Atomic Rooster - Atomic Roooster

Elements of the time are apparent on such songs such as "and so to bed" which is reminiscent of Deep Purple of the time (Concerto for Group..., In Rock). In general the entire music scene after the demise of the Beatles where searching for the new direction to go. Fortunately for some (ELP/Asia fans) and unfortunately for others the band never really caught on in the US.

Nick Grahams vocals are best heard on songs like "Broken Wings" as well as the Organ prowess of the late Vincent Crane.

The real surprise about this band is why they never caught on bigger considering the acts that were a going concern at the time, which this band could have held their own against (Savoy Brown, Early Fleetwood Mac, Early Deep Purple).

The songwriting here is tentative compared to on subsequent AR releases. On "Atomic Rooster," the songs are constructed primarily around unison guitar/organ riffs and jazz/blues themes, offering little more than platforms for Crane and Palmer to demonstrate their chops. The instrumentals "Before Tomorrow" and "Decline and Fall" are good examples of this. The former is a modal jam that features Crane wailing away on his Hammond while abusing the wah-wah pedal, before John Cann takes a solo that threatens to burn through both stereo speakers. "Decline and Fall" is a jazz-rock workout showcasing both Crane`s and Palmer`s chops, Palmer showing off his skills in a drum solo equal to, if not superior, his future efforts with ELP. "Banstead" and "Winter" afford the opportunity for Crane to branch out and incorporate classical influences into Atomic Rooster`s songs and give the band its "progressive rock" credentials.

The lyrics only hint at the Satanic and death-like imagery that would pervade their followup classic, "Death Walks Behind You. Bassist/vocalist Nick Graham`s melodramatic delivery works well on songs such as "Banstead," a depiction of Crane`s stay in a mental hosptal. "Winter" is a quiet piece with a melancholy vocal by Graham, highlighted by Crane`s jazzy piano and Graham`s flute solo. However, on tunes such as "And So to Bed" and "S.L.Y.," Graham`s vocal stylistics verge on the parodic, as he veers on the edge of becoming a hack blues-shouter.

While most people would buy this album just to hear what Palmer sounded like before he joined ELP, "Atomic Rooster" holds its own. While much of the album sounds tentative in light of what was to come later, the main musical ideas that Crane would develop to the fullest with AR are laid out for everyone to hear.