Skin Alley

Skin Alley’s 1969 eponymous debut showcased some of the most creative and mystical moments of the U.K. progressive rock scene. In just under five minutes the opening “Living In Sin” seamlessly traverses the topographies of jazz, British R&B, psychedelic rock and summery soft rock while retaining a recognizable thread throughout. The following “Tell Me” downshifts into an acoustic-based folk-rock ballad that blossoms into complex arrangements peppered with dueling Hammond organs played by Thomas Crimble and Krzysztof Henryk Justkiewicz. The dramatic “Mother Please Help Your Child” recalls “Knife Edge” — Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s adaptation of Leoš Janáček’s “Sinfonietta.” Some bouncy Dave Brubeck-inspired rhythms open “Marsha” as busy double organ leads get tangled over the bass and drums before unraveling to make way for some of the album’s best saxophone playing. Fans of medieval music need look no further than the lovely instrumental “Country Aire” where harpsichord and woodwinds dance together like woodland sprites.