Strongbow (1975) Only One Around - LOST 70s GEMS

This Prog album from 1975 is a nice collection of tunes from US band Strongbow; One Armed Bandit is a Hammond B3 dream with a wah wah tone, a strong lead guitarists and a barrelhouse rhythm form the rest of the band including Jerry Lee Lewis piano and the soaring vocals and synthesizer work(listen out for the air raid siren sound they make out of it at the very end). Sister Sea has an 80s Van Halen Vibe in the mix of Beach Boys freshmen harmonies and heavy rock sens of pop music. The explosive speed drumming and imposing organ work give a strong Deep Purple flavour, listen to the rapturous bombastic runs that end Sister Sea and the warped 'sonar' notes I think created by some sparse, synth work. 

Only One Around sounds like Ambrosia with it's jazz melodies, mellotron and Beatleseque sighing harmonies. It eventually erupts like all good Prog tracks and is scorched earth in terms of the Lead guitarist's endless solo rattling off like artillery alongside the rambunctious, hyperactive drumming. Again the wah wah synth makes it's 'womp womp' downbeat presence reminding you this was during the mid 70s era when funk was the hot new sound. Move Over Gloom sounds like Aerosmith right down to the heavy bass toned rhythm guitar striking circular riffs under the lead singer's thin whine, though it starts with a epic suite of moogs I believe, puncturing the air like a well rehearsed horn section. You also got to love the guitar and laser blaster synth harmonising together before we move over to some piercing flute sounding synth work in the jazz fusion of How Can I Be Loving You. It starts off Steely Dan then devolves into a funky keyboard workout full of oriental, wah wah synthesizers and squelchy organ and more soaring lead guitar. Wine Eyes continues a Aerosmith meets Steely Dan vibe with high harmonies calling out the title while we get some sax and horn funk tossed in and even more wah wah before Hazy May which sums up the wah wah funk guitar and oriental synthesizers and Uriah Heep/ Deep Purple orchestral hard rock lines. I'll choose Only One Around for being the most moving track, this oculd be Ambrosia meets the Beckett, the UK Prog band who also never made it.