Originally
released under the group name ‘Igginbottom, this rarity was
reissued under the name Allan Holdsworth and Friends after Holdsworth
rose to prominence as a fusion guitarist in the ensuing decades.
While
it may not be of interest to most, the album is noteworthy for two
main reasons – it is the recording debut of Holdsworth, and it is
the only release to feature Holdsworth singing, certainly at least
for the entire length of the LP.
Beyond
that, the music sounds like what you would expect from an English
jazz/pop/rock quartet from the period – groovy rhythms, lofty
lyrics, hypnotic vocals, and transcendental musicianship.
However,
while Holdsworth’s songwriting is nowhere near as complex as the
songs he wrote and recorded in the 1980s and sung by others, the
intensity of his playing is there from the beginning, even in his
early 20s.
Holdsworth’s
demonically speedy jazz chops definitely set him and his superbly
talented Friends (guitarist and vocalist Steven Robinson, bassist
Mick Skelly, and drummer Dave Freeman) apart from others of their ilk
and time.
A
highlight of the album is “Golden Lakes,” which is basically a
template for the title track of Holdsworth’s unofficial solo debut
seven years later, Velvet Darkness – but with vocals!
This
is definitely a must-have for die-hard Allan Holdsworth purists, as
well as those with a fondness for avant-garde music of the era.
--Raj
Manoharan
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