Asylum - CRESSIDA***

Asylum/Munich/Goodbye Post Office Tower Goodbye/Survivor/Reprieved/Lisa/Summer Weekend Of A Lifetime/ Let Them Come When They Will

Asylum was the second and final album from the British progressive group Cressida. Their music appears to contain some jazz elements filtered through Canterbury scene influences.

“Cressida has succeeded better with the songwriting here on their second album. These eight songs are all effective prog pieces with some jazz and psychedelic elements.”

“Cressida's second album slipped out posthumously, the band having broken up a few months before. That's a shame, because it sounds like they were going in a very interesting direction with this one, both allowing in some jazz-rock influences filtered via the Canterbury scene as well as playing up the psychedelic side of their sound.”

“It's all very pleasant, ordinary early 70s rock with lots of piano, symphonic flourishes and Canterbury elements. Altogether it's an area of music I find very comfortable and enjoyable, but it strikes me as a substandard example of its genre. It doesn't have any exciting parts, just a fairly even, mellow, melodic flowing sound.”

“With clear jazz influences, a fantastic mellotron presence, some of the most skilfully implemented orchestration I've heard in a rock album, tasteful solos, and an excellent vocalist, it's just an all around great package of smooth early 70s prog.”

“Here, Cressida seem to be consciously aware that they are a progressive rock band and have provided longer and more dense compositions. The good news is they never lost sight of the song. Blessed with a dynamic singer, Cressida by rights should have been one of the big names from the English prog scene.”

“Munich deserved better luck. This song, with perfect orchestral inserts, is the best of a great album and is at the same level of the best known progressive suite. Another top moment of this album is Summer Weekend Of A Lifetime, with a fantastic and suggestive intro. Vocal melodies by Angus Cullen make this album a masterpiece. The compositions are so much better then in their first album.”

“If you like Hammond organ/piano/electric guitar driven early 70s rock with some jazz leanings, then this is for you. The singer has a good sense of melody and an interesting, pleasant voice that doesn't annoy. It's not complex music, but it's still enjoyable, especially the occasional shift into jazzier territory.”