TIME HONOURED GHOSTS

BJH went to San Francisco to produce with Elliot Mazer and it was him who made the band's sound as a 4-piece definitely shine for the first time ( though he, as an american "rock-producer", had difficulties diggin' Woolly Wolstenholme's musical vision ! ).

What you get is another flawless album with vintage BJH, this time showing off their Beatles-influences to great expands, what made the critics hail the album ( exceptionally... ). Well, it's not better than the previous and no better than the following, it's great, melodic music with a flush of proggy ideas touching heart and soul...

There's some great bass-playing to be heard in the opener "In my Life", a wonderful guitar-solo to heavenly chord-changes in the folky "Sweet Jesus" ( great vocal-harmonies ! ), the Beatles-tribute "Titles" being arranged to full satisfaction of both, lovers of BJH and the Beatles, and "Jonathan" is my favourite Les Holroyd composition ever, who, with "Time honoured Ghosts", reached an early peak as a songwriter.

Woolly's "Beyond the Grave" is excellent though at the end his voice had to climb painful highs ( you may, perhaps, feel the pain ) and it's been edited by pushing the "Stop"-button ( the full-length recording got lost in the vaults sadly ! ), as is "Song for you" - a fast and a slow part fitting together perfectly. "Hymn for the Children" is, though very popular and important, perhaps the weakest recording of the album, followed by the marvellously beautiful "Moongirl". "One Night", just as "Jonathan", came to full bloom in concert later ( "Live Tapes" recommended one more time ! ), but makes a fine ending for a fine album with a fine cover-painting...

a fine FAN.