RETURN TO FANTASY

RETURN TO FANTASY opens with the great title track and offers a mixture of really fine tracks and mediocre tracks. Highlights are "Return to Fantasy" , Beautiful World", and "A Year or a Day". There is some filler here: "Shady Lady", "Primma Donna", "Showdown". But the good stuff outweighs the bad due to the amazing lineup of David Byron, Mick Box, John Wetton, Ken Hensley, and Lee Kerslake. I don't think fits among the classic Uriah Heep albums like DEMONS AND WIZARDS, or SALISBURY, but it is miles above some of their 1980's ugly stepchildren such as CONQUEST which had that Judas Priest feel to them. About half of this is excellent, a quarter is good and the remains are poor or uninspired. Enough for an average of 3 stars.