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During its relatively short existence, British rock band Family went through a number of personnel and stylistic changes.  Cherry Red’s Esoteric label has been expanding the Family catalogue, with the band’s fifth album, Fearless, having arrived in a 3CD edition late last year.  A re-press of the 2CD expanded edition of their third album, A Song for Me, is due on March 1.

Family had its origins in Leicester, largely putting the East Midlands city on the British rock map.  Vocalist Roger Chapman and guitarist John “Charlie” Whitney comprised the band’s songwriting team; drummer Rob Townsend was the only other mainstay throughout their career.  Nominally in the prog-rock vein, Family incorporated jazz, folk, country, and rock-and-roll textures into their music which earned them a cult following.  Fearless was recorded after the arrival of John Wetton to the lineup on bass (as well as guitars and keyboards).  For the first time, Family had a member capable of sharing the lead vocals with Chapman as well as singing harmonies.  (The five-man band was rounded out by John “Poli” Palmer, a member since late 1969, on keyboards, vibes, flute, and percussion.)

Fearless showed off its progressive bona fides with its happy flitting from one genre to another.  The opening “Between Blue and Me” veers from soft folk to heavy rock, anchored by Chapman’s distinctive, vibrato-laden voice and the band’s thunderous instrumental attack.  The raucous “Sat’d’y Barfly” is propelled by barroom piano, a ragged singalong in Faces mode.  The funky, musically shifting “Larf and Sing” has few parallels, blending proto-disco with jazz harmony interludes and wah-wah guitar.  “Spanish Tide” showcases Whitney’s acoustic tone in a prog opus, while The Ladbroke Horns add color to the Side One closer, “Save Some for Thee.”  Side Two is very nearly as eclectic, with the lengthy instrumental “Take Your Partners” allowing each member’s musical contributions to shine.  “Children” places Family back in folk-rock territory, with a Laurel Canyon touch to the vocal harmonies.  “Crinkly Grin” is a brief snatch of a driving jazz instrumental with prominent vibes, leading into another prog workout, “Blind.”  Fearless – having lived up to its name – concludes with the dark, moody “Burning Bridges.”

Adorned with a striking cover design by John Kosh, Fearless more than respectably peaked at No. 14 on the U.K. Albums Chart.  It became Family’s first LP to crack the Billboard Top LPs and Tapes Chart in the U.S., where it reached No. 177.  The band would record one more album with John Wetton before he departed to join King Crimson.  Jim Cregan (best known for his work with Cockney Rebel and Rod Stewart) joined for 1973’s It’s Only a Movie, which became Family’s final album before disbanding.  Chapman and Whitney continued to work together, though.  Under the simple name Chapman-Whitney they released the 1974 album Streetwalkers, and then adopted that moniker for three more LPs.  (Streetwalkers welcomed Family alumni including Ric Grech, John Wetton, and Jim Cregan.)

Esoteric’s reissue of Fearless adds two discs of BBC sessions including sets for Top Gear and Bob Harris’ program.  As these tracks amply demonstrate, Family thrived in a live setting as they brought an even heavier edge to their music.  Note that John Weider, not John Wetton, is heard on bass for the first March 1971 session with presenter Bob Harris.

This 3CD reissue is housed in a clamshell case and includes a 20-page booklet with liner notes by Steve Pilkington as well as lyrics for the album.  Ben Wiseman has remastered the audio from the original master tapes.  Look for Fearless, available now, at the links below.

Family, Fearless (Reprise K 54003 (U.K.)/United Artists UAS-5562 (U.S.), 1971 – reissued Esoteric/Cherry Red ECLEC 32843, 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: Original Album and Bonus Tracks

1. Between Blue and Me
2. Sat’d’y Barfly
3. Larf and Sing
4. Spanish Tide
5. Save Some for Thee
6. Take Your Partners
7. Children
8. Crinkly Grin
9. Blind
10. Burning Bridges
11. In My Own Time
12. Seasons

CD 2: The BBC Sessions 1971

Bob Harris Show (rec. 1 March 1971/broadcast 16 March 1971)

1. Processions/No Mule’s Fool
2. Part of the Load
3. Lives and Ladies
4. Strange Band
5. Hometown

Top Gear (rec. 2 July 1971/broadcast 17 July 1971)

6. In My Own Time
7. Some for Thee
8. Seasons
9. Burning Bridges

Bob Harris Show (rec. 8 November 1971/broadcast 22 November 1971)

10. Children
11. Between Blue and Me

CD 3: BBC Radio One In Concert – BBC Playhouse Theatre, 28 December 1971

1. Good News, Bad News
2. Spanish Tide
3. Part of the Load
4. Drowned in Wine
5. Holding the Compass
6. Between Blue and Me
7. Children
8. In My Own Time
9. Take Your Partners
10. The Weaver’s Answer