British band Room offers progressive rock with strong bluesy overtones and even some excursions into jazzy territory, without ever leaving their rock foundations. A host of instruments, both strings and brass enliven the music, though at times it tends to get a bit too brassy. Jane Kevern sings well, but without much ability for different moods. Luckily the guitar parts are good too, so although more diversity in atmosphere would have made the record excellent, it is now not more than plain good. The arrangement of the final track Cemetery Junction with its unexpected foray into late 19th century symphonical, lifts this cut above the rest. This in fact refers to the major traffic crossroads in central Bournemouth (where the band were resident at the time). A Blandford Forum band, they won an NME 'Beat Contest'. Shortly after Pre-Flight was released John Hutcheson, who'd been in Ginger Man with drummer Bob Jenkins, joined the band on organ.(MK) 01 - Pre-Flight - Parts I & II 02 - Where Did I Go Wrong 03 - No Warmth In My Life 04 - Big John Blues 05 - Andromeda 06 - War 07 - Cemetery Junction - Parts I & II LINK
