This album came out at the end of ’76, just as punk was beginning to explode. You can say there never is a right time to put out an album, but to be in a classic/progressive rock band at that time in the UK wasn’t easy. This band came out of nowhere, the first I’d heard of them was when they appeared on Old Grey Whistle Test, and I bought the album that weekend.
An amazing rendition of The Beatles’ She Said She Said opens up the album and what killer cover it is, it’s my favourite track. You would never know this was a Beatles tune, and the instrumental section is off the charts. Kenny Driscoll’s vocals remind me of Paul Rodgers. Epic stuff! You’d think you were listening to Led Zeppelin with next track Lonely Soldier, at least that’s the vibe I get. A very laid back piece until the Hammond kicks in with a musical representation of a battle, then the groove picks up leading into an uplifting ending. Side 1 ends with Flying In The Reel, a huge sounding intro that falls into a rock n’ roll boogie.
Spaceships kicks off Side 2, it’s quite a simple song until we get to the middle instrumental section and then the song takes off. These guys would have made a great jam band. A New Day is a good old southern rock romp complete with a slide guitar. A Million Stars has a killer intro with guitar and drums blazing. You would swear that’s Robert Plant singing, and Paul Chapman’s solo sounds so good on the track. The album ends with Illusions, a beautiful delicate piece with just a vocal and guitar until the waves crash in at the end.
This band should have been huge but everything went against them.
8/10 from The Grooveman.
