Tuesday 5 January 2016

Autumn (Strawbs, 1974)

Autumn is likely to be the most progressive rock season of the year, judging by the way our musical heroes keep on writing songs about it and even naming themeselves after it. But I can't remember such a riveting depiction of autumn as this one, taken from the album "Heroe And Heroine", released by Strawbs in 1974. It's a short suite (some 8 minutes), including three movements (Heroine's Theme, Deep Summer's Sleep and The Winter Long).

"Hero And Heroine" was the sixth studio album by Strawbs.

The first part is simply a beautiful instrumental, with lushing and pastoral keyboards, then here you are an acoustic guitar-driven ballad, with also an addicting electric guitar and a very well found sung theme. It's the core of "Autumn" and the most influenced by folk music. A gentle piano opens the last movement, another perfectly autumnal song, with effective vocal harmonies and based on a rythmic crescendo. Really, I think I could listen to this a thousand times and never be bored by such a nostalgic and warm atmosphere.

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