line up 1 (1974)

- Andy Brown -- bass

- Gordon Neville -- vocals

- Phil Palmer -- lead guitar

- Jim Toomey -- drums, percussion

- Dave Williams -- guitar, keyboards

  supporting musicians: (1974)

- Ray Duffy -- drums, percussion

- David Lathwell -- rhythm guitar

- Be Sharp (Andy Brown)

- Beggars Opera (Gordon Neville)

- The Bliss Band (Andy Brown and Phil Palmer)

- The Alan Bown Set (Gordon Neville)

- Dog Soul (Jim Toomey)

- Fastbuck (Andy Brown)

- The House Band (Phil Palmer)

- Jon (Jim Toomey)

- Gordon Neville and Friends (Gordon Neville)

- New London Chorale (Gordon Neville)

- Phil Palmer Project (Phil Palmer)

- The Projection (Gordon Neville)

- The Rutles (Andy Brown)

- Satisfaction (Jim Toomey)

- Shades of Night (Phil Palmer)

- Spin 1nd 2wo (Phil Palmer)

- Still Life (Jim Toomey)

- Symphonica Band (Phil Palmer)

- Tiger (Andy Brown)

- Titus Groan (Jim Toomey)

- The Tourists (Jim Toomey)

- Troll (Phil Palmer)

- The Union (Jim Toomey)

- The Vegetarians of Love (Phil Palmer)

- Violinski (Andy Brown)

- K.Wallis B. and the Dark (Phil Palmer)

- The Warren Davis Monday Band (Phil Palmer)

- The Yellowcoats (Jim Toomey)

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title: Almost Abandoned

Company: Retreat

Catalog: RTL 6002
Year: 1974

Country/State: UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: UK pressing

Available: 1

Catalog ID: --

Price: $40.00

Given the line-up featured sort of a "B" league cast of UK  musical all-stars, I was surprised at how obscure this 1974 album is.  I spent quiet some time looking for a band biography, or even a review of their sole album.  No luck.  Even the always reliable Rate Your Music proved disappointing with a single, twenty-three word summary.

English guitarist Big Jim Sullivan was apparently the driving force behind Dragonfly.  In 1973 he started the small EMI affiliated Retreat label with producer Derek Lawrence.  One of the label's first signings was Dragonfly.  Before coming together as Dragonfly, the five member had carved out extended musical careers.  Under the name Fastbuck bassist Andy Brown had recently recorded an album with future Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham. Lead singer Gordon Neville had been a member of The Alan Bown and Projection.  Guitarist Phil Palmer was a well known studio musician.  Drummer Jim Toomey's was probably the best known member; his credits including a couple of mid-'60s singles with The Warren Davis Monday Band, Jon, Still Life and an album with Titus Groan.  At least to me, the one unknown as multi-instrumentalist Dave Williams.

Co-produced by Sullivan, and Lawrence 1974's "Dragonfly" featured a collection of eight band originals.  Largely penned by Neville and Williams, I've always found the album to be consistent, professional and occasionally really good.  Musically it's hard to categorize. Tracks like "Holy Mountain King" and "Friend of Mine" would not have sounded out of place on a mid-'70s pub-rock release. Many of the tracks paired up well with the best of pub rock bands like Brinsley Schwarz, Ducks Deluxe, or Nick Lowe  Elsewhere the title track," Feeling the Green Eyes" and "Since I' Left Home" reflected more of a country-rock flavor with dollops of English folk-rock and CSN&Y influences added to the mix.  Personal favorites - "Marseilles Queen" (which would have been an obvious choice for a single) and the single "Gondola" which reflected their stabs at a harder rocking sound.  The performances were uniformly strong with their years of collective experience clearly evident.  For a band that had only been playing as a unit for a short time, Dragonfly sounded remarkably tight and comfortable.  I even found myself growing fond of Neville's voice. I initially thought he was professional, but anonymous.  The more I listened to the set, the more I grew to like his voice.  Rather than anonymous, he was actually capable of easily handling a broad range of styles.  That kid of effortless versatility was rare.  Final words - Overlooked set worth picking up since you can still find cheap copies.

"Almost Abandoned" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Marseilles Queen (Gordon Neville - Dave Williams) - 4:29 rating: **** stars

Built on a growling Brown bass line, the almost funky "Marseilles Queen" was easily the standout performance.  With the addition of  a slinky melody, Neville's prowling vocals and Palmer's melodic lead guitar you could easily imagine this one on the airwaves.  

2.) Since I Left Home (Gordon Neville - Dave Williams)  - 4:29  rating: **** stars

I'm not a big folk fans, but the folk touches on the ballad "Since I Left Home" gave the tune a charming, almost bucolic edge. Loved Palmer's Telecaster solo on this one.  The song also appeared as the "B: side on their non-LP "Driving My Car" single.  

3.) Friend Of Mine  (Gordon Neville - Dave Williams) - 4:01 rating: **** stars

Powered by the band's sweet harmony vocals and a truly nice Phil Palmer solo, the bouncy, radio-friendly "Friend of Mine" made me rethink my earlier comments about the band's lack of presence and Neville's warm and commercial vocals.   While it wasn't exactly a slice of pub rock, or new wave, it was every bit as good and catchy as a good Nick Lowe composition.  In fact, I would have picked it as a single.

4.) My Lady's Answer (Gordon Neville - Dave Williams) - 5:43 rating: *** chops

An okay jazz tinged ballad, "My Lady's Answer" provided Palmer with an opportunity to turn in his prettiest solo.  Brown and Williams also got to showcase their bass and keyboard chops.  Ultimately this one came off as little more than a filler track.

(side 2)
1.) Gondola (Gordon Neville - Dave Williams - Johnson) - 3:43 rating: **** stars

The opening strumming guitars and Gordon Neville's vocals momentarily reminded me of an English version of Patrick Simmons and The  Doobie Brothers.  From there "Gondola" bounced between early America and an English country-rock sound.  Can't say the lyrics were any great shakes ("here in my gondola, traveling far; here in my gondola it's better than traveling by car ..."), but the song was certainly one of the album's more commercial efforts.  It was released as the debut single:

- 1974's "Gondola" b/w "Almost Abandoned" (Retreat catalog number RTS 257)

2.) Feeling the Green Eyes (Gordon Neville - Dave Williams) - 4:26 rating; **** stars

"Feeling the Green Eyes" added a nice Poco/Buffalo Springfield flavor to the mix with Palmer trotting out some of his trademarked slide guitar moves. Always liked Brown's flowing bass line on this one.  Another track that would have made a nice single.

3.) Almost Abandoned (Gordon Neville - Dave Williams) - 3:26 rating: *** stars

Powered by pretty finger-picking acoustic guitars, the title track blended a country-rock melody with some folk influences.  It was all rather sweet considering I don't really appreciate folk music.  Shame the song faded out just as Palmer's double tracked guitar solo was kicking into gear.  The song also appeared as the "B" side on their obscure "My Gondola" 45.

4.) Holy Mountain King (Gordon Neville - Dave Williams - David Lathwell - Andy Brown) - 6:20 rating; **** stars

With four of the five members contributing to the writing chores, "Holy Mountain King" was another radio-friendly country-rocker.  Neville turned in one of his nicest vocals; the song sporting a killer chorus.

Sounding like a mid-'70s Free tune (with Andy Frazier on lead vocals), Retreat also released a surprisingly taunt blues-rocking non-LP single:

- 1975's "Driving My Car" b/w "Since I Left My Home" (Retreat catalog number RTS 261)

For some reason in 1990 Uwe Tessnow's German Line Records label elected to reissue the album in CD format (Line catalog number RTCD 9.01179 O).  Bet it was a big profit maker.

 © Scott R. Blackerby June 2026