Various Artists-Picnic-A Breath Of Fresh Air (1970)

“Picnic - A Breath of Fresh Air” was another promotional album that record labels released at a fairly affordable price to showcase part of their artist catalog. This particular one was released by Harvest, the progressive rock branch of EMI Records. In a way, besides promoting their artists, the release of these samplers was intended to rival contemporary labels such as Deram from Decca Records or Vertigo from Mercury Records, among others, which were also focused on the most avant-garde sounds of the late 60s and early 70s. The diversity of this album reflects the different types of bands and styles that flew under the Harvest banner, giving the listener a kind of historical document. Composed of the label's most promising bands, it includes everything from the dark and avant-garde; From Quatermass, Pete Brown and Piblokto, Third Ear Band, The Pretty Things or The Greatest Show on the Earth, to the more media-savvy and established like Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Edgar Broughton Band, Syd Barrett, Roy Harper, Kevin Ayers or Barclay James Harvest, passing through other lesser-known ones like Forest, Tea and Symphony, Bakerloo, or Shirley & Dolly Collins, forming with all of them a diverse mix of folk, hard rock, blues & jazz rock and heavy prog.