Titus Groan

"Amazing and underrated prog work from the early UK era. Sounding like a heavier version of Fruup the album Titus Groan featured on the Dawn label. It has been re-issued on See For Miles with some extra tracks. Drums and Bass impress on the track "Liverpool" which has a very dynamic almost Squire-like bass riff at the end. The mock-medieval "In the Hall of Bright Carvings" is a 14 minute epic and one of the undiscovered gems that can be found on many of these rare UK prog LP's.

Great vocal harmonies give way to some splendid organ work and the track is very reminiscent of early Gryphon at times. Other Mervyn Peake inspired tracks litter the album (as they do on Fruup LP's) but overall Titus Groan are hard to define. For instance parts of the LP, like the opening track, "If It Wasn't For You" have a kind of Brass Rock Chicago sound while elsewhere you'll find Bob Dylan covers ("Open The Door, Homer"). A very varied and worthwhile example of the early UK prog style, a band that undeservedly sank in the huge swell of popularity created by the giants of the scene like Yes and Genesis."