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Accolade

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Accolade

                 



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$45.00 USD USD  +  shipping

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Format: LP     Want this on CD also?

Condition: VG+ COVER / VG+ LP (cover/media)    More Info
Label: Capitol ST-597
Country: Us
Released: 1970
Genre: progressive
Num In Set: 1
Quantity: 1 in stock

Accolade is one of those short-lived late-1960s/early-1970s English bands that attempted to expand musical boundaries mixing traditional English folk with an array of rock influences.   A&R man/manager Don Paul is responsible for the band's formation.   In 1967 Paul spotted singer/guitarist Don Partridge playing in a London street (what the English call "busking").   Paul helped Partridge get signed by Columbia where he promptly enjoyed commercial success with a series of singles including 1968's 'Blue Eyes' and 'Rosie'.   Taking advantage of his commercial breakthrough, Partridge rented the Royal Albert Hall in order to stage an early 1969 "Buskers Concert".   The concert's success led to a UK Buskers Tour and the release of a Buskers album ("The Buskers" Columbia catalog number SX 6356).   While he wasn't featured on the album, one of the tour participants was singer/guitarist Gordon Giltrap. Discovering common musical interests, Partridge and Giltrap agree to a collaboration which saw the emergence of Accolade.   
By the time the Accolade signed with Columbia, the line-up featured Partridge and Giltrap on vocals and guitar, Brian Cresswell on flute and sax, drummer Ian Hoyle and former Artwoods member Malcolm Pool on contrabass fiddle.   In one respect the band was quite different from many of their folk contemporaries - namely they were brimming with talent.   Signed by Columbia in the UK, it's a mystery to me how they even got their 1970 debut released in the States by Capitol .   In the early-'70s Capitol was hardly a label renown for its willingness to take a chance on cutting edge sounds.   "Hey guys, let's take a chance on signing a bunch of unknown, long-haired English folkies to a contract in the States ..."   Bet that went over well.   Produced by Don Paul, 1970's   "Accolade" is hard to accurately describe.   Giltrap and Partridge split the majority of songwriting duties, with Cresswell contributing the instrumental 'Prelude To a Dawn'.   The track listing was rounded out with a cover of Eden Ahbez's famous 'Nature Boy'.   The album exhibited a smooth and calming sound throughout. Call it pastoral.   Entirely acoustic (though you don't really realize it), material such as the opener 'Maiden Flight Eliza' (featuring some unexpected Monkees-styled harmonies - I'm   not kidding), Creswell's pretty instrumental 'Prelude To a Dawn' and Giltrap's hysterical, autobiographical memory 'Never Ending Solitude' weren't exactly mainstream rock, nor did they fall under the banner of Fairport Convention-styled English folk.   Imagine well crafted cocktail jazz with the addition of a touch of English folk (the twelve minute opus 'Ulysses') and you'll start to get a feel for the LP.   While that doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement, the result was actually a fascinating album that I repeatedly come back to.   My favorite tracks?   The album's only cover - their extended jazzy take on Ahbez's famous 'Nature Boy' and Giltrap's surprisingly hard rocking 'Gospel Song'.   It's not a common LP, but you can still readily find US copies with the added bonus being it isn't outrageously priced.
There's also a rare non-LP single (which I've never seen, let alone heard), but I have to admit I don't know if it was released before, or after the debut album:
- 1970's 'Natural Day' b/w 'Prelude To a Dawn' (Columbia catalog DB 8688)
"Accolade" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Maiden Flight Eliza (Don Partridge) - 2:42   rating: *** stars
'Maiden Flight Eliza' started out the album with a weird mash-up of folk, blues and jazzy moves.   Not sure how they pulled it off, but the results were surprisingly impressive.   Partdridge' acoustic guitar work was wild.   How does anyone play notes that fast - would love to hear it played on an electric guitar.   Featured both Giltrap and Partridge the harmony vocals were sweet and very commercial. They would not have sounded out of place on a Monkees album .   I

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Tracklist
 
A1Maiden Flight Eliza2:42
A2Starting All Over4:45
A3Prelude To A Dawn3:10
A4Never Ending Solitude2:36
A5Nature Boy9:35
B1Gospel Song3:31
B2Calico3:03
B3Ulyssees12:32
B4Go On Home2:37


Note
Tracklisting is supplied by a third party and matched by catalogue number. Tracks on the release may differ from what is being sold.
     
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