For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night, Caravan's fifth album, from 1973.
This is one of the highlights of this great band's discography, a splendid Canterbury progressive rock characterized by its characteristic and fantastic mix of styles.
It features ballads, pop songs, symphonic passages, and hard rock moments played with a wide range of instruments, including viola, flute, and impressive keyboard parts, in a positive and peaceful atmosphere typical of Caravan.
Pye Hastings's songwriting makes some songs more "pop" without sacrificing complexity.
Violist Geoff Richardson made a magnificent contribution to this album, along with the now-famous flute solos of the great Jimmy Hastings and the keyboard solos of Dave Sinclair.
The songs range from lighter ones like "The Dog, the Dog, He's at It Again" to truly complex epics like the album's opening "Memory Lain, Hugh / Headloss." There are also more aggressive tracks like "A Hunting We Shall Go" and beautiful instrumental compositions like "L'Auberge Du Sanglier."
This is a fundamental album for understanding the Canterbury prog scene and its evolution. In my opinion, this album represents the Canterbury prog sound, stripped down and without any major effects, so much so that it feels like a rehearsal, such is the simplicity of the sounds.
It's a wonderfully crafted album, well-researched in its compositions but also easy to listen to, a must-have for anyone who loves the Canterbury scene like me.
Tracklist
1-a. Memory Lain, Hugh (5:00)
1-b. Headloss (4:14)
2. Hoedown (3:18)
3. Surprise, Surprise (4:05)
4. C'thlu Thlu (6:12)
5. The Dog, the Dog, He's at It Again (5:38)
6. Be Alright / Chance of a Lifetime (6:35)
7. L'auberge du Sanglier / A Hunting We Shall Go / Pengola / Backwards / A Hunting We... (reprise) (10:05)
Duration 45:07
LineUp
- Pye Hastings - electric guitar, vocals
- David Sinclair - piano and electric piano, organ, ARP (1) and Davoli synthesizers
- Geoffrey Richardson - viola
- John G. Perry - bass, percussion, vocals
- Richard Coughlan - drums, percussion, timpani
Featuring:
- Rupert Hine - ARP synthesizers (1, 6)
- Jimmy Hastings - flute soloist, arranger and conductor (1)
- Barry Robinson - flute and piccolo (1)
- Tommy Whittle - clarinet and tenor saxophone (1)
- Harry Klein - clarinet and baritone saxophone (1)
- Tony Coe - clarinet and tenor saxophone (1)
- Pete King - flute and alto saxophone (1)
- Henry Lowther - trumpet (1)
- Chris Pyne - trombone (1)
- Paul Buckmaster - Electric cello (6a)
- Nuovo Symphonia aka Martyn Ford Orchestra (7d-e)
- John Bell - orchestral arranger (7d-e)
- Martyn Ford - arranger and conductor (7d-e)
- Frank Ricotti - congas (1, 2, 4, 6)
- Jill Pryor - vocals (4)
Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page
