Great debut album by Gracious, a very valid band from that rich "progressive explosion" that took place between the late '60s and early '70s. Unfortunately, they are one of the many groups that did not manage to break through, remaining relegated to the "cult underground" of the genre and disbanding after two albums. However, the Gracious were very good, and you can hear that in this debut, which is, understandably, a bit raw in some places. The 5 tracks are all beautiful, starting well with "Introduction" (which clearly shows how the Gracious remain anchored to the pop-rock-blues roots of the sixties, and rightly so, blending them with the "new" symphonic-prog pop). The 16 minutes of the concluding "The Dream" are not bad either (stylistically, the same discussion applies, with jangly guitars, more "elegant" keyboards, "rock/blues" guitar solos, and classical quotes – Beethoven – which always fit well). Speaking of classical infatuations (typical of certain prog), there's the entire classic-sounding "Fugue in D Minor," which is delightful. Also excellent are the "dual" tracks "Heaven" (with the stunning mellotron introduction, used after being struck by the usual King Crimson and beautiful guitar parts) and "Hell" (more experimental, with dark guitar riffs and the nervous use of piano and harpsichord, plus other interludes perhaps thrown in a bit randomly).
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