Nucleus - Elastic Rock

Limited Edition Reissue

Elastic Rock is Nucleus' first album. Recorded in January 1970, it was a pioneering work in emerging genre of jazz-rock fusion. Bandleader Ian Carr (later a jazz journalist and published expert on Miles Davis) was probably inspired by Davis' "going electric" in 1969, but the seminal Bitches Brew had not yet been released at the time Elastic Rock was recorded, and according to Carr, they hadn't even heard Davis' less rock-influenced 1969 electric release, In a Silent Way.

Essential debut and a defining moment of jazz-rock with Ian Carr, Karl Jenkins, John Marshal and the chameleon of rock Chris Spedding after he left psych-blues group Pete Brown's Battered Ornaments. The sublime sleeve artwork, a cut-out gatefold that lets you peep into a red-hot lava stream opens up on a breathtaking landscape in a volcano park.

After listening to side 1, most rock fans will wonder where the rock part went, as only the second part of Crude Blues was energetic enough to be named rock. But right from the opening track with the bowed double bass rumbling as if the earthquake was happening, to the very calm climates of Striaton and Taranaki, we are dealing with a fairly acoustic fusion much like the first two albums of Weather Report. Only the title track is really more upbeat as well as the second part of Crude Blues.

Side 2 is definitely where things pick up, especially with Boogaloo and the self-explanatory Torrid Zone (bound to be a concert favourite) and then comes the hi-energy feel big enough to light a city. We can hear how Jenkins is paving hell with his delicate Fender Rhodes piano layers and Marshall being an extremely intuitive drummer. But the star here especially on the second part of the album is Chris Spedding (that's right Mr. Punk Motorcycle of '77 single fame) with a much understated but still flamboyant style. Smith, Carr and Jenkins also adding some aerial horns layers, making this debut album a classic, but much better is to come.

Sean Trane

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=8693

 Chris Spedding / guitars
- Karl jenkins / piano, Hohner Electra piano, oboe, baritone saxophone
- Brian Smith / tenor & soprano saxes, flute
- Ian Carr / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Jeff Clyne / acoustic & electric bass
- John Marshall / drums, percussion

Artwork: Roger Dean

LP Vertigo ‎- 6360 008 (1970, UK)