Gilgamesh is the debut album by the British band of the same name, founded in 1972 by keyboardist Alan Gowenand drummer Mike Travis, who play Canterbury-style progressive rock.
Gowen had played jazz-rock with Jamie Muir in the band Sunship, and Mike Travis had already established himself to some extent on the London jazz scene.
It took years before the lineup of the band led by Gowen stabilized. Before the debut album, the band had been joined by such Canterbury luminaries as Richard Sinclair, Mont Campbell, and Dave Stewart. On this debut album, Gowen and Travis are joined by guitarist Phil Lee and Jeff Clyne on bass and double bass.
Hatfield And The North is the clearest comparison for Gilgamesh’s music, but Gilgamesh’s style is slightly more serious and leans more towards jazz rock. Gilgamesh could be called a kind of Canterbury counterpart to Chick Corea’s band Return To Forever.
Gilgamesh represents the fully composed side of jazz rock. The music sounds very carefully composed, and even the solos seem very deliberate. Perhaps they are also partly composed? Gowen’s compositions are also more complex than average Canterbury music, being particularly sophisticated harmonically. The songs are mainly quite calm and melodic, but Gowen’s melodies are certainly not the most obvious and are often quite complex. The music is almost entirely instrumental, but Amanda Parsons, familiar from Hatfield And The North, makes a guest appearance, singing wordlessly on one track. Dave Stewart, who also produced the album together with Gowen, is responsible for the vocal arrangements.
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Gowen’s keyboards are mostly in the foreground, and his playing is extremely skillful and stylish. His sounds are also tasteful. His arsenal of instruments apparently includes at least some kind of organ, a Mini-Moog, and a Fender Rhodes.
Phil Lee’s electric guitar also fits nicely alongside Gowen’s keyboards. This is particularly evident in the epic but stylish guitar solo in the first track. Lee’s twangy guitar sound strikes just the right balance, being effectively piercing without being irritating to the ears.
Jeff Clyne and Michael Travis’ rhythm section does a solid job, but doesn’t particularly stand out with heroic performances; instead, the duo is content to serve Gowen’s compositions effectively.
Gilgamesh’s debut offers stylish and intricate instrumental music that, despite its complexity, is easy to listen to. The clearest downside of the album is a certain neatness and politeness. The vibe is a little too subdued, and that aggressive fifth gear never really gets engaged at any point. In this sense, the band National Health, which was in a way a continuation of Gilgamesh, fared better a few years later.
Gilgamesh broke up shortly after the release of this debut album, as the album did not sell well and there was no real shortage of gigs. However, Gilgamesh was reformed with a slightly revamped lineup in 1977, which ultimately led to the high-quality second (and final) studio album, Another Fine Tune You’ve Got Me Into, in 1978.
Best tracks: ”i. One End More ii. Phil’s Little Dance iii. World’s of Zin”, ”We Are All / Someone Else’s Food / Jamo And Other Boating Disasters – From The Holiday Of The Same Name”
Author: JANNE YLIRUUSI
More to read about the Canterbury scene
Tracks:
1. One End More / Phil’s Little Dance – For Phil Miller’s Trousers / Worlds Of Zin (10:20)
– a) One End More
– b) Phil’s Little Dance – For Phil Miller’s Trousers
– c) Worlds Of Zin
2. Lady and Friend (3:44)
3. Notwithstanding (4:45)
4. Arriving Twice (1:36)
5. Island Of Rhodes / Paper Boat – For Doris / As If Your Eyes Were Open (6:39)
– a) Island Of Rhodes
– b) Paper Boat – For Doris
– c) As If Your Eyes Were Open
6. For Absent Friends (1:11)
7. We Are All / Someone Else’s Food / Jamo And Other Boating Disasters – From The Holiday Of The Same Name (7:48)
– a) We Are All
– b) Someone Else’s Food
– c) Jamo And Other Boating Disasters – From The Holiday Of The Same Name
8. Just C (0:45)
Gilgamesh:
Phil Lee: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar Alan Gowen: piano, electric piano, clavinet, synthesizer, Mellotron, vocal arrangements Jeff Clyne: bass, double bass Michael Travis: drums, percussion
Guests
Amanda Parsons: vocals Dave Stewart: vocal arrangements
Producer: Alan Gowen and Dave Stewart
Label: Caroline
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