From discogs:
Chicago band formed in 1975 by HP Lovecraft's drummer Michael Tegza with vocalist Lalomie Washburn.
Love Craft released their only album on Mercury Records in 1975, but the record sold poorly and, as a result, the band were dropped by their label and disbanded shortly thereafter.
In 1980, Tegza and Love Craft guitarist Frankie Capek reunited to form a second version of the band, recruiting vocalist Marc Scherer and bassist Mark Gardner to complete the line-up. With a repertoire consisting of contemporary pop music and older psychedelic material, the band garnered some label interest, but broke up before they had secured a recording contract, due to Scherer leaving the band.
Since then, Tegza has become a Pastor and currently lives in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Some lovely funky and accessible rock with vocals, very professionally played, entertaining and with occasionally the song you just want to hear again and again such as Nora:
Or Your Smile:
Note the full and all-out reliance on electric guitars and synths, so enjoyable. The singer (Lalomie Washburn) sounds a lot like Renee Geyer (RIP), doesn't she.
I remember listening to the predecessor band and being distinctly unimpressed.
Here's a great little symphonic prog rock album, with info here, that I was not aware of heretofore.
As it happens it was extensively reviewed on rateyourmusic, consider:
Arabesque is a forgotten band from USA progressive movement from the '70's. The album Tales of power is released in 2002 but containing recordings from 1973 to 1978. When I first listen to this album I was kinda shocked how '70's they sound, didn't know that this pieces are originally composed in the '70's. After digging in their history I found out that they couldn't manage to put on market the album in first place, and Shroom records trace the album and re released him in 2002. The music Arabesque plays is eleborate symphonic prog with excellent musicianship, long instrumental passages and brilliant interplay between guirat and keys. Over this instrumental arrangements the warm voice of August Smarra make this album worth investigate if you are in this kind of music. Sometimes they remind me of Genesis or Camel but not a copy , they have their own sound. All the pieces stands as good , not a weak moment. So a good album, deserve 3.5 stars for sure.
I agree that it's about a 3.5, no higher than that, a bit oversold. The sound of the recording is not ideal at all which for me detracts quite a bit from the enjoyment, given everything is somewhat lacking in clarity. It sounds also like the great US Cathedral's Stained Glass Stories at times-- but don't get too excited, the compositions are obviously not as strong. The singer rolls his r's in typical ersatz Genesis style, we have unusual key changes, hammond organ and synths, abrupt rhythm changes, etc.
As the Novelty Wears:
British-american band, discogged here, formed in 1974 by Bobby Tench.
These guys did a nice smooth and easy on the ears mixture of pop funk songs with fusion in a highly technically competent manner.
From the 1st album from the middle of that great musical decade, Horrors is a bright little instrumental with some nice chord changes, love that funk-fusion mix that Brecker Bros did so well:
From the 2nd, Gypsy Sky:
From the last album, Anaconda:
Quite a bit of nice music to enjoy on these forgotten LPs.
The Flight of Fancy turned out to be good, with some nice moments beyond the library generic.
Title track:
I also found the one he did with the Karel Krautgartner Big Band which wasn't as good.