OB1
Well-Known Member
I should provide my review having talked enough already about the album.
I am not one of the people with a nostalgic attachment to this record because I actually avoided it back when it was released. I do though in fact have a vinyl copy in the record collection that belongs to my wife. And some bits of the album are familiar from radio etc.
I purchased the cd in 2005 or 6 when a remastered version was released. Not sure what finally drew me into adding it to the collection but I generally prefer finding old stuff that I’ve not heard to newer releases.
The album is a bit of an anomaly, quite unique in many ways. The only thing I have that is at all similar is Rick Wakeman’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
I was surprised by how much I liked it and how easy it was to listen to, despite telling the same story over and over but then doesn’t every recorded song, it’s just that here, in addition to singing, you get Liz Taylor’s XX (double ex) deep, rich and resonant speaking voice, with its Welsh musicality and smooth, velvet like cadence that almost hypnotises the listener.
The choice of singers and musicians is not too shabby either. Julie Covington is outstanding and I am a big fan of Chris Thompson’s vocals; plus a huge Thin Lizzy fan. Chris Spedding and Herbie Flowers on guitar and bass were among the cream of English session musicians.
The sound is big and endearingly and comfortingly 1970’s. It also has a whiff of John Barry’s TV and movie soundtrack style.
The album does have atmosphere and I think the tone is often appropriate, with a few faintly disturbing sounds e.g. in Dead London but it is a sc-if and not a horror soundtrack.
Maybe it goes in the guilty pleasure box but I have no guilt about what I listen to anyway.
I’ll stick with my opening gambit of 8/10 because it could be better but it is nightly enjoyable.
I am not one of the people with a nostalgic attachment to this record because I actually avoided it back when it was released. I do though in fact have a vinyl copy in the record collection that belongs to my wife. And some bits of the album are familiar from radio etc.
I purchased the cd in 2005 or 6 when a remastered version was released. Not sure what finally drew me into adding it to the collection but I generally prefer finding old stuff that I’ve not heard to newer releases.
The album is a bit of an anomaly, quite unique in many ways. The only thing I have that is at all similar is Rick Wakeman’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
I was surprised by how much I liked it and how easy it was to listen to, despite telling the same story over and over but then doesn’t every recorded song, it’s just that here, in addition to singing, you get Liz Taylor’s XX (double ex) deep, rich and resonant speaking voice, with its Welsh musicality and smooth, velvet like cadence that almost hypnotises the listener.
The choice of singers and musicians is not too shabby either. Julie Covington is outstanding and I am a big fan of Chris Thompson’s vocals; plus a huge Thin Lizzy fan. Chris Spedding and Herbie Flowers on guitar and bass were among the cream of English session musicians.
The sound is big and endearingly and comfortingly 1970’s. It also has a whiff of John Barry’s TV and movie soundtrack style.
The album does have atmosphere and I think the tone is often appropriate, with a few faintly disturbing sounds e.g. in Dead London but it is a sc-if and not a horror soundtrack.
Maybe it goes in the guilty pleasure box but I have no guilt about what I listen to anyway.
I’ll stick with my opening gambit of 8/10 because it could be better but it is nightly enjoyable.