Cherry Red Records / Esoteric Recordings are releasing an Expanded & Remastered Edition of “Large Afternoon“, the reunion album by British classic progsters GREENSLADE, a 2-CD Edition including an extra disc of the band’s live presentation of the album featuring songs from the band’s ’70s era.
Masterminded by Dave Greenslade – a keyboardist with true love for analog synths and organs – between 1973 and 1974 GREENSLADE the band recorded a quartet of highly regarded albums and were one of Britain’s most interesting live acts, but they disbanded in 1976 due to issues with their management.
It was therefore a pleasant surprise that in 2000 founder members Dave Greenslade and Tony Reeves (bass) teamed up with ex- Asia John Young (keyboards, vocals) and Chris Cozens (drums) to record a new Greenslade album, ‘Large Afternoon’.
The new work was very well-received by progressive rock fans and prompted the band to undertake live work. In 2001 the band performed at the Classic Rock Society in Rotherham, England, and the recording of this concert is featured on this reissue on disc 2.
The album was unusual in that it featured twin keyboards taking the lead as opposed to guitars. The other keyboardist, John Young, also perform the lead vocals. Retaining the flavour of previous 70s albums the band made use of the latest instruments and technologies to update their sound for the new millennium – still sounding classic-era prog.
The remastering has clarified the sound and helped separate the instrumentation but I don’t know whether it’s just the quality of the files I have been sent, but some of the vocals vary in strength and as on track four, No Room But A View they can sound a little muffled in places.
Dancing into the speakers like a cat chasing dustmotes in a sun kissed woodland clearing, only to lie down and sun itself for a while before bounding off again, the first track Cakewalk could have been a title track to a TV series of the time with it’s ups and downs and chilled middle section, sounding a little like MMEB (Manfred Mann’s Earthband) at times, though I’ve always found Dave’s keyboards a little more reposeful.
The relaxing sound of Hallelujah Anyway, is complemented by the soothing vocals of Young, (previously with Asia and currently known for his wonderful work with his own band, Lifesigns), on this summer’s stroll of a track. The lyrics for this had been written some years previously by Patrick Woodruff after their collaboration on the Pentateuch Of The Cosmogony release, intending it to be the title track of the follow up, which unfortunately never came to fruit, so David was pleased when he finally found an outlet for them on this album.
We settle back for a Large Afternoon of music on this pleasant instrumental track, which at times reflects a sound not unlike Alan Parsons Project, in the piano like keys blended with orchestration. This may in part be due to the engineering and equipment used. I can find no record of the two ever working together but one wonders what it may have birthed had they married their talents on a such an undertaking.
No Room But A View focusses on loneliness and the hope of one day, of finding someone who will bring light to your life. Again a comparison springs to mind which could have influenced some Mike + The Mechanics material. It would have been good to hear the wonderful Paul Carrack or the late, great Paul Young covering this manfully.
Like a parade of celebratory, carousing elves and woodland creatures, scattering flower petals in a path for their rulers to tread joyously, comes a festival parade through the sunny glades. Across babbling brooks and green, dappled hill slopes, musical Anthems lift their way on the summer breeze to complement the caravan.
The sun sets, bringing closure on the revelries of the day, replaced by the twinkling stars and pale moonlight as, In The Night, John luxuriates in tranquil keyboards, alone and reflecting on a love secured by the heart in perpetuity, that warms you from the loneliness and blues, as acoustic guitar chords massage the song to slumber.
Next, On Suite features some nice intertwining keyboards on this and electronically generated woodwind sound or the finale.
The percussion and bass guitar slip in and out of tracks like a well oiled machine, complementing and raising the tunes so smoothly, almost imperceptibly, on an album full of talented musicians who gel so well together.
This album is certainly one to play in a summer and on Lazy Days, to chill out, relax and soak up the warmth of the sun. Delight in a long, cool cocktail to refresh you, as nature and the band weave their magic on the penultimate track.
A celebratory conclusion to the first disc on the joyous May Fair, soliciting you into engaging in the dance woven from the instrumentation, whirling and skipping, swirling and prancing until you collapse, sated and exultant.
The second disc features five tracks from Large Afternoon complemented by seven others curated from the previous four albums, in concert. It was recorded live at the Herringthorpe Leisure Centre in Yorkshire, during a show for the Classic Rock Society, one of the two occasions that the reformed band played at the venue. By coincidence, John Trotter, previously of MMEB sat in on the drums for the gigs.
The new line up – especially John Young – gave this recording an extra edge and vitality, with the vintage 1970’s material interpreted in the style of the updated band, efficaciously. The sound quality is very good, having been professionally recorded.
As with many live recordings, the sand inject added vim and vigour to their performances, with audience applause and incidental noise accentuating the ‘live’ feel.
This is a pleasant re-release, one that fans of classic era prog will enjoy a lot, as well as aficionados of a more pop-proggy music like Alan Parsons Project, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, certain Camel, etc.
Highly Recommended
CD 1: Large Afternoon remastered
01 – Cakewalk (2025 Remaster)
02 – Hallelujah Anyway (2025 Remaster)
03 – Large Afternoon (2025 Remaster)
04 – No Room – But A View (2025 Remaster)
05 – Anthems (2025 Remaster)
06 – In The Night (2025 Remaster)
07 – On Suite (2025 Remaster)
08 – Lazy Days (2025 Remaster)
09 – May Fair (2025 Remaster)
CD 2: Live Classic Rock Society, Rotherham, 10 February 2001
01 – Cakewalk [Live 2001] (2025 Remaster)
02 – Feathered Friends [Live 2001] (2025 Remaster)
03 – Catalan [Live 2001] (2025 Remaster)
04 – No Room – But a View [Live 2001] (2025 Remaster)
05 – Large Afternoon [Live 2001] (2025 Remaster)
06 – Sundance [Live 2001] (2025 Remaster)
07 – Wherever I Go [Live 2001] (2025 Remaster)
08 – On Suite [Live 2001] (2025 Remaster)
09 – In the Night [Live 2001] (2025 Remaster)
10 – Bedside Manners Are Extra [Live 2001] (2025 Remaster)
11 – Joie de Vivre [Live 2001] (2025 Remaster)
12 – Spirit of the Dance [Live 2001] (2025 Remaster)
Dave Greenslade – Keyboards
Tony Reeves – Bass
John Young – Vocals, Keyboards
Chris Cozens – Drums
John Trotter – Drums (Disc 2)
GREENSLADE – Large Afternoon [Cherry Red Records 2-CD Expanded & Remastered Edition] (2025)
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