RARE FLIGHT

"HEAVY" - 3.5 stars "Heavy" is a nice little album - short (clocking less than 30 mins), catchy, and an easy listen. The band is rather tight in this release too. I find myself listening to this album quite often, though I do find it a little inferior to their other early albums. I think I find myself listening to "Heavy" frequently because of it's general consistency in mood. Though I generally love music that has a large emotional palette, this album is great when you are in the mood for something a little more light hearted. The key tracks here are "Unconscious Power" and "Iron Butterfly Theme".

Though the album may not seem heavy in comparison to the music of today, "Heavy" was putting a heavier spin on the music of the times, an ambitious move of their part, and one that was widely admired at the time. With today's standards it is easy to dismiss this album as just another cheesy 60s pop album, but we must remember that at the time of it's release "Heavy" had a whole different context.

"BALL" - 4 stars It is a shame that "Ball" so underrated - not only on this site, but in general too. This album screams prog to me. It is drenched in melodic psychedelia and contains many of the greatest Iron Butterfly tracks, for example "In the Time of our Lives", "Soul Experience", "Filled With Fear", and the incredibly beautiful "Belda Beast".

I believe that this album was mainly dismissed because of "Inna Gadda Da Vida". But how does a band follow up such an immortal classic as "Inna Gadda Da Vida" without disappointing their fans? It has rarely been achieved. Though this album doesn't instantly strike the listener as a classic, it contains some of the greatest psychedelic tracks that I know, and the album is a pleasant and nostalgic listen. The music contains the pop-ish aspects of "Inna Gadda Da Vida", but the music is much more subtle and is not as punchy.

I will not review every song on this album, but I do wish to point out the two greatest tracks on the album. First of all is "Soul Experience". Each time I hear the opening guitar echoing, I get cold shivers. One of my all time favourites. And second is "Belda Beast". This song is probably the most beautiful song I can think of.

This rerelease gains a total of 3 stars from me. Unfortunately the original album sleeves are not included, but the sleeve here has a retro appeal. This album is a great buy for someone who is after great value listening experience. Peace!