Rare Bird – Epic Forest

I have a question I hope someone on here can help me with. I have multiple versions of Epic Forest, I have the regular Polydor release, my original copy of this was from the original Canada Record Club(before Columbia Record Club bought it out in the mid 1970’s), I also have the regular Polydor issue, I also have the UK gatefold import with the 7” single and poster, the mini cover behind the 7” single is the grainy sketch of a bridge. I also acquired a few years ago a copy of Epic Forest with an alternate cover, the front cover is the exact same mini picture that is behind the 7” single on the UK gatefold issue, however instead of a grey grainy picture it’s a red cover of the bridge sketch. The album does not list the country of origin, it is a laminated cover, with the same band member pictures on the back and track listing. It is a Polydor release with catalogue # 2442 101. I cannot find any information on the internet for this release….anyone else seen this before?

The "Bridge" cover (behind the single) is the earlier cover, the later pressings has nothing there. My matrix version is the earliest, A//1 1111, B//1 1111 both sides.

This "Bridge" cover (behind the single) is the earlier cover, the later pressings has nothing there. My matrix version is the earliest, A//1 1111, B//1 1111 both sides.

At first listen I didn't like this album at all. After second listen I loved every track and this became my Favorite album from this Great, Great band ! ! A Total Masterpiece ! !

Slight sidestep toward Wishbone Ash territory but like the debut it is consistently excellent and the three bonus tracks indicate this rejuvenated lineup had more great tunes than they knew what to do with. Even in this company though, 'Hey Man' stands out; Jesus H. Christmas, it is simply THE great overlooked early seventies rock song.

See the record label - "Made in West Germany." Should this release be the first issue with this catalogue number, rather than a repress? The other issue with the same catalogue number was "Made in Germany," so must be a later repress than this one.

This is not a 1972 release - the record label clearly reads "Made in Germany." From 1949 to 1990, the country now named Germany was separated into the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), so this (re-)release must post-date the unification. See the other release with this catalogue number, which was "Made in West Germany."

There are two different versions of the cover, in fact the background of the 7" frame inside the gatefold. One is showing a coarse-grained image of a bridge crossing a river, the other is plane cardboard- grey.

People really seem divided over Rare Bird. Do they prefer the duo keyboard/no guitar format version of the band from 1969-70 that produced two albums on Charisma, or do they prefer the soft rock duo guitar/one keyboard format of the 1972-1974 version of the band that produced three albums on Polydor? Whatever the case, by 1972 the band had a drastic change in lineup and sound with only Steve Gould and David Kaffinetti from the old lineup. Steve Gould switched from bass to guitar, while acquiring an additional guitarist in Ced Curtis. Graham Field formed a band called Fields and released an album on CBS in 1971. Mark Ashton seemed to hang around, playing on albums I'm not familiar with, and painting, apparently living in the States for a number of years before moving to France. It's obvious the one with an aversion of prog look more fondly of this phase of the band. I have seen numerous comparisons with Wishbone Ash and Crosby, Stills & Nash. And I can see that. Some of the vocals remind me of Graham Nash, and some of the musical approach reminds me of the more calm moments of Wishbone Ash's Argus, which came out around the same time. Steve Gould's voice really seems to be toned down greatly to the point that it took me a long time to realize he was still singing on the album. It didn't help that the American LP didn't give a track by track credit. A lot of the music has a more acoustic bent, especially "Turn It All Around", "Fears of the Night" and "Her Darkest Hour", but there are some more rocking pieces like "Turning the Lights Out" and "Title No. 1 Again (Birdman)". The title track is the most proggy thing here, but still nowhere as prog as the stuff on their previous two albums. It's the only song on the album Steve Gould belts it out and sounding as every bit as recognizable as the first two albums. The music gets rather adventurous, but it sounded like the second part may have been another song segued in because it settled down in soft rock territory. I am happy to acquire the UK LP pressing as the original came with a 7" EP that plays at 33, so don't play this at 45 (unless you want to hear Alvin, Simon & Theodore aka The Chipmunks do their take on Rare Bird). I have the feeling the band recorded enough material to warrant an EP, but not enough for a full-on double album. Three songs ("Roadside Welcome", "Four Grey Walls", "You're Lost") that I was sorely missing owning the American LP and they demonstrate those songs were just as good as the main LP. Also I love how the UK LP gives a track by track credit listing so you know the instruments being played, and by who, and who were handling the vocals (it's clear that Steve Gould didn't sing everything, some of the vocals sound like Graham Nash). This album may not appeal to fans of their first two albums, but for those who don't mind a West Coast style of rock (which is done rather well, by the way), this is worth having.