Fable - 1974 - Fable

Fable 
1974 
Fable

01. See My Face – 2:53
02. She Knows How To Love Me – 3:40
03. Same Key – 3:32
04. Four Horsemen – 3:17
05. Speak Your Mind – 4:05
06. Hard Life – 3:20
07. Madolin – 2:50
08. Thick As A Plank – 2:11
09. Google Eye Eye – 2:27
10. Old Queen  — 2:55

Personnel:
Mac Bailey — guitar
Peter Goalby — lead vocals, guitar, mandolin
Peter Mackie — bass, vocals
Paul Robbins — keyboards, bass, vocals
Keith Tully – drums

British quintet, Fable, are perhaps better known for their connections to Trapeze and Uriah Heep than they are for their own music. The Wolverhampton band came together in 1973, with Peter Goalby at the helm handling vocals and guitar. The lineup also included Mac Bailey (guitar), Peter Mackie (bass), Paul Robbins (keyboards) and Keith Tully (drums). Their history is a bit blurry, but the band had a very short lifespan. Magnet Records (owned by Alvin Stardust) picked up the band after hearing demos they'd been working on and in 1974, "Fable" was issued. The response was tepid at best and after a few short mini-tours of the UK, Fable disbanded. Goalby and Mackie would later resurface in a late period lineup of Trapeze. By 1980, Goalby had joined Uriah Heep and remained with them for several years and albums.

The album here is a somewhat schizophrenic affair, with the band bouncing between folk, hard rock, pop and celtic themes. Though this scattershot approach does absolutely nothing for consistency, there are nevertheless some excellent songs here. "Mandolin" is an excellent track, pairing traditional celtic sounds with pop to superb effect. "Thick As a Plank" sounds like something you'd expect from Lovin' Spoonful and is another highlight here. The harder edged numbers here like "Hard Life" and "See My Face", are also great. At least half the album (predominantly the second half) is excellent, though there are really only a handful of throwaways.