Properly termed a Vincent Crane solo album, but so dominated by Arthur Brown's preternatural vocals that the billing has been totally flipped, the oft misspelled Taro Rota album was originally conceived around 1975, when Crane and wife-to be Jeannie Crane found their shared interest in Tarot cards spilling over into their songwriting. (The pair used to offer Tarot readings at fetes and fairs.) A 22-minute opus arranged for orchestra and more, Taro it was a fascinating piece of work, but far too ambitious to ever be realized. Even Crane's otherwise-enthusiastic publishers were willing only to fund a ten-minute demo, which was recorded later in 1975 with Arthur Brown and a full band -- it is this piece which leads off the 1997 Voiceprint CD, alongside Crane's own piano demo of the full work. The original Taro Rota did not remain entirely unheard. Atomic Rooster's valedictory Headline News album lifted elements for the songs "Time" and "Machine," although little more than the melody will prepare the listener for the full Taro Rota experience. Nor, of course, does the music presented here. Despite a spellbinding Brown recital, the band performance is just a shade too clunky to capture the full dynamic of the Cranes' vision, while the piano rendition is by necessity too Spartan. But both allow one to dream of what could have been -- and it is a wonderful dream.
Review by "Dave Thompson" (www.allmusic.com).
RATING: 7.75 / 10
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