STRAWBS
Just A Collection Of Antiques And Curios

From the first production of the Strawbs, a live album released in 1970 (published in Italy in 1971) with the title Just A Collection Of Antiques and Curios. I confess that after the newly renewed listening experiences with the Strawbs, I'm a bit afraid to put it on the turntable. Back then, even the appealing cover had pushed me to purchase it, with that very "old style" still life photo. Then I became fixated on the Strawbs, leading to the inevitable purchase. But after the half-disappointments of Grave New World, which I considered a half-masterpiece, I am really hesitant to listen to these tracks again, strictly live, recorded at Queen Elizabeth Hall on July 11, 1970. Anyway, moving on to listening:

“Martin Luther King's Dream” - A refined old-style ballad where only the shrill sound of the organetto is disturbing.

“The Antique Suite” - The four movements:

- “The Reaper” - A complex composition that with medieval percussion creates a suspended and dramatic atmosphere. Fascinating.

- “We Must Cross The River” - A languid ballad more country & western than British.

- “Antiques & Curios” - More lament than ballad, not lacking in its own coherence and beauty.

- “Hey, It's Been A Long Time” - A modest, slow ballad, well executed but nothing more.

“Temperament Of Mind” - Composed by Rick Wakeman, whom we find at the piano to perform it here. A piece that seems to be a sort of medley of various genres with forays into the classical, popular, and jazz repertoire. There is no doubt he knows how to play. Listening to him on the piano also gives a greater sense of security because with the synth it's sometimes dangerous… this performance nevertheless ensured him the attention of the British specialized press (at the time).

“Fingertips” - Sitar. I hear the sitar, but the initial air is not oriental; rather, it’s another languid composition even lacking the rhythm of a ballad. The finale, on the contrary, sounds entirely Indian: it is atmospheric but never takes off into a raga. Even the tabla adopts a pop rather than raga rhythm. A curious but coherent composition not devoid of a certain charm.

“Song Of A Sad Little Girl” - Beautiful piano intro for a classic slow Strawbs-style ballad characterized by the nasal voice of Dave Cousins. A lovely little gem.

“Where Is This Dream Of Your Youth?” - In the finale, the group picks up the pace for a rather curious composition. Wakeman on keyboards again? Perhaps they gave him too much space here. Rick Wakeman is a great musician, but he needs to be restrained… This piece is attributed with a great psychedelic vein, and at times I must indeed agree, but the final result, in my opinion, is uncertain.

After listening, moving to the weighing, all in all, a good album. The album demonstrates the band's desire to overcome the limits of the initial folk production to develop an opening towards a folk-rock with a vaguely progressive flavor.

As I said, one component for purchasing the album was the attractive gatefold cover. The interior, opened like a book, features a single black background: on the right, the lyrics of the songs, and on the left, a notably intense gothic-dark drawing representing Death on a hellish horse (?) in full gallop. The credits for the cover art and artistic direction go to Roger Saunders. The photographs, the splendid still life on the front cover, and the portrait of the band on the back are by Ken Palmer.