Mirthrandir - 1976 - For You The Old Women

Mirthrandir

1976

For You The Old Women

01. Number Six
02. Light Of The Candle
03. Conversation With Personality Giver
04. For You The Old Women
05. For Four

Bass, Flute – James Miller
Drums – Robert Arace
Guitar – Alexander Romanelli
Guitar – Richard Excellente
Keyboards – Simon Gannett
Vocals, Trumpet – John Vislocky III

Released in 1976 on For You The Old Women L.P. 2276.
Recorded at Vantone Studios, W. Orange, NJ 1975

MIRTHRANDIR was an obscure progressive band from New Jersey formed in 1973 during the heyday of YES. This band played a complex and elaborated music based on breaks, contrasts and refinement. There are plenty of vintage Moog's and Hammond organs. The flute is also an interesting addition to the sound. The group subtly mixed influences of GENTLE GIANT, KING CRIMSON, UK, YES and EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER.

"For You The Old Women" is an album of progressive rock with flute, keyboards, long tracks and lots of rhythm changes. Led by keyboards and guitar, the compositions are all very much in the traditional "prog" style, with alternating moods, shifting time changes, and competent vocals that remind of Derek Shulman of GENTLE GIANT at times. This is an album that grows on you with each repeated listening. One of the best American progressive rock albums of the 70's.

Another one of these obscure US prog groups (this one from New Jersey) that did one album that bore too much its UK big-5 prog influences and didn't manage to create their own sound. Their 75-releaesd album probably sank without a trace, and no doubt they would be totally unknown today, if the Syn-Phonic label hadn't unearthed it in the early 90's - even Vernon Joynson almost ignores the band in his revised Fuzz Borderline book. The sextet features a double-guitar attack and a lead singer that also blows in a trumpet here and there, but the focus is very much on Ganett's impressive array of keyboards, which may surprise since they didn't get any kind of major-league success. Nevertheless, Mirthrandir's music hovers around or between Genesis, Yes and some slightly more-AOR sonics and the rare trumpet moments do not induce a special or specific originality. Note that it is only the second wind instrument by presenceafter bassist's Miller's flute parts

The album's A-side consist of the opening 8-mins+ title track, where the trumpet's presence intrigues long-enough, but fails to live up to its promise. The other three shorter (everything being relative, since they're all above 4-mins) songs are of lesser interest., but their tiny AOR sonics give them a fairly modern sound (o at least not-so-dated 70's soundscapes), which might appeal to 90's prog fans. The flipside is mostly about the almlost 15-mins epic For Four, which is easily the lbum's highlight, despite a few very clear Genesis-inspired moments.

Note that Syn-Phonic's reissue features a totally different artwork than the original, thus erasing the album's original title's meaning, though the new artwork is pretty cool, nonetheless. Soooo, yet another worthy and worthwhile unearthing of a gem from that mythic (but long-gone) label, but like most of these mid to later-70's US prog are rather over-rated (IMHO) or at least, not as essential for the originality-demanding proghead. But I gather most will find a suitable place in their shelves for this nonetheless enjoyable album. Just don't look for something that you've never heard before, despite that slight AOR touch.

A classic - one of the masterpieces of 1970s North American progressive music. Complex arrangements, brilliant playing, passion, beauty - it is all here. Lots of Gentle Giant and PFM influences here, as well as good old Yes. Along with Cathedral's 'Stained Glass Stories", Yezdaurfa's "Boris" and Sacred Baboon", Babylon, Fireballet and (of course) Happy the Man - Mirthrandir deserves a special place in the ranks of progressive music, as one of the great (but sadly short-lived) bands that demonstrated that complex, intelligent music was also being produced by musicians in the U.S. The only pity is that this is extremely difficult to find these days. But, search for it - it IS worth the effort.