Tracklist: Life Child (6:39/6:25), Oh Mister (3:01/3:10), And The
Whole World (3:48/3:44), Quaser One (6:45/6:40), You're The Only One
(2:20/2:25), Earth-People (5:28/4:45), Molecular Delusions (4:02/4:05), Balloon
(4:31/4:28), Dying Swan Year 2000 (0:46/0:42), Jesus Come Back (4:01/5:03),
Journey To The Inside (6:06/6:21) - The first set of timings is from the CD,
while the second set is from the original vinyl
Musicians: Eric Stewart (lead guitar and moog synthesizer), Lol Creme (lead
guitar and moog synthesizer), Kevin Godley (drums & flutes), Graham Gouldman
(guitar & bass guitar), Martin Raphael (sitar)
All tracks were composed by Ramases except for And The Whole World and
You're The Only One, composed by his wife Sel, and Jesus Come Back,
composed by Ramses and Sel.
The album is dedicated to the earth people who are unusual because they have
begun to pause, look back, and wonder where they have come from and why, and
where they are going to!
The earth is a living thing just as we all are and has a soul as we do.
You look at the heavens through a telescope. Reverse the telescope and you
have a microscope through which (if powerful enough), you would see almost the
same sight. (Electrons in orbit around their stars.) "In my fathers house
there are many mansions." (The Bible)
We are most probably existing on a molecule inside the material of, perhaps,
a living thing the next size up.
The rocket ship shape of a church probably dates back to Moses' visit to
speak to God on the mountain and what he saw there.
The above bold typed-words are what one finds in the liner notes of the album,
and could be considered a synthesis of what Ramases' beliefs were all about. The
album itself speaks little for itself in musical terms yet nonetheless still
manages to incorporate some interesting moments coupled with others that are
almost laughable.
The opener, Life Child, is possibly the best track on the album and
induces the listener into thinking that the whole album is going to be based on
these lines. The sound has a definite psychadelic tinge to it with the whole
group involved in the track which has some great guitar playing accompanied by
an acoustic-based band. Sadly this is a case of what could have been, yet, was
unfortunately not. Nowhere on the album does the song-writing and musicianship
scale the heights of this track.
Oh Mister is a sharp contrast to the musically stimulating Life Child.
However, it is also the main musical medium that Ramses seems to want to use to
be able to transmit his message. With a nice percussive backdrop, the track
involves a repetitive chant utilizing the same words over and over again in a
similar fashion that Middle eastern/Asian religions utilize tantric chants.
And The Whole World, is the first of two tracks that written by Sel and
starts off with the track almost sounding as if Joan Baez was singing.
The backing is totally acoustic and is something that you would expect to hear
if you where present in one of the many popular sixties hippy communes. Quaser
One, the single released from this album is also a relaxed affair with the introduction
of synthesizers giving that faint psychadelic touch to the track.
Next up is
the closing number to the first side of the album, You're The Only One.
This is the classic case of one being brainwashed. The line "You're The
Only One Joe, The Only One" is repeated ad infinitum in an arpeggio-like
fashion with the progression of the track moving along a blues scale. The
repetitiveness becomes decisively annoying, yet at the same time you remain
hooked and unfortunately for those around you, you'll spend the whole day
humming this blessed tune! There have been suggestions that the cue for this
track was taken from the film Midnight Cowboy which featured Dustin Hoffman and
John Voight (who played the part of Joe). In a particular scene, Joe has a dream
in which his girlfriend appears and repeats over and over again the same
line "You're The Only One Joe, The Only One", which is the line
Sel repeats over and over again!
Onto side two and with Earth People the chants continue with alternations
of Ramases asking What Can I Speak To The Earth People and What Can I Say To the
Earth People. At least Molecular Delusions shows a certain amount of
musical diversion with the vocals sounding something like a muezzin making his
call to prayer though the backing vocals retain the chants. In this track
Ramases poses further questions about where he is from and where to he is about
to go. An interesting note is the fact that Ramases credits himself in his
"earthly" name Martin Raphael as playing the sitar, which features
prominently on this track.
Balloon has is a rare moment on the album wherein
the whole band (that would later become 10CC) is involved together with the
generation of a certain amount of rhythm. However, once again there is little
ground-breaking material here with the track reminiscent of the sixties hippy
scene. The short Dying Swan Year has Sel singing almost acappella
sounding like a cheap version of Sheila Chandra.
Jesus Come Back
is an acoustic sixties tinged track that could easily fit on one of these Born
Again Christian albums as there is an obvious religious inclusion (the title
says it all!) which could irk some listeners. Journey To The Inside is
probably the most musically adventurous track on the album with Ramases chanting
"What Are You Gonna Do With Me" over a drone of sound effects that
seem to be a loop of the band played backwards. As the music dies down, the
album draws to an end with Ramases talking about his belief in the theory that
the universe is just a number of atoms making up a larger body. Even as he
talks, he is abruptly cut off, somewhat like the musical world did to his music.
As
the title implies, this album is extremely spacey and sixties influenced. From a
musical point of view there is absolutely no groundbreaking material, yet on the
other hand it is another Western musician trying to incorporate Eastern sounds
into the rock world. As I have mentioned a number of times, this album is of
particular interest to those who also are fans of the group 10CC, as this album
was recorded with four of the members of this group, prior to the band being
formed.
Nigel Camilleri
Ramases
- Glass Top Coffin
 |
| Country of Origin: | UK |
| Format: | LP |
| Record Label: | Vertigo |
| Catalogue #: | 6360 115 |
| Year of Release: | 1975 |
| Time: | 49:45 |
| Info: | None Available |
| Samples: | None Available |
|
Tracklist: Golden Landing (6:05), Long, Long Time (5:13), Now Mona Lisa
(2:54),
God Voice (3:21), Mind Island (4:38), Only The Loneliest Feeling (2:54), Sweet Reason
(5:41),
Stepping Stones (4:28), Saler Man (4:59), Children Of The Green Earth (3:27), Glass Top
Coffin (4:07), Golden Landing (1:58)
Musicians: Jo Romero (acoustic and electric guitars, tablas), Pete Kingsman
(electric and string bass), Roger Harrison (drums and tuned percussion), Barry
Kirsch (piano, synthesizer), Bob Bertles (saxophone), Colin Thurston (bass on Long
Long Time), Kay Garner, Sue Glover, Sunny Leslie and the Eddie Lester
Chorale (backing vocals), Orchestral Arrangements by Rob Young with the
Orchestra featuring members of the Royal Philharmonic and London Symphony
Orchestra
All songs were written by Ramases and Sel.
"The dreamer dreamed the dust rose up and walked; But when the dreamer
woke did anyone tell the dust -and I fell- and stars like dust covered me"
(Ramases)
The failure of Space Hymns and the elapse of three years before the release of
Glass Top Coffin seem to have taken their toll on Ramases' musicianship. Gone
are the obvious religious overtones within the music as well as the tantric
chants that characterized the debut album. Instead the music presented is
totally unreflective and has practically no musical link at all with Space
Hymns.
In fact one feels that over this period, which was an especially long period in
musical terms during the seventies when groups would churn out even two albums a
year, that Ramases has matured musically. The overall layout of this album
involves a rich orchestral sound coupled with straight forward ear-friendly
tracks, almost sounding like a musical at times, yet on the whole a pleasant
album to listen to.
Golden Landing opens the album and the title, at least, shows that
Ramases still had a penchant for aliens and religion. The initial sound involves
some high-pitched violins, almost like a scenario out of a horror film.
Interestingly, vocals seem to be by Sel and one is immediately impressed by the
musical changes between this album and its predecessor. The setting could easily
have been for a 50's song sung by Judy Garland or Frances Faye!
Ramases' voice enters midway through the song, smooth and crystal clear, yet not
even his entry encourages a hint of rock music.
Long Long Time sees the
inclusion of rock instruments, yet one can sense the
influence of groups such as The Moody Blues when
you hear the inclusion and incorporation into the framework
of an orchestra. Somehow throughout the track there is
an underlying sense of melancholy, a feeling of
disappointment from Ramases, and this feeling seems to
be deep set and prevails throughout the album. Musically
the orchestra maintains that edge over the rock
instrumentation, though that musical maturity shows up
once again as the instrumental sections of this track
demonstrate together with the filling licks.
Ramases
returns as the main vocalist on Now Mona Lisa in
which he analyzes the thoughts of the Mona Lisa as she
stares out from her portrait at the world going by.
Eventually, Sel enters the fray taking on the part of
Mona Lisa creating a nice vocal duet, though musically
there is little difference from the previous track with
a mixture of orchestra and group.
The first link to
Space Hymns appears relatively late on in the album. On God
Voice, Ramases (whose voice sounds so much like
early Chris de Burgh!) there is a touch of that
mantra style that was splashed all over the first album.
This time the chants are just relegated to the chorus
while Ramses speaks out about being a god (or a chosen
one) and how he should be revered by all. Backing vocals
are used to good effect here, as on most of the album.
An interesting point is that two of the backing
vocalists (Sue Glover and Sunny Leslie) were from Brotherhood
Of Man.
God Voice merges into Mind Island which is
also the first track that does not feature the
orchestra. Here one can hear Bon Bertles (Nucleus)
with one of his characteristic solos to the sound of a
gong that creates that spacey effect together with an
acoustic backing. This is a pleasant enough and
unobtrusive track that blends in well with the laid back
and melancholic nature of the album. Side 1 comes to an
end with Only The Loneliest Feeling which retains
that effect that sounds like breaking surf while the
voice is accompanied by a cello and double bass.
Side 2 starts off with Sweet Reason, which has a touch of Marianne
Faithful in it (at least as far as the voice goes!). The track utilizes all
the musical derivatives to be expected of a seventies track with soaring vocal
harmonies responded by a horn section while the backing rhythm is almost
cabaret-like in style, yet somehow still being able to maintain that religious
almost church-like touch. Hearing it reminds me of the track My Sweet Lord from
All Things Must Pass (George Harrisson).
Stepping Stones acts as
a filler being devoid of any musical value and extremely
repetitive, though not to the extent of the tracks on
Space Hymns. Notwithstanding that, it serves as a
relaxing piece of music with the gentle whispers
towards the end of the track acting as a beckoning to
those who could have been hypnotized by it. It also
serves as an introduction to what could be assumed to be
the most commercial track on the album, Saler Man.
Possibly this track could have been short listed as a
possible single with the Chris de Burgh
comparison re-emerging as Ramases sings accompanied by
an orchestra with the occasional touch of an acoustic
guitar.
Retaining that orchestral based structure, Children
Of The Earth acts as a beckoning to all followers/faithful
to be collected from the star field for a promise
of a better life. The title track Glass Top
Coffin sounds so much out of place as instead of the
laid back orchestral sounds we have a wailing guitar and
a rock beat, though the orchestra is still present but
relegated to the background. All in all it remains an
interesting piece of music and shows that despite
everything, Ramases still had place for rock music! Of
interest in this track is the vocal harmony break
mid-way through the track followed by a short hint of
delving into what could have been a nice instrumental
section (in true progressive style!) yet this is
short-lived as Ramases re-enters the fray with his
vocals. The closing number Golden Landing II is a
reprise of the opening track sounding very much like the
closing number of a soundtrack!
Musically, Glass Top
Coffin is by far superior to Space Hymns, however, this
album like its predecessor has sunk without a trace. In
actual fact it makes a very relaxing listen as the
orchestration as well as the vocal parts is superb. Monotony
and repetitiveness is almost non-existent on this album
(unlike Space hymns) while the religious undertones,
when present, are almost negligible.
Unfortunately
history would dictate that this album would flounder to the
extent that it has not even been made available on CD as
yet, which is a pity. From a progressive rock point of
view, this would be of no great loss as Space Hymns
should be the one to appeal to the progressive rock fan.
Having said that Glass Top Coffin does have its moment
and the combination of rock and orchestra is brought out
to full effect here and it is of particular interest to
see how a musician could have progressed from two widely
different bodies of music in such a short time span.
Nigel Camilleri
Related
Websites
There is as yet no official Ramases website, however the best (and only!)
informative site relating to this musician belongs to Brian
Currin.
Stuart's Space Hymn's website
has sound samples of the first album Space Hymns, as well as the track Saler
Man from Glass Top Coffin and Only You.
Derek Gray's homepage
has the whole Space Hymns album in Real Audio.
Should you have any further information regarding Ramases that could be
added to the site, do not hesitate to contact me.