Week of July 2, 2006
CD: Angel Air SJPCD 216, 2006
30 years' wait, and just worth it.
Music history is littered with stories of lost opportunities and choices that
seal the fate of artists’ careers. Unfortunately, Consortium suffered at
the hands of the gods. First hitting the UK charts in 1969 with the pop of “All
The Love In The World” (which peaked at No. 22), they spent the next few
years working hard towards perfecting their craft. Eventually RCA came knocking
and asked the group for an album - and 1975's “Rebirth” was the result.
But soon after, with the political and economic climate of the day at its lowest
ebb, the album got laid to waste by the powers that be, and the band,
disillusioned, parted ways.
Now, after 30-odd years, the album finally - and deservedly - sees the light
of day. Solid guitar riffs propel their hard rock sound, as heard on “It Was
You”, with the band's arrangements very much rooted in the pop-rock of the
60s, while their unique vocal harmony, as heard on “Hold On Tightly“ and
“I Want You“, are reminiscent of The Kinks and The Monkees.
Joe Matera
Record Collector, June 2006