SAMURAI -samurai- rare ORIG LP 1971 greenwich prog NM

	£		310
	$		411

Artist: SAMURAI

Title: SAMURAI

Format: LP

Label: GREENWICH GRAMOPHONE COMPANY, UK (GSLP 1003)

Year: 1971

Style: rock, progressive

Info: Ultra rare original UK pressing which sold poorly on release and hence is virtually impossible to find these days, especially in this condition!

Has first press 1W/1W matrix numbers.

"In 1971, British band Web abruptly changed its name to Samurai and released this self-titled set, its sole contribution to the prog rock canon. Adding a second brass player and somewhat lightening its sound, the band still continued down many of the same jazzy pathways as its predecessor. However, across seven tracks Samurai meanders down rather diverse byways. "Saving It Up for So Long," for instance, bundles along like Caravan, its bluesy guitar inflections offset by the brass' improv jazz stylings. Even more R&B-inflected is "Give a Little Love," boasting wah wah guitar, a stomping riff, and some quite sassy sax. In contrast, "More Rain" is as soft, warm, and shimmering as a summer drizzle, and gives credence to the group's inclusion in the Canterbury scene. Its polar opposite is the bustling "Holy Padlock," which trundles down a rural road with the farmland flying by, until the song's shifting time signatures shake up the ride. But it's the eight-plus-minute "As I Dried the Tears Away" that's Samurai's centerpiece, a constantly mood-altering and style-twisting extravaganza that brings to mind King Crimson on acid making a regal procession around a breathtaking musical realm. Thoroughly unique, Samurai apparently committed hari-kari after this album was released. Singer/keyboardist Dave Lawson would eventually rise again with Greenslade, his restrained vocals on this set barely hinting at what was to come. This record will well please all prog rock fans." ( All music guide )

Comes in original nicely designed gatefold picture sleeve, and is complete with original polythene lined company inner sleeve (which is correctly dated 8/71).

Pressed on top quality heavyweight vinyl, this is a highly desirable album. They don't make records like this anymore..!

Seven tracks:-

-side 1:
SAVING IT UP FOR SO LONG
MORE RAIN
MAUDIE JAMES
HOLY PADLOCK

-side 2:
GIVE A LITTLE LOVE
FACE IN THE MIRROR
AS I DRIED THE TEARS AWAY

Vinyl in near mint condition! Looks nicely clean and shiny, and is virtually immaculate with just a tiny amount of extremely faint sleeve wear, which can only really be seen under close scrutiny in direct sunlight. Plays very smoothly and clearly, and to be honest i think this record has probably been played less than five times!
Labels are perfectly clean with no writing or stickers. On side 1 i can only make out one very small and faint spindle mark, and on side 2 i can see three small faint spindle marks. Looks to me like the owner of this album never really got into it, maybe played side 1 a couple of times and only got as far as playing side 2 just once or twice!
Sleeve in excellent, probably excellent+ condition and looks superb with just areas of light general wear. Front and back faces have just light shelf/rub wear and no creases. One very faint small surface mark on front in top right corner where probably a price sticker has been removed. Light scuffs on corners, and a very small amount of light wear on spines. The main spine is the cleanest with virtually no wear at all and is still intact with the title writing perfectly readable. Opening edges are still fairly sharp with just light wear in places. Inside looks super with very minimal faint rub wear. No writing, stickers, or creases anywhere.
Inner sleeve in EX++/near mint condition and looks very tidy with sharp edges, no splits and just a couple of faint creases.

Selling lots of similar stuff this week so please check my other auctions..!

I grade the condition according to UK standards.

Will be posted in strong professional packaging to avoid damage in transit.

I do combined postage rates if you are thinking of buying more than one item.















 301 (GS 5.3.1 (301))