easy to see why Atlantic Records would push this for a single several months after the album release; the minimalist arrangement gives Jon Anderson’s high tenor the starring role, and his angelic tones weave the most wonderous melody [sic], and the result might’ve caught the ear of someone who mightn’t want to listen to Yes at their most excessive. However, when shorn from its original home, this part of the track doesn’t feel quite as effective. The listener is robbed of the genuinely haunting moment when ‘Soon’ bursts from the density and chaos of ‘Delirium’ itself; it no longer sounds like the aural equivalent of a post-storm rainbow. Despite being a carefully orchestrated, semi commercial track, it wasn’t a hit. Regarding its inclusion here, technically, it’s a 1974 track that got a second lease of life in ’75, but it’s Yes, and it fits the mood of this set, so it more than deserves a place here anyway.

Obviously, even the best compilation won’t please everyone, and ‘Ring The Bells & Sing’ has a few obvious omissions. Naturally, you won’t find anything from Jethro Tull’s ‘Minstrel In The Gallery’ as Esoteric don’t have the licence for that, but perhaps more interestingly, there’s nothing from Steve Howe’s ‘Beginnings’ (which, at the time of this release, hasn’t ever had a UK CD release.) The absence of the Howe material is actually rather glaring, since there’s a great track from Chris Squire’s ‘Fish Out of Water’ propping up the tracklisting here, and Esoteric also own the rights to a few of Jon Anderson’s classic solo works… That said, these omissions really won’t spoil your overall enjoyment – and any prog fan with any sense will own copies of the relevant AWOL albums, of course.

Although 1973 could be seen as prog’s defining year with two albums from Genesis (one live, one studio), the multi million sellers ‘Dark Side of The Moon’ and ‘Tubular Bells’, and a triple live offering from the early Yes at the peak of their powers leading the charge, this set shows how 1975 could certainly be considered another of the genre’s most opulent. ‘Ring The Bells & Sing’ doesn’t contain any unreleased gems, but – as with some of this series’ earlier releases – it plays brilliantly. With a pleasing mix of relative crowd pleasers and deeper cuts, and even one or two genuine obscurities to be found, in terms of mid 70s indulgence, this is a small package full of big treats.

Buy the CD here.

July/August 2024