T.2. [AKA: 1970; FANTASY]

Something else good did finally come from the band, though. In 1997, they released the demos for their sophomore album, recorded in 1970. Being demos, the audio quality can be a bit rough, but T2 was still in top form back then. This collection's official name is T.2., but it is also referred to as Fantasy and 1970.

"Highway" is a groovy, bluesy song and is probably the most straightforward cut in their oeuvre. The chorus, though, contains dramatic Mellotron, and the playing is top-notch. This composition is smarter than most of what you would hear from contemporaneous blues-rock acts. "Careful Sam", in contrast, opens much more quietly. Folk and jazz flavors mingle here, and Dunton's vocal performance is especially nice. The song's second half is considerably heavier, and it features a stellar, thrilling guitar solo from Keith Cross. "Timothy Monday" also heavily utilized quiet-loud contrasts, and the psychedelic folk of the verses complements this cut's heavier moments.

Side one of this collection ends with the two-part, 10-minute "CD/The Minstrel". "CD" is a lurching blues-rock cut, and the guitar solo has a wonderfully off-kilter feel to it. Jazz elements are prominent in its quieter moments. In contrast, "The Minstrel" opens with Mellotron flute and strings. This relatively restrained and idyllic mood lasts for its whole runtime, and it is a nice contrast to the heavy elements which preceded it.

"Fantasy" kicks off side two, and there are some obvious similarities to "In Circles". The main riff is jagged and unconventional, and the rhythm section holds down a jazzy groove. The verse is quiet, and the vocal performance reminds me a lot of Robert Wyatt's work with Soft Machine. The instrumental moments in the middle are especially weird and discordant, but it works well.

This archival release ends with the 14-minute "T2". Its opening is starkly different from the band's other output. Electric piano and Mellotron are the primary elements, and there's a floating feeling. It reminds me a lot of bands like The Small Faces in its lighter moments. The mood shifts easily between sunny and stormy, and even when guitar shows up, it's more for atmosphere than to take the lead.

After about four minutes, acoustic guitar emerges for a verse, and Dunton's singing is delicate and pretty. Mellotron and distorted guitar eventually come roaring back, and the swooping strings remain the lead instrument for a while. After another verse, guitar takes the lead in an energetic, jazz-influenced solo, and the song ends on a fun, piano-led passage.

It really is a pity T.2. is just an archival release. I would have loved to have heard these properly recorded and mastered. But as it stands, I am glad that these songs found the light of day, at all.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/06/24/lesser-known-gem-t2-itll-all-work-out-in-boomland/