Sunday, April 14, 2013

Gothic Horizon

GOTHIC HORIZON C1971 / 72

Andy Desmond and Richard Garret (Gothic Horizon)


A folk based band operating in the early 70's from Warwick (I think). I saw them play the Coventry Arts Umbrella and Earlsdon Cottage. They had an album on sale at the gigs which I think must have been Jason Lodge Poetry Book. The band made two albums according to this site and one single. (You can buy the albums and single from that site too.). Ron Lawrence and Grey Richardson of  the Coventry folk rock band APRIL were involved with the recording.

Albums
Jason Lodge Poetry Book 1971                   Tommorow's Another Day 1972




Single
Wilhemina Before Sunrise 1971


Beautiful debut album by UK band Gothic Horizon. The music exposed on this album is
highly unique, transparent and fragile. Kinda like Left Banke meets Honeybus larded and sauced with UK folk. A real beautiful album. Originally released on Argo in 1970 Gothic Horizon made two albums: 'The Jason Lodge Poetry Book' (Argo ZFB 26) 1970, which also gained an American release: ([USA:] London PS592) 1971; and 'Tomorrow Is Another day' (Argo ZDA 150) 1972.

Their music is not gloomy, brooding, damp, ghoulish, dark, threatening, creepy, bloody, horrifying or any of the other adjectives which spring to mind when one thinks of "Gothic". Instead it is warm, chatty, light, breezy, informal, witty. The albums are sometimes hyped as "psych-pop" (the former especially on account of its convoluted title and colourful pop-art cover) or even "acid-folk", but essentially they are neither of these things; they tends mostly towards folk and acousticism. However there are some tracks here to delight the psychedelically-inclined. The title track of the first album, 'The Jason Lodge Poetry Book', is great. Complex pop of sufficient quality to delight the pop-syke faithful. 'Song For Susan' is so close in sound and style to Fairfield Parlour that it just about escapes charges of plagiarism. 'A J Lone's Dog' is ragtime pop; and unsurprisingly with a title like 'Willow Tree Vale Song' this song is folk. But 'A Third For Jason Lodge' is very weird. Bizarre changes and references to flying, mushrooms and toadstools! (by Dave Thubron)

Tracklist: http://www.last.fm/music/Gothic+Horizon


1. The Jason Lodge Poetry Book
2. Song For Susan
3. Odysseus
4. A.J. Lone's Dog
5. Willow Tree Vale Song
6. Six Summers Back
7. Song
8. Althea Williams
9. Wilhelmina Before Sunrise
10. St. Valentine's Day Massacre
11. A Third For Jason Lodge
12. Pisces
13. A Farewell Ode To Port Sunlight

Bitrate: 192, ripped from vinyl



Dave Commented -
I first met the guys when helping out at the Earlsdon cottage folk club in Coventry where Richard & Andy were regular & popular guests. Bass & drums on the album were provided by Ron Lawrence & Gray Richardson of Coventry folk band APRIL for whom my buddie bullet & i were unofficial & very much unpaid roadies. Gothic were always well received in Coventry and i am delighted to say i still own a signed vinyl copy of the LP. i hope they are both well. Dave











1 comment:

  1. thanks for the info a good track called thoughts cropped up on my phone as i was cycling today[probably part of a compilation]and i wanted to investigate further

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