BELL + ARC: s.t gatefold LP 1971 Heavy Prog

Nowadays the album has gained belated recognition and is highly sought after in LP format.

Bell's white soul style vocals are somewhere between Joe Cocker and Paul Rodgers, the opening High priest of Memphis giving him an early chance to stamp his authority on the band's sound. The slightly echoed voice, female backing vocals and rhythmic piano all contribute to the gospel tinged sound.

During the recording of the album, drummer Rob Tait, who had already replaced the band's founding drummer, was himself replaced by Alan White (later of Yes). White's first appearance here is on the second track Let your love run free, a blues/funk number with a rock and roll rhythm. The track features a Chicago like brass section who drive the repetitive beat forward. Keep a wise mind ventures towards country rock. Side one of the album closes with covers of songs by Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. For both tracks, Ken Craddock moves to organ for the first time on the album, immediately changing the whole atmosphere. Cohen's So long Marianne becomes a soulful ballad emphasising again Bell's proximity style wise to Joe Cocker. Dylan's She belongs to me (from Self portrait) was covered somewhat more radically by the Nice, the version here being a mid-paced blues.

Yat rock is the longest track on the album at a shade over 6 minutes. The title is somewhat misleading, the first part of the song being a melancholy blues of little consequence. Things transform midway as the band ups the pace and bursts into a piano driven jam.

Bell softens things right down for his solo spot Dawn, where his delicate vocal is accompanied only by acoustic guitar. Children of the north prison continues the downbeat mood, acoustic guitar giving way to another orthodox piano based blues. The album closes with Everyday (no relation to other similarly titled songs, this is a Bell + Arc composition), which reverts to the lighter country tinged pop rock style.

Those who were there will recall that 1971 was a wonderful time for music, and especially for prog.

A1 High Priest of Memphis 3:28
A2 Let Your Love Run Free 6:02
A3 Keep a Wise Mind 3:21
A4 So Long Marianne 3:52
A5 She Belongs to Me 4:24
B1 Yat Rock 6:08
B2 Dawn 3:11
B3 Children of the North Prison 4:05
B4 Everyday 3:49

Line-up / Musicians

- Graham Bell / Vocals, harmonica, acoustic guitar
- Tom Duffy / bass
- Michael Gallagher / piano, organ
- Rob Tait / drums
- John Turnbull / guitars
- Ken Craddock / Guitars, piano, organ
- Alan White / Drums, percussion, vibes

With
- Steve Gregory / Tenor brass
- Buddy Beadle / Baritone brass
- Jeff Condon / Bass brass
- John Woods / Percussion

Releases information
LP 1971 Charisma records CAS1053