Album review : LAZY DAYS – The British Progressive Sounds of 1975

December 2nd, 2024 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 06.12.24]

1975: all around the UK, a huge variety of rock and pop genres, sub genres, splinter groups and so forth were fighting it out for recognition, and ultimately, sales.

The summer of love was just a memory, but it had changed the world of popular music beyond recognition.

“Progressive Rock” was an offshoot, and inch by inch it had gained a foothold in the music media, and was standing its ground.

Lazy Days, The British Progressive Pop Sounds of 1975 is a 3 CD, 65 track anthology, documenting the year in sound.

Who’s here? Pete Hammill, Hawkwind, Jethro Tull, The Kursaal Flyers, Barclay James Harvest, Caravan and more. The usual suspects, but these and others formed the backbone of the Prog movement, going forward.

They stood out all the more against a backdrop of seventies hard rock, with bands like Nazareth, Bad Company and Thin Lizzy (all here) creating what would eventually come to be called “Classic Rock”.

Progressive Folk artists raised their head above the parapet too. It was a year in which there was room for everyone: Stealers Wheel, Richard and Linda Thompson, Al Stewart, Stackridge, The Brinsleys. All key players in the social and political evolution of popular music, and all featured across these 3 CDs.

As you might expect, Pop Music remained a staple of Daytime Radio.

Slade, The Kinks, Roxy Music, ELO, Mott, 10cc, Sweet, Sparks, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel…all bands who’ve stood the test of time.

And, to top it all, 3 of the greatest rock / pop songs of all time are here:
Ian Hunter : ‘Once Bitten Twice Shy’. UFO : ‘Shoot Shoot’. The Sutherland Brothers with Quiver : ‘The Arms Of Mary’.

Some bands ploughed their own, almost impossible to define musical furrow, but are just as memorable. And they are here: Heavy Metal Kids: ‘Blue Eyed Boys’. SAHB : ‘Delilah (live)’. The Shadows (gulp!) : ‘Run Billy Run’ and BeBop Deluxe : ‘Jean Cocteau’.

There’s something for everyone here. Did we say that? ****

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Josh Taerk Sunday Session - 1 December 2024

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DREAMING OF CITRA Bitter (indie)
OFF LIGHTS Love You Sober (indie)
THUNDERMOTHER Dead Or Alive (AFM Records)
SKAM Selfish Friend (indie)
SORRY X Bring Me To Life (SBG Records)

Featured Albums w/c 25 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)