Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Gryphon
Label: Talking Elephant Records
Release: 2018
Rating: 4.5/5
»ReInvention« is the first album in forty-one years from the one-of-a-kind English prog rock legends Gryphon. That’s how long it’s been since their last, and fifth, studio album »Treason« (1977), which was followed by a breakup, though never by oblivion among the loyal fans who never dared hope for the return of the masters of medieval-flavored prog folk rock. The first, unsuccessful, reunion happened in 2009, while the one in 2016 went far better and is still going strong today.
With a lineup that, besides three original members, Brian Gulland on brass, Graeme Taylor on guitar and Dave Oberlé on drums and lead vocals, includes three ‘newcomers’ in the form of keyboardist/violinist Graham Preskett, bassist Rory McFarlane and Andy Findon on woodwinds, Gryphon recorded »ReInvention«, a thoroughly classic Gryphon album from start to finish, packed with medieval and baroque arrangements, all of them played, just like in the past, on a number of authentic troubadour instruments, so the end result is an atmospheric and wildly intense blend of medieval folk rock and symphonic prog rock, the very thing that made them stand out in their best years.
To the delight of the faithful fans who never gave up hope of a reunion, Gryphon pick up their splendid sonic tradition exactly where they left off in the second half of the seventies. Even the production recalls their old albums, while the cover looks like it was made in 1974. Still, »ReInvention« serves up a few sonic ideas we haven’t heard from Gryphon before. Oberle, first and foremost a great drummer, is still a superb and charismatic singer after all these years, while Taylor’s guitar technique seems to have become even more sophisticated in his ‘golden years’.
All three newcomers shine on »ReInvention«, so many won’t even miss the absence of original member, multi-instrumentalist Richard Harvey, who built a brilliant career as a film and TV composer after Gryphon’s (first) breakup. Some of the tracks are purely instrumental, while the ones with vocals feature (dark-)humored lyrics with plenty of satirically warped ‘pictures’ of medieval England, as is typical of this band, who never took themselves too seriously.
Fans can see for themselves that the ‘real’ Gryphon are back from the dead right on the opening track »Pipe Up Downsland DerryDellDanko«, which sounds like it was made more than four decades ago. Colorful symphonic arrangements on strings and woodwinds with an unmistakable medieval ambience herald a stormy, varied start to a deeply eclectic album that slaloms brilliantly between instrumental and vocal pieces. It’s hard to single out highlights, since the tracks are all more or less equal in quality. The next track, »Rhubarb Crumhorn«, is another very traditionalist Gryphon number that, mostly thanks to some of the symphonic arrangements, is slightly reminiscent of an instrumental Camel from the era of »The Snow Goose« (1975).
Fans of more epic-leaning prog folk with a symphonic emphasis and a somewhat darker mood will probably love »Haddocks’ Eyes« the most, where Gryphon, in the lyrics and through Oberle’s rather comical, chameleon-like vocal performance, poke fun at the old, sarcastic Captain Haddock from the famous Belgian comic Tintin. The instrumental »Batsheba«, soaked in a mysterious, more serious atmosphere and impressive above all for its subtle, baroque flourishes on strings, shows Gryphon in a somewhat different light than usual. »Sailor V« also deserves a special mention: it’s heavily steeped in folk elements of traditional Irish music, and Taylor’s guitar solo in the closing section suddenly pulls hard toward some of Mike Oldfield’s past guitar feats, clear proof that over the years he has only refined his enviable guitar technique.
At a time when fresh, quality releases in the prog folk rock realm are almost chronically missing, the new Gryphon album arrived right on cue, even though it took a whole forty-one years to get here. The long wait, too long for many, was worth it after all, and the end result even exceeded the fans’ expectations, since »ReInvention« sounds like it was recorded in the seventies and not in 2018. Gryphon made the very wise decision to continue their splendid sonic tradition on »ReInventon« instead of needlessly trying to ‘modernize’ at the expense of their own sonic identity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOfxR20phmM
Lineup
Graeme Taylor – electric and acoustic guitar, production
Graham Preskett – violin, mandolin, keyboards, harmonica
Brian Gulland – woodwinds, piano
Andrew Findon – woodwinds
Rory McFarlane – bass guitar
Dave Oberlé – drums, percussion, vocals
Production
Gryphon
Track list
1. Pipe Up Downsland Derry Dell Danko (4:49)
2. Rhubarb Crumhorn (5:56)
3. A Futuristic Auntyquarian (5:58)
4. Haddocks’ Eyes (10:58)
5. Hampton Caught (5:12)
6. Hospitality At A Price… Anyone For? (3:11)
7. Dumbe Dum Chit (3:08)
8. Bathsheba (5:37)
9. Sailor V (8:37)
10. Ashes (3:32)
11. The Euphrates Connection (4:43)
