TIME HONOURED GHOSTS

After their sonically powerful Polydor debut, BJH eased off a little on the bombast and focused on their songwriting and melodies with "Time Honoured Ghosts".I find it difficult to be objective with this album because I still remember immediately falling in love with it the very first time I heard the intantly ear-catching riff that introduces the opening track "In My Life".Even now, decades later, I still love every aspect of it; the sensitive production by Elliot Mazer, the melodies and the arrangements,the gorgeous Maxfield Parish inspired cover art and even the album title itself.Elliot Mazer is best known for producing Neil Young and various other American folk rock artists so it is not surprising that this album has a very laid back West Coast feel which might seem strange for a quintessentially English group but actually suits their style of playing and singing with their fondness for jangling guitars and close harmony vocals."Hymn For The Children" almost sounds more like Crosby Stills and Nash than Crosby Stills and Nash.But I also love the way they they incorporate some very delicate as opposed to bombastic proggy elements in these recordings especially the swirling keyboards on "Song For You" and the beautiful melotron and synthesizers backing the otherwise straightforward ballad-"Jonathan"We are also treated to another epic Wolstenholme solo "Beyond The Grave"- has anyone noticed how similar the menacing opening chords sound suspiciously similar to the opening bars of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" released a few (ahem) years later? In some ways I can see why Prog fans might not rate this album highly especially given the way the prog elements are downplayed especially compared to the previous album but ironically for me (as a devoted Prog fan) it is that very subtlety that gives this album its charm.

My Rating-5 Stars

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