via Prog Archives:
“FEFB’s debut album could easily be considered Far Out’s second album as the group had recorded one of the earliest prog album under that name. The early releases had a spacey sound that reminded much of Floyd although there was a slight Eastern accent mixed in with a more cosmic feel. The sextet, two guitarists and two keyboardists (among which future new age superstars Kitaro, Akira Ito and Myia[&*!#]a), developed a very interesting and often exciting space rock, which had the intelligence of not over- indulging itself. The album is a concept album as “The Cave” is arriving onto our planet, and the group is generally celebrating the beauties of nature. Obviously heavily influenced by Floyd (From AHM to DSOTM era), the group lays down some very credible ambiances that even Floyd could’ve pulled off. Of course, the similarities are no accident, because the guitars often sound like Gilmour’s, while some keyboards layers could easily have been from Wright. The album glides smoothly, but not unnoticed, because they are enough delightful moments to make you forgive them for their too-obvious influences. And as if to prove me wrong the closing track, the 11-min Transmigration shows more Moody Blues vocal harmonies over a pedestrian Floyd soundscape, the whole thing underlined by a Mellotron and ending on newborn’s crying before picking up again (hey Nick Mason is on drums, right?) only tohave a siren warn us that the album is over. This album will draw Klaus Schulze’s attention and he will collaborate with FEFB on their next album (a rehash of the first two albums’ highlights for the European market) Nipponjin and again for Parallel World. In the meantime this album often gets overlooked, but it fully deserves the proghead’s attention, as much as their Far Out release. I rounded this album to a fourth star, for I always liked this one, even if it is far from perfect.”
via Rare Music Shop:
“Regarded by many as the first Japanese progressive rock group, the Far East Family Band, whose first album release was under the name Far Out, released The Cave Down To Earth in 1975. Influential in the creation of the band’s distinctive psychedelic sound was keyboard player Kitaro, who went on the establish himself as a major New Age artist in the ‘80s. Although the band was often categorized as New Age too, their sound was distinctly progressive and often brought comparisons with Tangerine Dream and early Pink Floyd. The ethereal, space-rock quality of the band’s music is hear in abundance but the centerpiece is without doubt the title track, with which starts off in a mellow mood but then becomes a killer guitar jam. For music fans that have yet to discover the delights of ‘70s Japanese psychedelic rock, The Cave Down To Earthy is a fabulous introduction.”
Far East Family Band
Cave Down To The Earth
(Mu Land, 1975)
MediaFire DL Link
01. Undiscovered Northern Land [MP3]
02. Birds Flying To The Cave Down To The Earth
03. The God Of Water
04. Saying To The Land
05. The God Of Wind
06. Moving, Looking, Trying, Jumping In A Maze
07. Wa, Wa (Yamato)
08. Mystery Of Northern Space
09. The Cave, Down To The Earth
10. Four Minds
11. Transmigration
