Samurai (6) – Samurai

Really good pressing of a weird and forgotten album. My copy is dead-quiet, without a mark. Packaging is really cool too!

There is a german original pressing in existence. As far as I remember with laminated cover, the sound is good, but the UK-version sounds better.

CD AKARMA AK 341 GATEFOLD PAPER CVR 2005

Truly one of my all-time great prog discoveries. Samurai was basically Web under a new name. It seems that Tom Harris left, and comes Tony Roberts and Don Fay for wind instruments. I have no idea why the band name change, perhaps it was Tom Harris who had legal rights to the Web name. As with Web's I Spider, Dave Lawson is responsible for vocals and keyboards, and let me tell you if you dislike Greenslade, don't let that put you off with trying Samurai! For one thing, his vocals are much easier for me to take in than with Greenslade, why he couldn't keep that voice for Greenslade, I couldn't understand. What you get here is great early '70s song-based prog with nice use of vibes as well as Hammond organ. Check out songs like "More Rain", "Maudie James", "Give a Little Love" and "As I Dried My Tears Away". Frequently compared to Lizard-era Crimson, although without the influence of Robert Fripp, and the fact Dave Lawson's voice sounds nothing like Gordon Haskell. Probably the comparison is due to the wind-instrument dominated brand of prog. To me, not only is the the best album I ever heard with Dave Lawson, but one of the finest obscure prog rock albums ever! So get it, even if you're a non-fan of Greenslade.