Flash

Another borderline entry here at The “I-Own-Every-Record-You’d-Never-Buy” CD Consumer’s Guide, Flash’s self-titled debut features a handful of big no-no’s in the land of the obscure and home of the rare: Two famous musicians (former Yes members Peter Banks and Tony Kaye), a US Top 30 single (“Small Beginnings”) and a spot on the Billboard Top 200 album chart (#33). Here’s hoping you are still scratching your head in mild bewilderment. First released in 1972 on Sovereign Records, Flash is standard-issue progressive hard rock, its finer points accentuated by the impressive guitar work of Banks. “Small Beginnings” was the hit—the single version knocks almost six minutes off the original album-length version—but “Children of the Universe” and “Dreams of Heaven” chart similar waters: Sharp keyboard flourishes, biting guitar solos, and extended, intricate musical passages. Lead singer Colin Curtis’s affected vocals are an acquired taste, but the band seems far more interested in flexing its instrumental chops anyway. Flash released two more albums—the cover art for In the Can features a different if just as suggestive part of the female anatomy—before calling it a day. Banks pursued a solo career, while Kaye formed a short-lived group called Badger.

Notes: Here is the full-length album version of “Small Beginnings:” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2vwJBnJq7o. Also, check out the band’s official web site: http://www.psychosync.info/.