Pressing: UK
Year: 1971
Genre: prog  
Packaging: digipack

When the first line-up of Rare Bird folded in early 1971, keyboard player Graham Field formed a new outfit with bass player, vocalist and guitarist Alan Barry and King Crimson drummer Andy McCulloch. Although the band failed to emulate the commercial success of Field’s previous group, the self-titled album they recorded and released in 1971 was a magnificent example of British Progressive Rock.

Following the album’s release, the band’s line-up changed with the departure of Barry and the arrival of Frank Farrell from Supertramp. This line-up recorded a follow-up album at CBS studios in London in 1972 that was perplexingly shelved by CBS Records and remained consigned to the vaults for over 40 years. The original master tapes were eventually located and released many years later as ‘Contrasts – From Urban Roar To Country Peace’.

This new two disc remastered anthology draws together both of these classic albums and also adds studio out-takes, later demos and a previously unreleased BBC Radio One Sounds Of The ‘70s session recorded in December 1971. It also features an illustrated booklet with an essay.

Track Listing:

DISCO ONE:
FIELDS
Released in 1971
1 A Friend Of Mine
2 While The Sun Still Shines
3 Not So Good
4 Three Minstrels
5 Slow Susan
6 Over And Over Again
7 Feeling Free
8 Fair-Haired lady
9 A Place To Lay My Head
10 The Eagle
Bonus tracks
11 Slow Susan (alternate version)
12 A Place To Lay My Head (alternate version)
13 A Friend Of Mine (BBC Radio One session December 1971)
14 Wouldn’t You Agree (BBC Radio One session December 1971)

DISC TWO:
CONTRASTS
Recorded in 1972

1 Let Her Sleep
2 Wedding Bells
3 Someone To Trust
4 Wonder Why
5 Music Was Their Game
6 The Old Canal
7 Put Out To Grass
8 Storm
Bonus tracks
9 Set Yourself Free
10 The River
11 Spring