GRAVE NEW WORLD

Utterly wonderful and totally essential the Strawbs hit top form in both composition and musical skill on the LP. This is also the first strawbs LP that is more progressive than folk. Benedictus (4:24) starts side one and what a blessing this track is, great tune and a nice sentiment powerfully delivered. Hey Little Man ... Thursday's Child is a short and sweet reminder of this bands folk heritage. Queen Of Dreams , is a corking tune with an experimental middle section that reminds me of VDGG .Heavy Disguise (2:50) this is the first track on the LP without Pete cousins gravel vocals, and features John Ford, a great tune and an even better lyric and boy this band had plenty of gifted vocalists. New World (4:08) is the show stopper on side one, very powerful with soaring melletron and one of the best vocal deliveries in the history of Rock, this song has real bitterness and venom. Hey Little Man ... Wednesday's Child calms things down and prepares the listener for the 2nd side.The Flower And The Young Man is a pretty melody and again has a great vocal, the harmonizing at the start sets the course for the whole number.Tomorrow ,continues this slightly more folky side, On Growing Older, is a cautionary tale about wasting ones youth with a reaffirmation of life's wonder. Ah Me, Ah My Hoopper takes the vocal for this the weakest track on the lp 20's Wimsey. Is It Today Lord , sitars and mystical musings great track.The Journey's End is a simple and uncluttered end to this album. Of the bonus cuts I'm Going Home , only is worthwhile and neither really fit into the overall sound. On reflection side 1 is slightly better than side 2. With so much talent in one band problems were always likely and by the time this LP hit the shelves Hooper (a founder member ) had split. The strawbs never managed such a consistent and compelling LP before or after but that's not to say they did not produce many other fine works. However Grave new world is head and shoulders their strongest set. The LP is worth seeking out for it threefold cover and lyric book, the art on these is also a highpoint in cover design. Essential in my opinion worthy of 4.90 so I'll give it a five.