Gypsy

後にAOR/レアグルーヴとして人気を博すジェームス・ウォルシュがキーボードで在籍したことでも知られるミネソタ州出身のバンド、ジプシー。本作は1970年にリリースされた彼らのファーストで、西海岸風のハーモニーとラテン風味溢れるファンキーなビートが絡み合うサウンドが非常にカッコいい。シカゴやサンタナといった大所帯バンドが持つグルーヴと共に、メジャーセヴンス・コードを巧みに使った作曲センスが既に単なる冗長なサイケジャムから脱しています。

デビュー作にしてダブル・アルバムという破格な扱いが、当時の期待の大きさを感じます。生音系の踊れるロックを探している人はぜひチェックを。

Though nothing else on Gypsy's debut album came quite up to the standard of the opening number, the whole album is enjoyable for connoisseurs of jazzy progressive rock. That opening number, "Gypsy Queen," was the band's musical and commercial highlight, an organ-driven and harmony-laden blast of great progressive pop. Elsewhere on this album, the band blends Santana-like guitar and organ riffs with vocals and arrangements reminiscent of early Chicago in their better moments. Much of this is first-rate, and if "Gypsy Queen" weren't on this album, cuts like "The Vision" or "Standing in My Loneliness" would still make it worth having. The ensemble work is so impressive that it's hard to single out a particular player for praise, though James "Owl" Walsh's keyboard playing is particularly inventive. In retrospect, it's hard to believe that this debut didn't make a bigger splash when it was first released. Gypsy's work has held up very well compared to most albums from this era, and is still a delightful listen. ~ Richard Foss