01	Asylum						03:33
	02	Munich			(Munich 1938; Appeasement was the cry Munich 1970; Mine to do or die)			09:33
	03	Goodbye Post Office Tower Goodbye						02:50
	04	Survivor						01:34
	05	Reprieved						02:28
	06	Lisa						05:08
	07	Summer Weekend Of A Lifetime						03:25
	08	Let Them Come When They Will						11:44

Cressida - "Cressida" (1970) Excellent band in the light and not so very complex Early-British progressive rock style of Beggar's Opera, Cirkus and Spring. They released two classic albums and, next to Spring, Cressida was probably the best example of this style. Their sound is mostly dominated by the most beautiful and atmospheric Hammond-organ sound you can imagine. There's of course also some mellotron here, but it's much less dominant than the organ. And the vocalist reminds me quite a lot of Richard Sinclair. Most of the 12(!) songs on the album are great, but I must especially mention tracks like "Cressida", "Home and Where I Long to Be", "One of a Group" and "To Play Your Little Game". All these beautiful tracks prove that progressive rock doesn't necessarily have to be complex and challenging to be very enjoyable. But a track like "Depression" showed that the group could handle time-changes and excellent solo-parts very well too. Overall, this is a wonderful album and one of my personal favourites of Early-British progressive rock. And it surpasses most other bands of this style, like Cirkus, Moody Blues and Barclay James Harvest.


Cressida - "Asylum" (1971) Another masterpiece, but unfortunately their last album. "Asylum" is dominated by longer and a little bit more complex tracks than the debut-album. On some tracks you can also hear some very tasteful and intelligent orchestration. Overall, the album gives more room for instrumental parts, but the excellent and melodious vocal parts still dominates the music. The title-track, "Munich" and "Lisa" are all classic tracks of progressive rock with beautiful melodies, excellent instrumental parts and arrangements so perfectly 70's as it can get. What more can you ask for? Both "Asylum" and the debut-album are essential for any lover of melody based, 70's progressive rock. And Cressida was with no doubt one of the best bands on the legendary Vertigo-swirl label.


Cressida

Discography
Cressida (1970)
Asylum (1971)

Cressida Page http://members.aol.com/uheep2/cressida.htm

County Of Origin: England
Established: 1969
Styles: Symphonic, Proto-prog


Biography

Cressida is one of the quintessential bands from the early British symphonic prog scene. Both albums are excellent, but it is their classic second, Asylum, which is the arguable apex of a scene also represented by the likes of Spring, Fantasy, Gracious! and Beggars Opera. Both albums were released on the legendary Vertigo label originally, like many a classic of the period, and have been kindly reissued on LP by Akarma Records, as well as in the more accessible CD format by Repertoire. After they broke up, drummer Ian Clark went on to play in Uriah Heep. - Greg Northrup [March 2002]
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Cressida (1970)

Though not as brilliant as its follow-up, the seminal Asylum, Cressida's self-titled debut is sort of what one would expect their first album to sound like. The band's style is certainly not quite as developed or unique as it would come to be, there is less instrumental interplay and the compositions are not as ambitious or complex. Still, Cressida is great for what it is. The tracks on the whole are shorter and more focused, heavily built around subtle song craft and a typically exquisite melodic sense. The expected amenities of early British style are certainly present; delicate vocals, gobs of organ and acoustic guitar, as well as a knack for soaring, fuzzed-out electric solos.

The overly poppish aspect may be a slight turn off at first, but there is plenty going on beneath the catchy melodies to keep things interesting. "Winter is Coming Again" impresses with some stunning organ solos, but the album really starts heating up towards the end, as tracks like "Lights in My Mind" and "The Only Earthman In Town" are blessed with some of the most infectious melodies on the whole album, a winning streak further sustained on the melancholy "Down Down", perhaps the finest cut here. All in all, while this album may be no Asylum, its certainly a recommended platter of great early British rock. - Greg Northrup [February 2002]


1. To Play Your Little Game - 3:15
2. Winter is Coming Again - 4:42
3. Time For Bed - 2:18
4. Cressida - 3:57
5. Home And Where I Long To Be - 4:04
6. Depression - 5:02
7. One Of A Group - 3:35
8. Lights In My Mind - 2:45
9. The Only Earthman In Town - 3:32
10. Spring '69 - 2:14
11. Down Down - 4:15
12. Tomorrow Is A Whole New Day - 5:19

Ian Clark - Drums
Angus Cullen - Vocals, Guitar
John Heyworth - Guitar
Peter Jennings - Keyboards
Kevin McCarthy - Bass
John Culley - Guitar
Harold McNair - Flute
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Asylum (1971)

Simply put, Asylum may be the best album to come out of that school of early British symph also comprised of the likes of Gracious!, Fantasy and Spring. This is very beautiful, melancholy and for the most part, mellow stuff. Asylum is atmospheric and morose, yet with a singularly British personality to it. You can literally taste and smell the colors of autumn while listening to it. "Munich" is a fabulous track, with some absolutely gorgeous orchestration that sounds like authentic strings to me, and not mellotron, though not credited as such. This kind of orchestration makes frequent appearances throughout the album, adding texture to some already beautiful songs. All the tracks are for the most part built around the very pleasant vocals, though there are moments when the band stretches out and engages in some intriguing interplay. The whole affair is awash with tasteful piano, softly pulsing bass and an occasionally biting and ferocious Hammond organ assault when the band builds up the intensity.

This is an album whose atmosphere will have a slow but sure effect on the listener, like most great prog albums, its full emotional potential should be slowly realized. Most of the tracks are short melodic ditties that definitely stick in your head, except for the aforementioned "Munich" which allows the band some free-reign jamming, and the epic centerpiece "Let Them Come When They Will" during which the band experiments with a number of dynamics and some phenomenal melodic themes over a 12-minute stretch. Overall, this is a flawless album of subtle beauty and understated grace. Definitely a classic. - Greg Northrup [2000]

1. Asylum
2. Munich
3. Goodbye Post Office Tower, Goodbye
4. Survivor
5. Reprieved
6. Lisa
7. Summer Weekend of a Lifetime
8. Let Them Come When They Will

Ian Clark - Drums
Angus Cullen - Vocals, Guitar
John Heyworth - Guitar
Peter Jennings - Keyboards
Kevin McCarthy - Bass
John Culley - Guitar
Harold McNair - Flute

Repertoire Records - RR 4105-WP - 1990