RETURN TO FANTASY

Since Wonderworld, a few things happened; the bassist GARY THAIN has been kicked out for drug abuses, and .worst, he would ultimately die of electrocution while on stage a few months later!

Entering the mighty JOHN WETTON; you have to understand that at the time JOHN WETTON was big, big in the prog world, almost a god for all the KING CRIMSON fans and we were a lot of them back then. So when the news came out that the great bassist was joining URIAH HEEP, it was kind of a schock in the rock music community. On one side, the septics were wondering how such a great talent was wasting hist time with an inept band, as others like me who enjoyed the best of those 2 worlds were salivating about the possibilities: ''Exiles'' meeting ''easy livin''!!!!

I remember also back then the upcoming album of this reunion ''RETURN TO FANTASY'' was promoted heavily in the rock medias as the big return of URIAH HEEP!! Imagine URIAH HEEP and JOHN WETTON together; what a winning combination it would be!!

But that was not to be!!!! John WETTON has no part whatsoever in the writing process!! nothing! Would his vocal abilities be used, at least? nope, just vocal harmonies with the other 3 in the background. Actually, the role of WETTON is merely the one from a session bassist.

What about the music, are yo asking? Nothing bad as some songs we had on WONDERWORLD, but nothing really exciting either ,except...one! but what a one!!!! The title track ''RETURN TO FANTASY'' is one of the best all time URIAH HEEP songs; nothing to say about the speedy music in the background, but what counts is the melody sang powerfully by a great DAVID BYRON, what a wonderful song,! how did KEN HENSLEY and BYRON came up with such a magical song!! What a way to start an album!!!

Sadly, things will go down quite rapidly after that; there is no return to fantasy like in DEMONS AND WIZARDS. What you get is mainly blues-rock numbers and some ...boogies like ''you turn to remember'', you would never think a band like URIAH HEEP would record. But yes, they did!! so much for the influence of JOHN WETTON! they could have used any bassist from Alabama or Memphis for the matter.

The great come back of URIAH HEEP? hardly! I don't know if i should give 2 or 3 stars!! the title track is great and it still sound better than wonderworld! 2.5 starsrounded to ....

2 STARS

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