Great Mellotron albums
By
progfan97402
updated about 1 month ago
If you love the sound of the Mellotron, these albums come essential. I don't have this list in any particular order, simply what springs up to mind. While I include stuff like Yes, Genesis and the Moody Blues, most of you already know that stuff already, so I'm not going to list every albums by those acts that used the Mellotron, just their albums with the most impressive use. My main emphasis is on lesser known and obscure releases that are essential to the tron fan!
By the way, since about the mid 1990s, there's been a flood of recordings that have started using sampled Mellotron, beginning with the EMu Vintage Keys, and, as years went by, the M-Tron, Memotron, Clavia Nord Stage, and the M4000D (beware: there's also the Mellotron M4000 without a "D", which is a real tape driven Mellotron, any recording using the M4000 in large amounts and used impressively will be included on this list - so far none -, but not the M4000D), or any other samples. Some artists are honest that they aren't using a real Mellotron, particularly when none are mention. Also I do appreciate when they admit the tron is fake, like Tomas Bodin in the Flower Kings or any given Opeth album, Hertiage aside (as they used a Mark VI).
All artists have now been alphabetized with relevant albums in chronological order.
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Änglagård - Viljans Öga
7 For Sale from $17.50
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Backnee Horn - Backnee Horn
1 For Sale from $6.77
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Deluge Grander - Heliotians
4 For Sale from $99.99
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Eela Craig - Stories / Cheese
1 For Sale from $338.35
Änglagård totally surprised me when they unexpectedly (to me) delivered a new album in 2012 with Viljan Öga. I truly didn't see that coming given the reunion from them in 2002-'03 amounted to little more than a handful of concerts and that was it. Since Viljans Öga the band had witnessed numerous lineup changes, no doubt because many of the members had busy schedules, but managed to tour despite this change. Now comes 2018 and Johan Brand, Thomas Johnson, current Änglagård drummer Erik Hammarström (formerly of the Flower Kings) and Johan's daughter Miranda Brand. From listening to this the Änglagård influence cannot be denied, which is hardly any surprise given who were involved. The music seems less symphonic and closer to RIO/avant prog than Änglagård, as well as elements foreign on an Änglagård album. Also All Traps on Earth doesn't go much in acoustic, pastoral territory like Änglagård did, but I assume that's because of a lack of full-time guitarist (they do have a guitarist for a guest, though). Elements foreign on an Änglagård album include jazzier passages and trumpet solos from various guest members. But both Thomas Johnson and Johan Brand are credited to the Mellotron, and the Mellotron work is very undeniably Änglagård-like; however, they are also credited with the M4000D as well, but hoping they were using that for sounds that were not included in their M400 tape library. The choirs are very much real as the key clicks give it away, but there are sounds that don't exist in the M400 library I'm sure they were using the M4000D for, like Chamberlin female voices and MK II vibes. The music is lengthier than anything Änglagård came up with, but the same quality control is found here as with Änglagård so the music never outstays its welcome. It's a no-brainer who I recommend this to: fans of Änglagård. A sure hit for progheads everywhere!