Waterloo Lily by Caravan

Waterloo Lily by Caravan, a splendid album from 1972

A wonderful album with a mix of progressive rock and jazz influences, in my opinion one of the most beautiful records by this band, with a track—let me mention it right away—that is simply fantastic, Nothing at All / It's Coming Soon / Nothing at All (reprise): captivating, delicate, meticulous, precise, exhilarating, and with an exceptional level of technical execution.

The departure of Dave Sinclair and the arrival of Steve Miller brought a mood more oriented towards jazz, but the progressive rock roots remain evident, as if it were a DNA impossible to erase from the musical heritage of this extraordinary band.

Richard Sinclair's bass remains a cornerstone in all the tracks with his immense taste and creativity. 

They move towards jazz-rock, but the characteristic humor and complexity of the band are not lost, as in the beautiful and delicate Songs and Signs.
 

Technically extraordinary, with exceptional performances by Richard Sinclair on bass and Steve Miller on electric piano, as is evident for example in the beautiful Aristocracy, which not even vaguely recalls their previous masterpiece In the Land of Grey and Pink

It contains The Love In Your Eye, a five-part suite with splendid symphonic arrangements and immense flute work by Jimmy Hastings, a track that in my opinion is very representative of this band. And what about The World Is Yours with its beautiful acoustic guitar and ethereal, light vocals, its “falsely” beat rhythm that hides a complex rhythmic base among the easily listenable melodic textures? And finally, the Title Track that opens the album, Waterloo Lily, with its rock-blues opening and slow, engaging pace that becomes compelling with a truly catchy chorus, a great composition in which the captivating and exciting atmosphere is not lacking, nor is the seductive and soft one, together with the complexity of an excellent rhythm section that, in addition to Richard Sinclair's great bass, includes an extraordinary and little-mentioned Richard Coughlan.

The jazz mood, the electric piano, the departure from the band's more traditional Hammond organ sound, and the less Canterbury-like style have been criticized by some, and the album as a whole considered a minor work, something with which I completely disagree.

A clean sound, sometimes cheerful and humorous, sometimes romantic, sometimes decidedly rock, with a breeze of freshness in the air when I listen to it, it makes me jump out of my chair, it makes me dream. Sunny guitar solos and driving rhythms, spectacular flute—Jimmy Hastings' great flute—of a complexity that is hard to grasp and which in my opinion should be taken as an example of “flute in rock” par excellence, even though more famous names have tried their hand at this wonderful instrument in our wonderful world.

A powerful, fantastic album and an absolute must-have. What a marvel with every listen! An excellent record!

Tracklist

1. Waterloo Lily (6:47)
2. Nothing at All / It's Coming Soon / Nothing at All (reprise) (10:25)
3. Songs and Signs (3:39)
4. Aristocracy (3:03)
5. The Love in Your Eye / To Catch Me a Brother / Subsultus / Debouchement / Tilbury Kecks (12:31)
6. The World Is Yours (3:41)

Duration 40:06

LineUp

- Pye Hastings - acoustic and electric guitar, lead vocals (3-5a, 5d, 7-9)
- Steve Miller - grand piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, electric harpsichord, Hammond organ
- Richard Sinclair - bass, lead vocals (1)
- Richard Coughlan - drums and percussion

With:
- Phil Miller - second lead guitar (2)
- Lol Coxhill - soprano saxophone (1, 2)
- Jimmy Hastings - flute and tenor saxophone (5b)
- Mike Cotton - trumpet (5b)
- Barry Robinson - oboe (5a)
- Colin Frechter - string arrangement (5a)

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