National Health (album): Difference between revisions

National Health
National Health
Studio album by National Health
Released	February 1978
Recorded	February – March 1977
Studio	The Point, Victoria, London, on the Mobile Mobile
Genre	Jazz fusion, progressive rock, avant-garde
Length	49:58
Label	Affinity Records, Esoteric Recordings (Reissue)
Producer	Mike Dunne
National Health chronology

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Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[2]

National Health is the first album recorded by the progressive rock and jazz fusion group National Health, one of the last representatives of the artistically prolific Canterbury scene.^[3] Although it was created during the rise of punk, the album is characterized by lengthy, elaborate and mostly instrumental compositions that combine prog and jazz elements.

Critical reception

In a retrospective review, All About Jazz wrote that "revisiting the disc over 30 years later reveals a strength in composition, improvisation and orchestration/arrangement that makes it another high point in the careers of everyone involved."^[4] In his History of Progressive Rock, Paul Stump said that National Health "retains an askew charm, dominated by a wheezy, rough-and-reedy sound at odds with the amniotic sybaritism of most Progressive production jobs at the time." He opined that despite the album having been criticized for "excessive compositional rigour", the elaborate and inventive compositions actually enabled the soloists to be more adventurous.^[5] The Billboard Guide to Progressive Music called the album "easily the best of [National Health's] three releases."^[3]

Track listing

No.	Titel	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Tenemos Roads"	Dave Stewart	14:43
2.	"Brujo"	Alan Gowen	10:19
3.	"Borogoves (Excerpt from Part Two)"	Stewart	4:16
4.	"Borogoves (Part One)"	Stewart	6:37
5.	"Elephants"	Gowen, Stewart	14:37

Personnel

Phil Miller – electric guitar
Dave Stewart – acoustic piano, electric piano, organ (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5), Clavinet (track 3)
Pip Pyle – drums, glockenspiel (tracks 2, 5), pixiphone (track 5), gong (track 1), cowbell (track 1), tambourine (track 1), finger cymbals (track 2), shakers (track 2), bells (track 2)
Neil Murray – fretless bass guitar

with

Alan Gowen – acoustic piano (tracks 2, 5), electric piano, moog synthesizer
Jimmy Hastings – flute (tracks 1–3, 5), clarinet (tracks 3, 4), bass clarinet (track 1)
John Mitchell – percussion (track 1), güiro (track 2), temple block (track 2), conga (track 3)^[6]
Amanda Parsons – vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5)

References

^ Nickson, Chris. "National Health – National Health | AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 126.
^ ^a ^b Smith, Bradley (1997). The Billboard Guide to Progressive Music. Billboard Books. pp. 137–138.
^ Jazz, All About. "National Health: National Health / Of Queues and Cures article @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz.
^ Stump, Paul (1997). The Music's All that Matters: A History of Progressive Rock. Quartet Books Limited. p. 223. ISBN 0 7043 8036 6.
^ "AllMusic Review by Dave Lynch". allmusic.com. Retrieved 13 September 2010.

External links

National Health at Progarchives
Biography at Calyx Club
Discography
Gnosis website

[1] Nickson, Chris. "National Health – National Health | AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 27 August 2011.

[CL-2] Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 126.

[BL-3] Smith, Bradley (1997). The Billboard Guide to Progressive Music. Billboard Books. pp. 137–138.

[4] Jazz, All About. "National Health: National Health / Of Queues and Cures article @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz.

[5] Stump, Paul (1997). The Music's All that Matters: A History of Progressive Rock. Quartet Books Limited. p. 223. ISBN 0 7043 8036 6.

[6] "AllMusic Review by Dave Lynch". allmusic.com. Retrieved 13 September 2010.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-:''For the Maxïmo Park album, see ''[[The National Health (album)]].
+{{For|the Maxïmo Park album|The National Health (album)}}
+{{more citations needed|date=August 2020}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
 {{Infobox album| <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums -->
-| Name        = National Health
+| name        = National Health
-| Type        = Studio album
+| type        = Studio album
-| Artist      = [[National Health]]
+| artist      = [[National Health]]
-| Cover       = National_Health_cover.jpg
+| cover       = National_Health_cover.jpg
-| Released    = October 1977
+| released    = February 1978
-| Recorded    = February - March 1977
+| recorded    = February – March 1977
+| studio      = The Point, Victoria, London, on the Mobile Mobile
-| Genre       = [[Jazz fusion]], [[progressive rock]], [[psychedelic rock]], [[Neoclassicism_(music)|neo-classical]], [[Avant-garde music|avant-garde]]
+| genre       = [[Jazz fusion]], [[progressive rock]], [[Avant-garde music|avant-garde]]
-| Length      = 49:58
+| length      = 49:58
-| Label       = Affinity Records, Get Back Records
+| label       = Affinity Records, [[Esoteric Recordings]] (Reissue)
-| Producer    = Mike Dunne
+| producer    = Mike Dunne
-| Last album  =
+| next_title  = [[Of Queues and Cures]]
-| This album  = ''National Health''<br/>(1977)
+| next_year   = 1978
-| Next album  = ''[[Of Queues and Cures]]''<br/>(1978)
 }}
-{{Album ratings
+{{Music ratings
-| rev1      = [[Allmusic]]
+| rev1      = [[AllMusic]]
-| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/r45357 |title=National Health - National Health &#124; AllMusic |first=Chris |last=Nickson |work=allmusic.com |accessdate=27 August 2011}}</ref>
+| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/r45357 |title=National Health – National Health &#124; AllMusic |first=Chris |last=Nickson |work=Allmusic |accessdate=27 August 2011}}</ref>
-| rev2 = [[All About Jazz]]
+| rev2 =
+| rev2score =
-| rev2score = (not rated)<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=33636 |title=National Health: National Health / Of Queues and Cures |first=John |last=Kelman |work=allaboutjazz.com |date= 30 July 2009 |accessdate=28 March 2013}}</ref>
+|rev3 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
+|rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="CL">{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=6 |page=126}}</ref>
 |noprose=yes
 }}
-'''''National Health''''' is the first album recorded by the [[progressive rock]] and [[jazz fusion]] group [[National Health]], one of the last representatives of the artistically prolific [[Canterbury scene]]. Although it was created during the rise of [[Punk rock|Punk]], the album is characterized by lengthy, elaborate and mostly instrumental compositions that combine Prog and Jazz elements.
+'''''National Health''''' is the first album recorded by the [[progressive rock]] and [[jazz fusion]] group [[National Health]], one of the last representatives of the artistically prolific [[Canterbury scene]].<ref name="BL">{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Bradley |title=The Billboard Guide to Progressive Music |date=1997 |publisher=Billboard Books |pages=137–138}}</ref> Although it was created during the rise of [[Punk rock|punk]], the album is characterized by lengthy, elaborate and mostly instrumental compositions that combine prog and jazz elements.
+==Critical reception==
+In a retrospective review, ''[[All About Jazz]]'' wrote that "revisiting the disc over 30 years later reveals a strength in composition, improvisation and orchestration/arrangement that makes it another high point in the careers of everyone involved."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/national-health-national-health-of-queues-and-cures-by-john-kelman.php|title=National Health: National Health / Of Queues and Cures article @ All About Jazz|first=All About|last=Jazz|website=All About Jazz}}</ref> In his ''History of Progressive Rock'', Paul Stump said that ''National Health'' "retains an askew charm, dominated by a wheezy, rough-and-reedy sound at odds with the amniotic sybaritism of most Progressive production jobs at the time." He opined that despite the album having been criticized for "excessive compositional rigour", the elaborate and inventive compositions actually enabled the soloists to be more adventurous.<ref>{{cite book |last=Stump |first=Paul |title=The Music's All that Matters: A History of Progressive Rock |date=1997 |publisher=Quartet Books Limited |isbn=0 7043 8036 6 |page=223}}</ref> ''The Billboard Guide to Progressive Music'' called the album "easily the best of [National Health's] three releases."<ref name=BL/>
 ==Track listing==
+{{Track listing
-#"Tenemos Roads" – 14:43 ([[Dave Stewart (keyboardist)|Dave Stewart]])
+| title1          = Tenemos Roads
-#"Brujo" – 10:19 ([[Alan Gowen]])
+| writer1         = [[Dave Stewart (musician, born 1950)|Dave Stewart]]
-#"Borogoves (Excerpt from Part Two)" - 4:16 (Dave Stewart)
+| length1         = 14:43
-#"Borogoves (Part One)" - 6:37 (Dave Stewart)
+| title2          = Brujo
-#"Elephants" - 14:37 (Alan Gowen, Dave Stewart)
+| writer2         = [[Alan Gowen]]
+| length2         = 10:19
+| title3          = Borogoves (Excerpt from Part Two)
+| writer3         = Stewart
+| length3         = 4:16
+| title4          = Borogoves (Part One)
+| writer4         = Stewart
+| length4         = 6:37
+| title5          = Elephants
+| writer5         = Gowen, Stewart
+| length5         = 14:37
+}}
 ==Personnel==
-*[[Phil Miller]] - [[electric guitar]]
+*[[Phil Miller]] – [[electric guitar]]
-*[[Dave Stewart (keyboardist)|Dave Stewart]] - [[acoustic piano]], [[electric piano]], [[organ (music)|organ]] (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5), [[Clavinet]] (track 3)
+*[[Dave Stewart (musician, born 1950)|Dave Stewart]] – [[acoustic piano]], [[electric piano]], [[organ (music)|organ]] (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5), [[Clavinet]] (track 3)
-*[[Pip Pyle]] - [[drum kit|drums]], [[glockenspiel]] (tracks 2, 5), [[pixiephone]] (track 5), [[gong]] (track 1), [[cowbell]] (track 1), [[tambourine]] (track 1), [[finger cymbals]] (track 2), [[shakers]] (track 2), [[Sleigh bells|bells]] (track 2)
+*[[Pip Pyle]] – [[drum kit|drums]], [[glockenspiel]] (tracks 2, 5), [[pixiphone]] (track 5), [[gong]] (track 1), [[cowbell]] (track 1), [[tambourine]] (track 1), [[finger cymbals]] (track 2), [[shakers]] (track 2), [[Sleigh bell|bells]] (track 2)
-*[[Neil Murray (British musician)|Neil Murray]] - [[fretless bass guitar]] (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5), fretless basses (track 3)
+*[[Neil Murray (British musician)|Neil Murray]] – [[Fretless guitar|fretless bass guitar]]
 ''with''
-*[[Alan Gowen]] - [[acoustic piano]] (tracks 2, 5), [[electric piano]] (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5), [[moog synthesizer]]
+*[[Alan Gowen]] – [[acoustic piano]] (tracks 2, 5), [[electric piano]], [[moog synthesizer]]
-*[[Jimmy Hastings]] - [[flute]] (tracks 1, 2, 5), flutes (track 3), [[clarinet]] (tracks 3, 4), [[bass clarinet]] (track 1)
+*[[Jimmy Hastings]] – [[flute]] (tracks 1–3, 5), [[clarinet]] (tracks 3, 4), [[bass clarinet]] (track 1)
-*[[John Mitchell (drummer)|John Mitchell]]{{dn|date=May 2012}}<ref>{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r45357|pure_url=yes}} |title=allmusic ((( National Health > Credits ))) |publisher=www.allmusic.com |accessdate=2010-09-13 }}</ref> - [[percussion]] (track 1), [[güiro]] (track 2), [[temple block]] (track 2), [[conga]] (track 3)
+*John Mitchell – [[percussion]] (track 1), [[güiro]] (track 2), [[wooden fish|temple block]] (track 2), [[conga]] (track 3)<ref>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r45357|pure_url=yes}} |title=AllMusic Review by Dave Lynch |publisher=allmusic.com |accessdate=13 September 2010}}</ref>
-*[[Amanda Parsons]] - [[singing|vocals]] (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5)
+*Amanda Parsons – [[singing|vocals]] (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5)
 ==References==
@@ Line 47: / Line 65: @@
 ==External links==
-*[http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=257 National Health] at [http://www.progarchives.com/ Progarchives]
+*[http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=257 National Health] at Progarchives
-*[http://calyx.club.fr/nathealth/index.html Biography] at [http://calyx.club.fr/ Calyx Club]
+*[http://www.calyx-canterbury.fr/nathealth/index.html Biography] at Calyx Club
-*[http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andymurkin/Resources/MusicRes/Canterbury/NatHealth/NatHistory.html Discography]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080218053852/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andymurkin/Resources/MusicRes/Canterbury/NatHealth/NatHistory.html Discography]
 *[http://www.gnosis2000.net/ Gnosis website]
-{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2011}}
+{{Authority control}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:National Health (album)}}
 [[Category:National Health albums]]
-[[Category:1977 debut albums]]
+[[Category:1978 debut albums]]