PETER GREEN Debut Album

Original released on LP Reprise RSLP 9006

(UK 1970, November 20)

When you listen to this album, you get the feeling it was more of a jamming session that was scrapped together for our listening privilege. It probably was just a jamming session, but it was ahead of its time in that respect, look at all the CD release of old bands jam sessions. It bogs down in parts, but to hear Peter Green on this album makes me sad that he dropped out of music immediately as his "Then Play On" album and then this album was a different and unique brand of music / blues and it would have been nice to have something different during the early 70's. Each track here is instrumental, and each carries its own flavor. The opener, "Bottom's Up", features a driving blues-rock jam with Green running cricles around his fretboard. "Timeless Time" is slower, more psychedelic in nature, with a slight avant-garde jazz feeling. "Descending Scale" is another phychedelic workout that's more like a trip than a song, with each player finding room to explore. "Burnt Foot" is a more stright ahead, driving heavy blues rock piece with some heavy drumming and killer bass lines. "Hidden Game" starts out sounding almost like mid 70's jammin' Grateful Dead, with Green's guitar tone eerily like Jerry's. Then the song slows down and becomes yet another psychedelic soaked ride, reminiscent of Pink Floyd's more piano dominated tracks, with a slow yet wicked solo. The final cut, and title track, "The End of the Game", is simply a masterpiece. Green and company break out the free-form element in the extreme. Green's guitar howls, moans, wails, cries and even sighs, all the while surrounded by hazy bass and crashing, scattered drumming. However impressed I had been with the great guitar work of Mr. Peter Green, after hearing this gem of an album I'm even more impressed. Highly recommended.