Aquila, England

Aquila. 1970 RCA

Aquila were an obscure band from England, a spin off from the relatively popular Blonde on Blonde. Somewhat typical of the era, Aquila utilized saxophone and flute to augment the usual guitar, Hammond, bass, and drums format. The vocals are rough hewned, yet another hallmark of the era. Echoes of Diabolus and the debut albums from Gravy Train and Raw Material come to mind here as well. Fine organ solos throughout with some nice contrast provided by the acoustic guitar. I like the way the band jams over the harmony lines. Album closes in a melodic horn rock way similar to perhaps Blood, Sweat & Tears, or more to the point, Brainchild. Overall a very solid entry for fans of the early UK progressive rock sound.

Priority: 2

9/16/10