Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come
Galactic Zoo Dossier

Madness, as is well known, has always had an excellent relationship with music and art in general since the beginning, and it was especially in the '60s and '70s that this combination began to solidify significantly. Artists like Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart gave birth to masterpieces like "We're Only In It For the Money" and "Trout Mask Replica," initially misunderstood, but later reassessed by critics and the public, thanks to their profound influence on the musical evolution of the 20th century.

To this small group of artists belongs an eccentric and extravagant character yet at the same time ambitious, too often unjustly overlooked, answering to the name of Arthur Wilton Brown. Already towards the end of the '60s, precisely in 1968, Brown with his Crazy World demonstrated that he was a forerunner of the times, surprisingly anticipating the musical themes that would become the daily bread of the '70s, namely theatrical spectacle (Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel, Kiss), and the 360° musical innovation, the main prerogative of Progressive Rock that would soon arise. Unfortunately, the season of Crazy World was intense but short-lived, and by 1969 the group had disbanded; Vincent Crane and Carl Palmer, the keyboardist, and drummer respectively, formed Atomic Rooster, while Brown continued to ride international success, passing into the annals of Rock as "The God Of Hell Fire," thanks to his pyrotechnic performances complete with a fiery helmet and heavy makeup. After two years of continuous and countless live performances in London's underground venues, Brown decided to gather the fragments of what was the Crazy World project and considered a new band on the wave of the nascent Progressive Rock, of which he can undoubtedly be considered one of the founding fathers. Thus, Kingdom Come was born, and their genesis was almost instantly followed by the release of their first work: "Galactic Zoo Dossier," dated 1971.

It is a "concept album" in a style typically from the '70s, composed of 14 tracks that follow one another seamlessly without breaks or interruptions. The opening track, "Internal Messenger," is a sort of mad and frenzied rock, led by a Hammond organ rhythm that leaves one astonished at first listen due to its ambiguity. The whole is enriched by Brown's vocal interpretation, the undisputed leader of the band, who from the start, showcases his incredible vocal talents, which can indeed be compared to sacred monsters like Gillan, Plant, or Gabriel. This is followed by "Space Plucks," the 2nd track, more tranquil and relaxed, built on a brief chord sequence and organ phrasing that reminds those familiar with Atomic Rooster of Vincent Crane's dark and melancholic style. The 3rd track, "Galactic Zoo," purely psychedelic in nature, proves to be a brief introduction to the 4th, titled "Metal Monster," a Jazz exercise with some funny sound alterations that give the impression the record is skipping. This is followed by "Simple Man," the 5th track, where piano and bass primarily accompany the leader’s voice during continuous and incredible vocal excursions reminiscent of Van Der Graaf Generator.

The 6th composition, like the 3rd, acts as a prelude to the subsequent one, it’s a brief experimental interlude similar to Beefheart with a '50s voice effect; after this comes the album's standout piece, "Sunrise," a 7-minute space ballad articulated in crescendo like a bolero that reaches its peak in the finale. At this point, Brown gives free rein to his vocal virtues, reaching, amid primal screams and soaring high notes, inconceivable interpretative heights. The next track titled "Trouble," is a nostalgic folk-psychedelic nursery rhyme, sung by the band's guitarist, aimed at providing the listener with a moment of relaxation after the previous sonic orgy. This leads to "Brains," a choral piece in Gospel style, introducing the 10th track titled "Medley," where the melodic themes of "Space Plucks" and "Galactic Zoo" are revisited in a purely Jazz context. From this point on, the most intense and vigorous part of the entire work begins with "Creep" and "Creation" (respectively track 11 and 12), reaching the pinnacle of experimentation: sound manipulations, electronic treatments, and various vocal virtuosos introduce another standout of the album, "Gypsy Escape," an instrumental track of about 8 minutes, where brilliant guitar digressions, but especially Hammond organ solos, dominate the scene in a unique way. The last track, titled "No Time," magnificently closes the album, being a Rock ride built on a schizophrenic Hammond organ riff, in the manner of the opener track "Internal Messenger," of which the recurring melodic theme is reprised in the finale.

In conclusion, it must be stated that "Galactic Zoo Dossier" represents, in every respect, a rare musical gem that remained anonymous for too long, a masterpiece of mad creativity and rare originality that deserves to be rediscovered not only by critics but by all rock enthusiasts in the truest sense.

One word: brilliant.