Comparable Bands?

Fruupp has been compared to a number of other bands.  Might there be some roots to Fruupp's unique blend of prog-rock and Irish folk music?  Here are some bands Fruupp's music has been compared to, broken into two groups: well-known bands and lesser-known bands.  If you'd like to add to the list, feel free to e-mail the friendly web-meister (robertc@berkeley.edu).


Well-Known Bands

    Genesis.  If there's any big-name prog-rock act that Fruupp most gets compared to, it has to be Genesis.  Some suggest that Fruupp, who evidently opened for Genesis on at least one tour, was influenced by Genesis's mega-sound -- see, for instance, a review by M. Ohman at the New Gibralta Encylopedia of Progressive Rock.  Even the Russian site, Hard Rock Cafe, sees the Genesis connection (assuming you read Russian). Not everyone agrees.  E-mails V. Lyons: "Fruupp's music was regularly compared to Genesis; I never heard the resemblance".  Another review finds the organ on Wise as Wisdom (from Seven Secrets) in the vein of Genesis's Return of the Giant Hogweed; Genesis connections are made between White Eyes (Seven Secrets) and Tony Banks' Trick of the Tail, Three Spires (Seven Secrets) and early Ant Phillips, Prince of Darkness (Prince of Heaven's Eyes) and Peter Gabriel sometimes sinisterly performances, and Misty Morning Way (Modern Masquerades) and Steve Hackett's unique guitar sound. 

   Yes.  Another popular act that Fruupp supposedly falls within the same genre is Yes, at least according to one (now defunct) Swedish review.  Alan Gitlin, who once ran a web page devoted to 1970's music, also compared Fruupp to Yes.  Geoffrey Freakes sees a connection between Decisions intermixing of heavy guitars and strings to Yes's Time and a Word album.

    Emerson, Lake, and Palmer.  The announcer of Fruupp's July 1973 Cork show noted similarities between Fruupp's "laid-back sounds" and those of ELP.  V. Lyons, who attended and reviewed the show, disagreed.   Also, the vocals of Fruupp's 'Elizabeth', which starts with Handel's 'Arrival of the Queen of Sheeba', have been compared to those of Greg Lake's early work with ELP.

   Paul McCartney/The Beatles.  Probably a stretch for most ears, however one reviewer, Fredrikoo, finds parallels between Fruupp's first album, and particularly "Decisions", and music by the fab four's bassist/songster.  Another review links Janet Planet to The Magical Mystery Tour. 

    King Crimson.  An even greater stretch is the parallel between Fruupp and Crimson (other than Fripp's name is spelled similarly and Ian McDonald produced Modern Masquerades), though according to T. White, Fruupp was "over on the very edge of Crimsonness". Another review opines that Graveyard Epistle was a harbinger of Crimson's later style of interplaying tricky guitar and synths.  (Ed. I find some similarities between Fruupp's thematic work, notably The Prince of Heaven's Eyes, and Crimson's first two albums; in terms of Crimson's lineage, there are closer parallels between Fruupp and the one and only self-titled album of original Crimson members, McDonald and Giles.  R.C.) 

    Pink Floyd.  In his 1st Annual GBTECFIE Award (Greatest Band that Ever Came from Ireland Ever), blogger Trent writes: "Fruupp’s mixing of atmospheric organs with melodic, British Invasion style guitars is meticulous and well crafted, kind of like a more accessible version of Pink Floyd".

  Barclay James Harvest, PFM, Banco, Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, Horslips, Greenslade, Deep Purpose, ELO, Pink Floyd, The Enid, Gryphon, Jan Ackerman, Anthony Phillips, The Who, Chopin, Ennio Morricone, Andy Latimer, John Lees, Steve Hackett, Saga, The Beatles, Supertramp, Crosby Stills and Nash. In one single review, Geoffrey Feakes finds parallels between the musicality of Fruupp and this rather eclectic mix of mainstream, edgy, and largely unknown artists.  


Lesser-Known Bands

    Druid.  Druid's brilliant Yes-influenced album, Toward the Sun, has touches of Fruupp according to several on-line reviews from the past. Tommy of Tommy's Forest of Progressive Rock finds similarities between Fruupp and Druid on the band's second and final album, Fluid Druid. (Ed.  Druid is highly recommended to any Fruupp fan.  R.C.)

    Spring.  A review at the Rolling Stone web-site finds musical similarities to that of the Wales-based band, Spring. (Ed.   While I love the mellotron-drenched sounds of Spring, I find the music of mellotron-less Fruupp to be more intricate; still Spring's one and only album is wonderful and recommended to any Fruupp fan.  R.C.)

     Kestrel.  On the Exposé Archive Review site, M. Mclathy writes: "Here's another mid seventies British prog rock albums with mellotron and sounding like Fruupp, Spring, Fantasy and all those I mentioned in the Cressida review".  As noted below, he also puts Cressida in the Fruupp-like camp.

    Elegant Simplicity.  A "melodic underground rock band" that blends the music of Fruupp, among others, according to I. Oakley and the Dutch Prog-Rock page.

    Carpe Diem.  A 70's French instrumental group said to have the "finesse" of Fruupp, according to former Swedish on-line review.

    Banished Bridge.  Mellow German prog music that is in the mold of Fruupp, according to a review formerly found on the web site of Kashmir Records.

     Lady Lake.  A pro-rock foursome that according to the Welcome to Musea website relished in flowing guitar arpeggios and crystal sounding keyboards, evoking the sound of Fruupp.

    Horslips.  A post on innovative progressive Irish music by Spanner of July 6, 2001 finds "remarkable similarity" between Horslips's The Unfortunate Cup of Tea and Fruupp's The Prince of Heaven's Eye.  Geoffrey Feakes finds similarities between Song for a Thought and Horslips Irish sound.  Vince Lyons notes that other innovative Irish bands of the time, representing the "pool" from which Fruupp emerged, include: Van Morrison, Skid Row (& Gary Moore), Mushroom, Peggy's Leg (& Jimmy Slevin), Firefly, and Thin Lizzie (Phil Lynott, Eric Bell, & Snowy White).

    Cressida.  The band's 1970 album, Asylum, is said to have a laid-back English style similar to Fruupp's, in a review by M. Mclatchy, adding this album is an "essential purchase" for anyone who likes Fruupp.  

    Nod.  British instrumental rock-fusion band influenced by Fruupp, as posted on the Vitaminic web site.

    Sindelfingen.  British folk and prog band that, according to the New Gibralta Encylopedia of Progressive Rock, "sounds similar to Fruupp".

   Fantasy.  Frans de Veer considers this to be a Fruupp-related band, especially the album Paint a Picture, released in 1973.

    Surprise.  A 1970's American prog band that according to a Swedish Review, The Missing Link, is cut from the same cloth as Fruupp.