Arrogance released their own album in 1973 instead of taking off for a record-industry center like New York, and that record, Give Us a Break, served as their calling card as they continued to build a following among the Mid-Atlantic states. Logically enough, they decided to record a second album and cut Prolepsis in the spring of 1974. Of course, it was also true that the national record industry hadn't come looking for them, either, and their recognition of this was apparent in the record's title. Give Us a Break, of course, had had two possible meanings, one of which was the desire for the opportunity that would give Arrogance success; Prolepsis is a word referring to something that is anachronistic or not in its proper time, usually because it anticipates what is going to happen. On the basis of these songs, Arrogance could be thought of a throwback in the sense that their music still recalled the country-rock of Buffalo Springfield and Poco, to the extent that, for example, "North End of Town" was a square-dance hoedown. But they were also, say "presumptuous" rather than "arrogant," enough to think that they were leading the way to a new musical synthesis. Or maybe they were just being smart alecks. Certainly, they retained a peculiarly Southern sense of humor and wry self-mocking on such songs as Robert Kirkland's "Slaughtered Elves." They were also becoming more accomplished musicians, their five years of playing together paying off in tight arrangements and good ensemble work on such songs as "Can't I Buy a Song." Certainly, there was plenty of evidence here that one of those national record labels could do worse than to take a chance on this North Carolina quartet. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
Skinnay Ennis (Violin), Marty Stout (Keyboards), Steve Herbert (Vocals), Wayne Jernigan (Engineer), Robert Kirkland (Vocals), Brian Cummings (Horn), Richard Carter (Photography), Bryan Shumate (Reissue Layout), Robert Kirkland (Guitar), Steve Herbert (Drums), Don Dixon (Vocals), Don Dixon (Bass), Bryan Shumate (Reissue Graphics), Arrogance (Producer), Wayne Jernigan (Producer)
