Search - Beggars Opera :: Waters of Change

Great mellotron work, superb melodies

Cervello | 09/01/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"UK band BEGGARS OPERA'S second album is filled with mellotron, organ and great guitarplaying. It sounds like a lot of the other bands from the samt country back then. CRESSIDA, SPRING and FANTASY comes to mind. "Time Machine" is among the best here, with its haunting themes. "I've no idea" reveals the melodic progressive rock this band played so good. Much of the hughlights in the tracks come from the superb mellotron backing which indeed sounds so good. "Silver peacock" is yet another great long track with its lyrical themes and melodious playing. One has to remember that 1971 still was just at the beginning of progressive rock, and in that sense, this album comes through as an original and very imaginative effort. Very good with no direct flaws."

Great second album, nice use of Mellotron too!

BENJAMIN MILER | Veneta, Oregon | 02/11/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Beggars Opera was a band from Scotland that managed a handful of albums from 1970 to 1980. Of course, it's their first three albums that their reputation lies on: Act One (1970), Waters of Change (1971), and Pathfinder (1972). With Waters of Change, the band added Virginia Scott, a rare example of a female Mellotron player (other example going to Angela Allen of Carmen). Organ duty of course, still remains to Alan Park, who decided to ditch the classical themes of Act One. The results being this best album of Beggars Opera and an excellent example of early British progressive rock. Being 1971, this isn't exactly the most complex of prog, although around the same time Gentle Giant did release Acquiring the Taste (which was on the same label), which was far more complex than anything done before, but most other bands at the time weren't ready to take on GG, and of course never Beggars Opera. This music isn't a million miles away from the likes of Cressida, Fantasy, Gracious, even Spring (but less Mellotron). "Time Machine" is a great opening piece, you get to hear right away Martin Griffiths voice, he does have a peculiar voice. Great organ and Mellotron work, nice guitar from Ricky Gardiner. "Lament" is simply Alan Park playing a Scottish-influenced song on organ (you can almost imagine it being played on bagpipes). "I Have No Idea" is back to the more familiar sound of the band at the time. "Nimbus" is a rather down-sounding piece with guitar from Ricky Gardiner, and Mellotron from Virginia Scott. "Festival" has a more lively feel to it. "Silver Peacock Intro" features some big Mellotron brass with narration info before "Silver Peacock" proper starts. A short little interlude with cello and organ is found on "Impromptu" before ending with "The Fox", which is a great piece that goes through several changes.



What took me so long to get this album? I long owned a copy of Pathfinder and really like the album (many people think of it in a lesser light to Waters of Change, but I think it's great too, but it's my understanding that Beggars Opera went downhill after Pathfinder), but it took me until now to get Waters of Change, it's one of those album I would have never regretted buying had I bought it the same time I bought Pathfinder (I bought Pathfinder back in 1997, given I was just 24 at the time, I obviously wasn't around when the band was releasing these great albums on Vertigo). Waters of Change is an album truly deserving to be in your collection."