Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Stackridge
Label: Decca Records
Released: 1971
Length: 50:34
Rating: 4.5/5
Stackridge are one-of-a-kind British progressive folk rockers who spent most of their career carrying on with a cheeky sense of humor, complete with that unmistakable English bite. With clever lyrics packed with sarcastic jabs, they poked at the most painful sore spots of British society, while nursing a serious sonic fixation on the Beatles, which is why they were so often labeled the country-bumpkin Beatles, even though their style is really very hard to pin down. Besides the Beatles, you can find an incredibly wide range of influences in their music, from Frank Zappa and folk to a few classical composers, led by Igor Stravinsky. At their core, though, Stackridge were above all spirited folk minstrels with a big soft spot for Celtic pastoral music, and superb instrumentalists with a rare knack for weaving gorgeous acoustic melodies together with grand symphonic arrangements, with flute and violin always front and center. All of that undoubtedly put them among the most interesting, yet often overlooked, progressive rock bands of the seventies. Their influence on some prestigious British prog and pop rock acts, led by Queen, Supertramp and 10cc, can’t be ignored.
With their splendid self-titled debut, Stackridge already proved they were a band cut from a different cloth, one that was easy to fall for as long as you were already into the Beatles, Celtic pastoral and black humor. Every composition on the album is a chapter of its own and shows off a different stylistic face. It has to be said that, much like Gong, Stackridge built a completely original lyrical mythology on their early records, with a whole bunch of odd imaginary characters that mirrored different faces of English society. The mix of folk rock, pop and symphonic prog rock with comic lyrics occasionally brings to mind what some Canterbury bands, led by Caravan, were doing, but the Beatle-esque vocal harmonies and the distinctive flute and violin playing give individual songs a stamp that’s entirely their own.
The songs could be sorted into three categories: spirited folk rock romps, pastoral ballads, symphonic epics and clever pop rock, though there are no strict dividing lines between them. Fans of late-sixties Beatles-style pop rock will fall for the opening “Grande Piano” right away, where the vocal lines between guitarist Andy Cresswell-Davis and bassist James Warren recall the golden years of the Lennon-McCartney partnership. The backing is a simple but very effective, bouncy melody with burlesque piano touches. On the acoustic folk ballad “Percy the Penguin”, they reach a distinctly melancholic, nostalgic mood with sacred-sounding harmonies and a wistful guitar melody, and prove for the first time why they counted among the champions of Celtic pastoral. In the background you can hear the sound of ocean waves and the cries of seagulls, which fits the album cover perfectly. Plenty of prog rock fans will also pick up some kinship with early Genesis (the “Trespass” and “Nursery Cryme” era) here.
The first high point of the album is the phenomenal “Three Leged Table”, where their gift for creating all kinds of moods and blending folk and prog rock elements seamlessly shines at full power. A gentle, melancholy-tinged pastoral intro with gorgeous violin and acoustic guitar arrangements gives way to an epic section with plenty of Celtic harmonies. Next comes a surprise: a spirited pop rock passage where they have some fun with bluesy guitar runs. The peak of the piece arrives with the switch to a rhythmically playful motif, where the fighting woodwind lines, wild drum fills and Cresswell’s excellent singing are simply thrilling. “Dora the Female Explorer”, seasoned with sexual innuendo, is a thoroughly burlesque experiment, where Stackridge fold a pinch of country into their unique brand of folk rock via some cheeky harmonica playing. The excellent vocal harmonies and Evans’s mischievous violin stand out here. Another moment of gourmet pleasure is the symphonically leaning prog rock instrumental “Essence of Porphyry”, where juicy baroque-pastoral arrangements on violin and flute create a distinctly archaic atmosphere, and it’s easy to picture Celtic meadows from the days before the ancient Romans showed up. The dreamy “Marigold Conjunction”, with its romantic melody, bluesy guitar phrases, epic harmonies and orchestral violin arrangements, is yet another heartfelt tribute to the Beatles that anyone who loves the immortal Liverpool quartet will lick their lips over.
On the next acoustic folk ballad, “West Mall”, drenched in rain and thunder effects, you can once again admire their sense for building ethereal tunes and dreamy melodies, and their use of British black humor. “Marzo Plod” is another characteristic burlesque, with playful violin arrangements and mocking vocals, in which a somewhat clumsy lad named Marzo plays the central role. The centerpiece of the album is the closing folk rock epic “Slark”, over 14 minutes long, which was later released as a single in a shortened version. It’s a fantastic combination of folk and symphonic progressive rock that will have you effortlessly finding yourself, in spirit, in some English pub from the 16th or 17th century. The middle section also features Slater’s unusually rowdy flute solo, the kind Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) would applaud. The central pastoral motif on flute and violin, which they later embellish with “boozy” vocal harmonies, is one of their best-known and best-loved creations.
Stackridge’s debut is a real treat for anyone who loves progressive folk rock and a very particular kind of British humor. It’s an album bursting with great ideas, so every new listen turns up something you missed before. The production is also very good for its time, which isn’t much of a surprise when you know that Martin Birch worked on it as a sound engineer (he became best known as the engineer and producer of Deep Purple and Iron Maiden). “Stackridge” is a great starting point for anyone who wants to dig into their body of work, even though for most of their career the band managed to hold on to their soul as cheeky folk minstrels, technical masters and clever clowns with a fine understanding of the English soul. That’s probably the main reason they stayed condemned to obscurity, but holding on to a distinctive artistic essence sometimes demands big sacrifices.
Line-up
Andy Cresswell-Davis – lead vocals, backing vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, harmonica
James Warren – lead vocals, backing vocals, bass guitar, acoustic bass, acoustic guitar
Michael Evans – violin, backing vocals
Michael “Mutter” Slater – flute, backing vocals
Billy Bent aka Billy Sparkle – drums and triangle
Production
Fritz Freyer
Tracklist
1. Grande Piano
2. Percy the Penguin
3. Three Legged Table
4. Dora the Female Explorer
5. Essence of Porphyry
6. Marigold Conjunction
7. West Mall
8. Marzo Plod
9. Slark
