Raw Material-Time Is (1971)

Let's look at another of those strange and obscure bands from the late sixties, this time a British group called Raw Material. They had a little over two years of history, but during that time they released several very interesting albums within the nascent and early prog rock scene. Raw Material was founded in London in 1969, and its lineup consisted of guitarist Dave Green, drummer Paul Young, vocalist and wind instrument player Michael Fletcher, bassist Phil Gunn, and keyboardist Colin Catt. Under RCA's progressive label, Neon Records, they released their self-titled debut album in 1970. On it, the British band showcased a fascinating array of sonic diversity with elements of jazz, blues, and psychedelic music, all bathed in a dark and atmospheric backdrop, giving it an avant-garde sound. A year later came their second and final album, "Time Is", where they reinforced their progressive approach, with a style akin to what bands like Van Der Graaf Generator or early King Crimson were doing at the time, fused with elements of powerful rock related to their contemporaries Uriah Heep or the early Deep Purple. "Time Is" stands out for its enormous sonic diversity, ranging from heavy passages with powerful guitars, organ and synthesizer sounds, and wind instruments like the saxophone and flute, to more atmospheric and symphonic developments. Tracks like "Insolent Day", "Empty House", "Ice Queen", and "Awakening" completed an album that, while not a contemporary classic, contains a solid collection of tracks focused on early progressive rock. Unfortunately, it didn't achieve much further success due to its limited commercial impact, and Raw Material disbanded shortly after the release of this interesting album.