Freak Emporium - May 2006
Factory/Fleur de Lys connected early '70s UK psych monster with all the right
moves. Sounds like the aforementioned bands with dash of Ogden's period Small
Faces. Great guitar work particularly on the long trippy instumental "Rough
Cut Marmalade".This tasty re-issue contains bonus tracks tracks as well,
four or them never heard before. They were recorded same time of the album but
never completed. Ricky Sharpe added some vocal and a bit of guitar only and
they are heavier then the already known ones! The 12 pages booklet features
the band's detailed story, with never-seen-before photos and Sharpe's own funny
anecdotes, while John Hurford has generously created brand new artwork for the
cover. Ace album.
Rockerilla - Giugno 2006 (di Enrico Ramunni)
...bell'esempio di psyche-pop a cavallo fra Blossom Toes e Traffic...Il quintetto inglese aveva i suoi punti di forza nel songwriting di Graham Maitland...ma tra le punte d'eccellenza troviamo anche un articolato strumentale "Rough Cut Marmalade", che evidenzia la vena progressiva della chitarra di Rick Sharpe...Questa versione presenta differenze nella copertina e nella sequenza dei nove brani conosciuti...aggiungendo la dylaniana "Too Much Of Nothing" e quattro canzoni coeve ma ben diverse, che grondano soul e blues.
Shindig - June 2006 (by Paul Martin)
The band formally known as Iron Prophet became Five Day Rain in 1970. Under
this name nine tracks for an album were recorded but ultimately never released.
The tracks survived only on aceteates. These were released on CD over a decade
ago. However, this was done apparently without the permission of either ex-group
members or the illustrator John Hurford whose drawing formed the cover of that
edition. Here we have the group's complete output with the full co-operation
of FDR's Rick Sharp (who intends putting a version of FDR together this year)
whose recollections and narrative form the liner notes and John Hurford who
has designed the new sleeve art. Additionally, there are some bonus tracks.
These comprise principally four tracks recorded at the time of the proposed
album but left out of the project. They are considerably heavier than the FDR
acetate album and are said to be more reminiscent of the older Iron Prophet
sound. Sharp touched these up with some guitar overdubs in late 2005, which
surprisingly give them an edge rather than detracting from them. There is also
a cover of Bob Dylan's 'Too Much of Nothing'. This edition has been remastered
from the acaetates and has a good sound quality throughout.
Essentially, FDR's sound is guitar led and keys supported progressive pop. There
are psych influences such as the phased vocal that runs throughout the nicely
psych 'The Reason Why'. Also of a jazzy psych persuasion is the 11 minute instrumental
wig-out 'Rough Cut Marmalade'. Other tracks like 'Antonia' have nice psych touches
in the compressed fuzz guitar sound. This is a classic 'on the cusp' psych-prog
album that deserved its release. It's the sort of classic album of its type
we now associate with budget bin labels of the time like Deram Nova but which
are now much sought after. Overall, there's something here for you whether your
proclivities lean towards either psyche or early progressive. The liners are
informative and funny and as always with Nightwings products, the packaging
is visually attractive and well presented. If you know the FDR album already,
this represents a good upgrade. If you have not heard it but are tempted by
the description, don't be shy, take the plunge!
Progressive and Psychedelic Music - June 2006 (by Gerald VanWaes)
When the heavy trio Iron Prophet, who were formed late 1968, found an additional member, they were renamed as Five Day Rain, refounding themselves in the direction of some (psych)pop influences. Because they came from a harder edge, also in their, still typical English refinement, they managed well to keep out of the influenceal Beatles wings (except for “Sea Song” perhaps, which is following a yeah-yeah mode). They developed a style between a harmonious version of hardrock (area of Uriah Heep,..) and early progressive, using a bit of mellotron, staying mostly within the reach of psychpop. “Rough Cut Marmalade” is the only bigger track (of over 11 minutes), improvising with bluesy hardrock progressive guitars and keyboards : a really welcome and enjoyable track...From the bonus tracks, the left out tracks from the album were more heavy hardrock-styled, often a bit more primitive too, which are possibly all tracks from the period as Iron Prophet.... ("The Boy" has very much an early Black Sabbath touch in its bass/vocals in the beginning of the track, and some freaking out guitars).
Platomania - June 2006 (by Ad Zwaga)
...The prize track on the album is the 11 minute instrumental 'Rough Cut Marmelade', that features much excellent guitarwork. Apart from this one there also are songs with a lighter feel, like the opening track 'Marie's A Woman', 'Leave It At That' and the Dylan-cover 'Too Much Of Nothing'...(translated excerpt)
Ugly Things - July 2006 (by Mike Stax)
Recorded at IBC in 1970 but unreleased until decades later, Five Day Rain is
one of those cusp albums, created in the English prog rock era but still
retaining plenty of '60s psychedelic residue... "Marie's A Woman,"
"Don't Be Mislead" and "Leave It At That" demonstrate the
group's assets best, combining strong vocal melodies with exciting guitar and
Hammond organ interplay, at times resembling late-period Small Faces. More-much
more-of said interplay can be found on a fiery 11-minute jam "Rough Cut
Marmalade," while the group's softer piano and harmony driven tendencies
can be heard best on "Sea Song" and the dynamic "Good Year."
This is the first legally licensed reissue of the album and the package includes
liner notes by guitarist/vocalist Ricky Sharpe, who has also supplied some bonus
cuts, including four unreleased backing tracks in a heavier style by the group's
earlier incarnation Iron Prophet, which he "completed" last year-surprisingly
well-with various vocal and guitar overdubs.
Il Popolo del Blues - Agosto 2006 (di Giulia Nuti)
...Five Day Rain, band nata nel 1970 dopo l’aggiunta del quarto elemento al già esistente trio Iron Prophet. Progressive che incontra rock e rhythm& blues, in brani in cui una scrittura per lo più orecchiabile si alterna a momenti più liberi, strumentali e psichedelici. Con un lavoro condotto con grande attenzione, l’etichetta ha cercato la collaborazione di Rick Sharpe, musicista della band, fondamentale nella realizzazione dell’opera. Sharpe non solo è stato d’aiuto per la stesura delle dettagliate note di copertina del disco, ma anche e specialmente dal punto di vista musicale. Il disco può infatti vantare la presenza di quattro esclusivi brani inediti, le cui registrazioni sono state appositamente ultimate da Sharpe alla fine dello scorso anno per la pubblicazione di questa ristampa. Foto e una ulteriore bonus track (una cover di Bob Dylan) completano un lavoro ben fatto...
Concrete Web - August 2006 (by Cosmicmasseur)
...a musical potpourri full of confident poppy prog rock, and Beatles-like
numbers peppered with small doses of Vincent Crane (Atomic Rooster)-esque organ
harmonies.
Record Collector - May 2007 (by Derek Hammond)
...Four of the first five tracks are complex, melodic demos...Driving, polished and memorable, these push all the right Procol Harum/Ogden's Nut Gone Flake/Tintern Abbey buttons, with some top-drawer instrumental flourishes...