Aviary were a great 70’s era band with a style all of their own. But one thing is distinctly clear, mention the word ‘pomp rock’ and Aviary will be one of the first named.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Aviary
ALBUM: Aviary
LABEL: Epic
SERIAL: JE 35716
YEAR: 1979
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Brad Love – vocals, piano * Toby Bowen – guitars * Paul Madden – keyboards * Ken Steimonts – bass * Richard Bryans – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Soaring * 02 Anthem For The USA * 03 Puddles * 04 As Close As You Can Get * 05 Mystic Sharon * 06 Feel The Heart * 07 Average Boy * 08 I Will Hear * 09 Maple Hall
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Aviary Background
Described as a classic amalgam of art rock meets pomp, and you know what? Whoever said it, well, they’d be right! Elsewhere on Glory Daze we’ve written a couple of reviews and put together an extensive interview with Brad Love and Toby Bowen.
But going back to the source is where we go for 1979’s ‘Aviary’ album. Certainly different, but for fans who love The Beatles, Queen, and to a lesser extent Styx and Yes, you’re in luck.
Aviary were all about clever, quirky songs that came from left-field, and defied any attempt to try and pigeon-hole them. It was a wonder then that Epic Records signed them – considering their penchant for the tried and true formula. If you’ve read our interview, you’ll know the band go way back into the early 70’s and Washington State.
By 1978, the band had formed a relationship with Yes manager Brian Lane. It was he who managed for them to land their deal with Epic. Their debut still manages to amaze, confuse, confound and defy all who have ever laid ears on it, even to this day.
The Songs
Leading off with ‘Soaring’, this track presents all of Aviary’s melting pot influences into approx 6 minutes. This one has it all. If the band wanted to focus on the power-pop genre, then a track like ‘Anthem For The USA’ would’ve put them in good stead. The bass work from Ken Steimonts is a stand-out feature.
The woodwind intro to ‘Puddles’ and the piano motif which follows must make this one of Aviary’s most unusual offerings. It’s hard to describe ‘As Close As You Can Get’, but I guess whimsical would be the nearest thing. It has Beatles like passages, and Styxian like progressive angles. The vocals come at you from everywhere!
I really liked the harmonious ‘Mystic Sharon’ – with it’s stabbing piano and vocal gymnastics providing a point of difference. ‘Feel The Heart’ displays straight out rock chops. Big sounding organs are the key here, even Dennis De Young would be mightily impressed.
‘Average Boy’ pokes a hole through the rock veneer, and throws musical colour at other genres like a contestant in a Paint Ball war. Delicate piano cascade through the intro of ‘I Will Hear’, a shorter piece at just over two minutes. It’s followed by the musical schizophrenia of ‘Maple Hall’, comparable to close buddies Russia. Talk about off the wall!
In Summary
As history would reveal, the band did go back into the studio (over to the UK actually) to record their second album. Brian Lane tried to move Aviary into new-wave territory, but this manouvre failed big time. With Epic Records being none too impressed with the final result, they let the band go. Label-less, the band broke up soon after.
As a testament to the album’s reputation, it finally received a CD re-release in 2001 by the Songhaus label. The extensive liner notes were written by Aviary fan ‘Mister Pomp’ Stephen B Allen.
Aviary would go to release a posthumous CD ‘Ambition’ during 2003. Plus there was talk of further Aviary recordings coming out in the white-wash, but as of late 2007, nothing has been disclosed.
A great 70’s era band with a style all of their own. But one thing is clear, mention the term ‘pomp rock’ and Aviary will be one of the first named.
Aviary on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
