Looking Towards the Sky – Progressive, Psychedelic & Folk Rock from the Ember Vaults (compilation week)
Following on from last year’s wholly unsuccessful Procol Harum week, HFoS has decided to launch another week-long, themed extravaganza – Compilation week. Kicking things off is the just released Looking Towards the Sky:
Reissue imprint Fantastic Voyage have made it their mission to excavate the legacy of long extinct UK label, Ember Records. Following much deep mining they’ve struck upon a rich vein of psychedelic/progressive sounds and Looking Towards the Sky pulls together the first part of this sonic yield.
We’re in obscurity heaven here, with the rarities coming thick and fast. I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve only heard one of the bands included on this compilation, Blonde on Blonde, but it’s safe to say there are one or two more I’d like to hear more of.
Looking Towards the Sky offers an eclectic mix of styles, from the US garage-psych of Blue Beard (‘Losing You’) to the white soul-infused, Steve Winwood-backed prog-lite of Paddy Maguire (‘Doin’ The Best I Can’), via way of the fey but melodic folk goodness of Knocker Jungle (‘I Don’t Know Why’ and ‘Reality’) and the abrasive, Deviants-esque psychedelic no-nonsense of Rusty Harness (‘Goodbye’).
9.30 Fly offer some traditional prog rock sounds, although these are pretty lightweight in comparison to the better known artists, while The Dorians push a fuzzy brand of psych in the form of ‘Help For My Waiting’, followed up by an altogether more peculiar blend in the Beach Boys-ish, harmonies-led ‘Good Love’.
Blonde on Blonde, the Welsh underground contingent and Middle Earth veterans, offer three strong tracks in ‘Heart Without a Home’, ‘Sad Song for an Easy Lady’ and ‘Circles’ (not another cover of The Who track), whereas the psych-pop of Davey Payne & The Medium Wave, whose track gives this compilation its name, proves disappointing.
Looking Towards the Sky is ultimately a mixed bag. There’s some good stuff, and some not so good. I’d like to hear more of Knocker Jungle, Paddy Maguire and Blue Beard at the expense of some of the other, lesser, entries. Nevertheless, that’s for another day.
Overall, it’s a nice little addition to the psych/prog compilation pile, and its obscurity count alone should give it extra curiosity value. I for one look forward to the promised second volume.
Looking Towards the Sky is released on Fantastic Voyage records and available from Amazon.co.uk
Also in compilation week:
Cave of Clear Light – The Pye and Dawn Records Underground Trip 1967-1975
Spirit of Joy – Tales From the Polydor Underground 1967-1974
Real Life Permanent Dreams – A cornucopia of British psychedelia 1965-1970
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