EARTH AND FIRE - Earth And Fire +5 - EU Prog Gems Expanded Edition - VERY RARE - LISTEN

A new, remastered, limited, European edition (IN THE VERY RARE JAPANESE POLYDOR VINYL SLEEVE, NEVER BEFORE RELEASED ON CD) of the fantastic debut, released in September 1970, by Dutchmen playing early progressive rock. Splendid, catchy compositions, a dense sound based on the interplay of Hammond organ, mellotron and often heavy guitar (Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Golden Earring and King Crimson in one) and a charming, almost perfect female vocal bringing to mind Shocking Blue and Jefferson Airplane! Tracks such as 'Vivid Shady Land' or the extended, psychedelic 'Love Quiver' will delight every fan of old, ambitious rock! NOTE! 'Wild And Exciting', opening the record, is 20 seconds longer than the version on the old and somewhat worse-sounding Esoteric version, because the Brits were given a tape with the single version (with the splendid guitar solo heavily trimmed) and nobody there noticed... For years this was my favourite album by the band, though recently the next 2 titles, somewhat more sophisticated, have probably equalled it. The CD contains nearly 40 minutes of additional material, including 2 tracks from single B-sides, a splendid version of 'Storm And Thunder' from German 'Beat-Club', but above all the brilliant, extended, as-much-as-24-minute version of 'Song For The Marching Children' from the second album, recorded live in the TV studio (without an audience) in 1972 - perhaps better and more dramatic than the original record version of 1971, which is 5 minutes shorter! The whole sounds excellent - much better than the material on YouTube! The booklet contains reproductions of as many as 3 original sleeves: the Japanese from 1970 (front), the Dutch from 1970 (page 2, while the middle was placed under the tray) and probably the prettiest, but heavily worn, British one from 1971 - by the brilliant Roger Dean (inside). AN ABSOLUTE MUST! Condition: New, sealed. (JL)