Epic Forest
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Album Summary
Epic Forest was laid down in 1972, a time when Rare Bird was stretching their wings and pushing deeper into the progressive rock territories they had first mapped out with their debut. Released on Charisma Records — that beloved British home for adventurous sounds — the album was produced with a cinematic sweep that matched its grand title. The band, riding the momentum of their surprise continental European success, brought a lush orchestral ambition to these sessions, blending heavy keyboard textures with rock grit and an almost spiritual sense of drama. It arrived at a moment when progressive rock was hungry for new voices, and Rare Bird delivered something that felt both urgent and timeless.
Reception
- Epic Forest found its warmest embrace in continental Europe, particularly in Italy and France, where Rare Bird had cultivated a fiercely devoted following who responded deeply to the album's sweeping, emotional grandeur.
- In the UK, the album received modest attention — critics acknowledged the band's ambition but the record did not break through to mainstream chart success at home, a frustrating pattern for a group that consistently outpaced their domestic recognition abroad.
- The record was appreciated by the progressive rock press of the era as a bold artistic statement, with reviewers noting the cinematic weight of the title track and the emotional range across both sides of the vinyl.
Significance
- Epic Forest stands as one of the more underappreciated jewels of early 1970s British progressive rock, a record that demonstrated how keyboards and orchestration could carry a rock album with real emotional muscle rather than mere technical showmanship.
- The album deepened Rare Bird's legacy as pioneers of the keyboard-driven progressive rock sound, sitting comfortably alongside the era's great organ and piano-led records while maintaining a raw, soulful energy all their own.
- Tracks like the majestic title suite 'Epic Forest' and the haunting 'Fears Of The Night' reveal a band willing to explore dark, introspective emotional territory — pushing progressive rock toward something more vulnerable and human than the genre often allowed.
Tracklist
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A1 Baby Listen 142
3:27
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A2 Hey Man 145
5:55
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A3 House In The City 127
4:27
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A4 Epic Forest 131
9:14
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B1 Turning The Lights Out 128
4:41
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B2 Her Darkest Hour 140
3:35
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B3 Fears Of The Night 127
3:20
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B4 Turn It All Around 135
4:46
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B5 Title No. 1 Again (Birdman) 155
6:08
Artist Details
Rare Bird were a British progressive rock outfit who emerged from the late 1960s London scene with a bold, keyboard-heavy sound that set them apart from the guitar-dominated rock of their peers — these cats were letting the organ and piano do the heavy lifting before it was fashionable. They scored a remarkable pan-European hit with 'Sympathy' in 1970, a record that caught fire across the continent and proved that progressive ambition could reach a wide, emotional audience hungry for something deeper. Through the early 1970s, Rare Bird continued to craft albums of genuine artistry, never quite receiving the full recognition their talent deserved at home, but forever treasured by those lucky enough to have found them.
