Detailed Review [Gnidrolog - 1972 - "Lady Lake"]

Line-up: Stewart Goldring - Lead Guitar; Colin Goldring - Rhythm guitar, vocals, recorder, tenor horn; Nigel Pegrum - Percussion, flute, oboe; John Earle - Soprano, tenor, baritone saxes, flute, lead vocal on "Social Embarrassment"; Peter Cowling - bass guitar, cellos; Charlotte Fendrich - Piano on "Same Dreams".

Recorded at Morgan Studios, London, England. Produced by Dick Parkinson ang Gnidrolog. Produced and remastered for CD by David J Burrows for Disques Rue Bis and Gnidrolog Records.

This is the second and last Gnidrolog album (not counting the 'Live' album of the same year) before they split for a long 17 years (read the "Gnosis" - Gnidrolog'2000 - detailed review). So, the only Gnidrolog album I haven't listened to is their debut. I remember just a few bands in the history of Progressive Rock that suddenly ceased to exist after they released a masterpiece or at least the best album in their discography. Apart from Gnidrolog, these first of all are UK (after "Danger Money"), Argent (after "Counterpoint"), Light (after "Light"), and a few more, maybe. There will be some new "Top" sections on Progressor, including "The Most Underrated / Overrated Bands In the History of Prog". I see, you are keen-witted readers, and you are quite right - you'll see these three forementioned bands exactly among the underrated ones...

First off, "Lady Lake" is the work of unique originality. In spite of the presence of already universally recognized (a lot of) Titans and (lots of) other quite strong and original bands cultivating the same fields of Progressive Rock, "Lady Lake" is full of Inspiration and free of influences.

Recently reissued on CD, this is an album of excellent sound quality, which is quite rare for those years. As a real Classic For the Future, "Lady Lake" today is even more than simply listenable work (of genius). While all its vocal themes are excellent, all the instrumental parts within each separate song are simply outstanding with their powerful (real!) jams, full of incredible, diverse interplays between all the instrument(alist)s but especially between saxophones / flutes and lead guitar.

As well as in the case of "Gnosis", (and in spite of the fact that they are) twin-brothers Stewart (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Colin Goldring (rhythm guitar, lead vocals) composed all these songs separately from each other, too, as they were / still are going quite diffferent ways in composing. And if instrumental arrangements (that are made by all the band members, though) in all their songs have some obvious similar structures, Colin prefers more melodic vocal themes, whereas Stewart uses his brother's lyrics for more adventurous singing. The final song is a purely instrumental piece played virtuostically by Stewart on acoustic guitar only. This is one a few real gems of that 'style' together with Mood For the Day (by Steve Howe, from "Fragile", Yes-1972-I), Horizons (by Steve Hackett, from "Foxtrot", Genesis-1972), ...

Of course, the fact that "Lady Lake" was performed with just a few piano touches (ie actually without keyboards), is maybe, even maximizing its distinctly original sound, but to be honest, I'd love if Nessa Glen (female keyboardist for the newest Gnidrolog album) could provide all across the "Lady Lake" (except for the last track, of course!) with her very effective keyboard passages for the next reissue (and I believe in it) of this - if not criminally (I consider it is simply impossibly to use such a word and all the likes at least with regard to Progressive / Classical Music - these being the best manifestations of the most constructive Energy in the world!), then inadmissibly - underrated masterpiece.

VM. September 11, 2000