Misty – Here Again (Grapefruit Records/Cherry Red Records, 2022)
“Here Again” is a rarely known album by British progressive rock band Misty. Even though Misty were not as well-known as the famous progressive rock pioneers, they were nonetheless part of the first wave of British bands that took rock music to fascinating new places.
Misty’s album was recorded at the end of the 1960s and a single was released in advance. Unfortunately, the single did not attract much attention, so the album was never released. Thankfully, the Grapefruit Records label unearthed this rare gem and released it in 2022 together with bonus tracks.
As you would expect, the band was deeply influenced by the psychedelic rock and pop sounds of the late 1960s. However, Misty also had profound classical music roots as well as jazz influences. The band featured the dazzling electric organ work of keyboardist Michael Gelardi and excellent creative bass lines of Steve Bingham. If you are a fan of The Nice, Procol Harum and early Emerson Lake and Palmer, you will certainly enjoy this work.
Interestingly, the pieces on this album are relatively short in comparison with the lengthy works made by other early progressive rock bands.
This 2022 edition includes extensive notes about the band and its history, as well as photos and comments by members of the band. The lineup included Freddie Green on lead guitar and vocals; Michael Gelardi on keyboards and vocals; John Timms on drums; Steve Bingham on bass, 12-string guitar and vocals; and Tony Wootton on lead vocals and 12-string guitar.