TIME TO TURN

Agree with markwin - a phenomenal 2fer with Planets - although I feel that this one is even better. All tracks feature memorable melodies and nice, complex arrangements. The final acoustic song wraps the record up nicely.

After the marvelous Planets album, Eloy continued with this excellent progressive rock album. The omnipresent keyboards are however just a bit less elaborated, futuristic and bombastic than on Planets: they are pretty symphonic and a bit spacy too. What is also interesting are the miscellaneous Clavinet-like sounds, fitting very well with the overall modern sound. The same musicians than on Planets are involved, except for the drums, which are very good here. The electric guitar is less hard rock and in the foreground than on the previous records, so that the keyboards have very much room. The balance between the keyboards and the guitars is very good. Time To Turn sounds between Planets and Colours, so that one can believe it chronologically comes between those 2 albums. Time To Turn is among Eloy's best albums: all the tracks are at least very good. After Time To Turn, Eloy will change a bit their style with faster & more hard rock-oriented songs, still keeping their pleasant keyboards arrangements like on Planet.

Rating: 4.5 stars

This album is like I often heard it describe as: never reaching the heights of "Planets". This was the conclusion of "Planets", itself an album meant as a double album, but the record label rejected the idea, so the band had to record this followup. The band did witness a minor lineup change. Their British-born drummer Jim McGillivray was ditched because none other than Fritz Randow (who last appeared on "Power and the Passion") made a return. Unfortunately the return of an old drummer didn't help. "Time to Turn" sounded like the band just going through the motions, pretty much doing what they did better on "Planets". The synth sounds are even more '80s-sounding here. But it's not a bad album, there are good songs here like "Behind the Walls of Imagination", "Magic Mirror", "End of an Odyssey", and the rare-acoustic piece called "Say, Is it Really True".

But the album doesn't quite have the energy or punch of their previous album. Also, if you plan on getting this on vinyl, don't get the UK printing on the Heavy Metal International label (the one with the Rodney Matthews cover artwork). The reason for that is the UK version lacks "Magic Mirrors" and sometimes has in its place "Illuminations", which had already appeared on "Colours". Get the German version (with the Winfried Reinbacher artwork) on the Harvest label (the UK version of "Planets", also with Rodney Matthews artwork, luckily has all songs intact). Basically, make "Planets" your first purchase before you come here.

An Excellent Space Rock Album

I really don't know why I have collected many albums of ELOY. It proves that I love the band, I think. Well, I really don't know actually because if that is the case I should have followed the history of the band from its inception. In fact, I've never done it. I just keep collecting their albums whenever they release the new one. Time To Turn is definitely an excellent album even though it's not as excellent as Planets, for example. But one thing for sure, Time To Turn is an enjoyable album with excellent composition. The music is relatively simple with some heavy use of keyboards and clavinet and catchy melodies. If their 70s albums were mostly influenced by Uriah Heep, I don't hear anything that close to it in this album.

Through A Somber Galaxy is really a great album opener with an uplifting mood and catchy melody. It starts off with an ambient sounds produced from keyboards. Despite, the simple sounds of keyboards project a powerful space nuance of the song. The full swing of music enters when the obvious bass line enters firmly to bring all instruments contribute to the music. This piece is so wonderful because it lifts my emotion altogether with the music that follows - an upbeat spacey music with excellent drum beats and solid bass lines. The guitar solo is stunning. Composition-wise, this song is a masterpiece as it has a powerful songwriting and beautiful arrangement combining ambient mood and high - low points harmoniously. It's the kind of song that can elevate my motivation whenever I listen to it; especially if I listen to it just after waking up in the morning. WOW!!!! It makes my day man ...!!!!

Behind The Walls Of Imagination begins with a melodic singing line with some touches of keyboard and guitar. Frank Bornemann's voice quality is unique and powerful. Whenever he sings, it sounds like a distanced voice. Clavinet sounds are used to accentuate the rhythm section with some punch of keyboard sound at background. Keyboard still provides a spacey nuance for the song augmented with clavinet and solid bass guitar sounds. Guitar solo performed at min 4:20 has enriched the textures of the music.

Time To Turn stars with a simple (and bit boring) beats using drums and bass line followed with poppy style singing augmented with some guitar rhythm. It's hard to believe that this song is categorized under prog as the structure is very simple and straight forward. Due to its simplicity and straightforwardness, I tend to get bored with this poppy song even though it's absolutely an enjoyable track to listen.

Magic Mirrors begins with a clavinet sounds accompanied with solid bass lines in slow/medium tempo style. Keyboard enters the music to give an avenue for vocal to enter. Melody-wise, it's a nice song but overall it does not really stand out as a masterpiece. It's probably the music sounds too empty with this song. The keyboard solo in the middle of the song is nice and simple.

End Of An Odyssey is a relatively long tract that consumes approx. 9:25; opened with a long sustain keyboard sound in spacey style. It reminds me to Tangerine Dream's music even though it's different. The keyboard takes a long solo accompanied with high hats sound of the drum kit. There is bit of Pink Floyd music that I can hear in this track. Keyboard style sometimes reminds me to the work of Rick Wakeman in a simpler format. Having gone through long keyboard solo the music turns into a quieter passage at min 3:45 accentuated by catchy keyboard sound that brings drums to come in. The vocal joins the music at approx 5:00 with a nice melody. It's good to notice here that the music in this part is relatively simple with straight forward drum beats. Most listeners would probably love the part where clavinet and keyboard sounds are used in alternate at the ending part of the song.

The Flash has an ambient and atmospheric opening with dynamic bass lines. The music tend to go flat during the opening part but right after the vocalist has done their roles, the music turns firmly into a faster tempo. Compared with other tracks, probably this track has some elements of music complexity. This song was beautifully composed.

Say, Is It Really True is different with other tracks whereby it starts with a nice acoustic guitar that accompanies vocal, augmented with spacey keyboard fills at the end of singing line. With the mark of drum sound, the music turns into a louder sound and a little bit faster tempo. Unfortunately this track ends up in a fading-out style that I do not personally favor.

Well, what is the final recommendation? Of course it is a recommended album. However, musically it does not stand out - definitely - as a masterpiece prog album. The music is relatively simple with rare tempo changes. For those who like space music, this album fits your expectation. For those who do not like it, you still can enjoy because the music itself is basically good. Keep on proGGin' ..!!!

Yours progressively,

GW - Indonesia.

One of Germanys best kept secrets.A friend introduced them to me 4 or 5 years ago and i was amazed that I had never heard of them before.Fans of progressive rock who like guitars and synthesisers in equal measure will love this band.Frank Bornemanns vocals are not stunning,but they suit the band well enough.Keyboard pyrotechnics and guitar chases abound.Through a sombre galaxy,Time to turn and End of an odyssey are superb,and even the more mellow Say,is it really true is worth the price of admission.I love Eloy,I'm sure you will too.

One of the best Eloy, and maybe from '80. After The Wall, when Pink Floyd kick the buckett, this band keep the flag high in prog music. A mid tempo prog music and a good damn one. From 1975 till this one they released almost masterpieces in this genre. I can not choose an album or two because in that period they were at the top in prog. Just my opinion. The tracks that are super smooth and inventive in the same time are End of an odyssey and the flash. 4 stars.

"Hey, say, is it really true, that the flame of hope has grown? That the spirit has changed? That the few no longer stand alone?"

With Time to Turn Eloy conclude the second (and final part) of their great concept work started with Planets. Science fiction is a very good genre to renew their (memorable) sound. This one is a little bit less elaborated than the previous one but has certainly all its verve, its creativeness and power. From the fantastic cathedral-organ-like intro to the unespected acoustic closer, this is a voyager to distant worlds, through obscure and spectral galaxies where Evil cold forces seemd really to prevail over all things light and warm. In some parts I think this one is even better than Planets. The opener and the closer are in fact simply superb! Those delicate acoustic notes those memorable english vocals with deutsch accent are the icing on the cake along with the sound's effect of seaguls in the distance.

An unique (negative) remark is the lack of strings which blew me away before, in Planets. Female choruses are still here (fortunately). But now, those angelic beautiful vocals are closed in the getto of their - by many considered - most commercial tune by date: the title track. I have to disagree from them for because it's well evident the musical link with other tracks of the album and because the female choruses gives it an ethereal and quasi - "cathartic" feel.

Many thanks to Bornemann and co. also for the big "classic-Eloy-opus" End of an Odissey (9,25 mns long). Another reason to say a big welcome to Eloy in any good prog discography. Their spacey roots are all here, never gone after the classic Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes. The song is brilliant with lots of catching keyboard, sad in the middle part, perhaps foreseeing the best Eloy's period is gone, never to turn back again. Just a little bit of "too much of eighties on the plate"...

All in all this is a great album, truly deserving a four stars treatment. The remaster is, as the others by this band, excellent. The only question to ask about it is why does it lack of any bonus track?

It is 1982 - Punk has morphed into new-wave, and many Prog bands have disappeared, yet here are Eloy soldiering on with a very strong set indeed. Although stylistically comparable with its conceptual twin Planets, Time To Turn offers a refined form of Prog-lite AOR that relies a little more on subtlety and elegance than on the kitchen-sink bombast of its predecessor. Keyboards and synths still predominate, but are nowhere near as overpowering, while guitars have made a welcome return to the foreground. Still there are few spaces in a dense production, but unlike Planets you no longer feel it is beating you over the head with a hammer. Another welcome change is the arrival of better melodies for Bornemann to sing. Time To Turn is not exactly over-endowed with stunning tunes, but it does at least have several that stretch beyond Eloy's typical shouty style.

At 9½ minutes, End Of An Odyssey is the obvious focus for a Prog fan though it is fundamentally a simple song cloaked in a vibrant progressive arrangement. The first five minutes are devoted to a thrusting instrumental full of vintage keys that build to the kind of song Tony Banks might have written for Phil Collins in the late 70s. A simple drum pattern underpins this section through to the guitar and synth interplay as an extended coda leads to its fade. Both the beat, and keyboard theatrics turn this song into an Eloy classic.

The remainder of the album varies in quality and form. Through A Somber Galaxy is a good opener featuring lovely slide guitar and a rolling bassline, but Behind The Walls Of Imagination chops and changes too much with too little inspiration so that after a while you start to lose interest until re-envigorated by another super guitar solo. Excellent Title track Time To Turn may be short and catchy, but it has an infectious rhythm and superb guitar solo that is hard to forget. Magic Mirrors is tuneful but otherwise unspectacular, while The Flash is too relentlessly bombastic. Say, Is It Really True closes the set with some welcome acoustic guitar, a nice melody and ruminative mood, and a strong arrangement that develops nicely towards a climax, though fades just when you wish for a searing guitar solo.

A long way short of a masterpiece, hovering somewhere between 'good' and 'very good', but Time To Turn is one of the better 1980s albums from Eloy, and an improvement on the overpowering Planets. It is blessed with a detailed yet vigorous production that lends the music a sense of vitality and energy, especially on the 2005 remaster, but musically is a little short on structural complexity. As an example of 1980s 'Stadium Prog' it stands up very well with its peers, but it is a long way from Eloy's classic 1970s space-trips.

Upon the recommendations from their record label, "Eloy" released "Time To Run" as a separate album instead of combining it as a double concept album together with the work released as "Planets".

In those progless days ("Marillion" who will revive the genre is only in its infancy) it is rather astonishing that a band like "Eloy" still holds the prog flame. For this reason only, the band deserves my deepest respect.

Their inspiration is still mostly "Floyd". The guitar break during the opener "Through a Somber Galaxy" can't get you closer to David's style. It is not a discovery of course and this source of inspiration is fully present in the next "Behind the Walls of Imagination". But it is not the spacey "Floyd" that the band is emulating any longer. This has more to do with "TDSOTM" than with "Echoes".

But the problem maybe is that this work is made out of the same and unique mold. The title track will bring the listener to a similar structure, influence and result. And "Magic Mirrors" is a poor song. Highlight again the Bornemann "vocals". He has been doing better on the last "Eloy" albums but here and there, still some blunde. Otherwise, this song features some very good keyboards work. It's a pity that it has been ruined by these vocals.

The most spacey piece of work is "End Of An Odyssey". Some other side of "Floyd" emerges. More in the "ASOS" mood during the opening part. But again it is very effective and can only place the work of the masters on a pedestal. Some songs on this album are poor as well. The disco-ish "The Flash" definitively belongs to these. No feeling, no substance.

The few last songs from this album are not so good. The worse being achieved with "Wings of Vision". Poor vocals, poor chorus, poor melody, poor all in fact. These songs will prevent this album of reaching a higher status in my scale of judgement. Still, a good album.

Three stars.

After the relatively mellow "Planets", Eloy concludes the cosmic two-fer with a grittier album that balances guitars and keyboards better than the last two, almost like a pendulum that has reached the proper set point. It is probably the best combination of progressive and accessible achieved by Eloy in their career.

"Through a Somber Galaxy" is a positive start, a melodic mini epic with a bit of everything thrown in, and "Behind the Walls of Imagination" is an even stronger tune, thanks to some superb clavinet. The title cut features a hypnotic beat and chorus augmented by female backing singers. Again very Floydian but very much their own. Then comes the beautiful "Magic Mirrors", conveying an oddly jazzy ambiance and a shimmering synthesizer solo. "End of an Odyssey" is a monster cut with an instrumental introduction sporting all manner of dazzling keyboards before vocals finally come in after the 5 minute mark. The outro is no less masterful, sporting more clavinet and a certain nod in Alan Parsons' direction. The only weak track is "Flash", as it contains some grating keyboards, but it is more than redeemed by "Say is it Really True", which shows a more acoustic Eloy before a typically symphonic section and fade out, the digital end of the odyssey.

Yet another turn for Eloy, and another remarkably successful one, in fact second only to "Dawn" in quality among their releases. 4.5 stars, rounded up because of the presence of several great songs, an overall flow, the artistic peak it represents, its brilliant melodies, and the 1982 year of release.

Time to Turn ..................((((( the end of an Odyssey ))))) Apparently that this album came at the right timing in 1982 , just after the Wall & before Marillion's Jester . Their was a challenge indeed between Rocks & Punks . all well known categories of progressive rock were subject to disappear after 1983 , and major records companies where confused about the market needs . A very few bands stood against this so called change . Time to Turn & Few other releases gave us hope that this kind of music has been made to carry on . Thanking many producers for their support to talented artists & bands , and some of the label companies we got the same material as in the 70's maybe more mature and beautiful . Tools of musicians was always improving to the best , more ideas and big chalenges . In my opinion 1974 & 1982 were the golden age of progressive , Approximatly 60% of my library was purchased during that period . Time to Turn got the best voting for its beautifil cover, and amazing music . With a complete different line-up , Bornemann kept his fidelity to Eloy's target in delivering the best of space rock , specially by adding Hannes Arcona , hannes folberth to his team , two talented young musicians from eastern Germany , not to mention Klaus Matziol on bass from the original line-up . Time to Turn is really immortal , and it's the end of an Odyssey ...................... Definetly your choice of progressive space rock ,,,,so, enjoy your time and turn it into pleasant one .........

Time to Turn was probably Eloy's most enjoyable release of the 1980s and the perfect marriage of 1970s space rock and symphonic prog with 1980s synth-driven album-oriented rock. In many ways, one might consider this as Eloy's "Duke," as Genesis around this time was combining it's prog rock formula with contemporary 1980s pop rock. But Time to Turn was better than Duke as the AOR approach was more muted, often retaining solid performances that might have fit easily on Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes.

For this album, Eloy featured a new drummer in Fritz Randow, replacing Jim McGillivray. After Eloy's break up in 1984, Randow would join heavy metal acts such as Victory, Sinner, and Saxon, and would later join the popular German band Jane. As McGillivray's replacement, he did an admirable job. Eloy as a group was still experiencing internal struggles concerning the direction of their music. Apparently some members wanted Eloy to take the hard rock route. One can sometimes detect that here and there in their songs, but primarily Eloy seemed to move more towards a spacey neo-progressive sound, dominated by lush keyboards and Bornemann's well-placed guitar hooks.

The best songs on this album are the opener, "Through a Somber Galaxy," and the beautiful "End of an Odyssey." Both are fitting contributions to Eloy's catalogue and firmly hearken back to the late 1970s Eloy sound. On the opposite end is the title track and "Say, Is It Really True," both easily falling into the pop rock category. That's not to say these are bad songs. Far from it, they're intelligently crafted pop rock songs that are exceptionally better than most of the fodder that was being played on the radio in 1982. If only they had received some proper attention in the U.S., Eloy could have been superstars (or maybe a one-hit wonder?) entering the endless stream of primitive music videos on MTV, if even for a brief moment. Fortunately that did not happen, so Eloy did not quite take the route of Genesis or Yes, although their future route would be clouded with mediocrity.

Clearly Eloy's best album of the 1980s and an excellent addition to any prog music collection. A must-have for Eloy fans. Four stars.

This is part two of the story that began with the previous album "Planets". It seems a lot of people prefer "Planets" to this one which I knew going into it. So yeah I was surprised at how much I liked this record. I can see why some dismiss it, it's very accessible with an almost 80's PINK FLOYD flavour to it.The keyboards have been cut back on this one when compared to "Planets". There's nothing really new or challenging here, yet I love the way this record sounds. It's simply an enjoyable listen from start to finish.

"Through A Somber Galaxy" opens with a keyboard-fest before a nice relaxing soundscape takes over a minute in. Vocals join in, and check out the Gilmour-like guitar before 3 minutes as he lights it up. Nice. The main melody for behind "The Walls Of Imagination" doesn't kick in until before 2 1/2 minutes. Nice bass and keyboard work. Love the guitar solo 4 1/2 minutes in. Great sounding song. "Time To Turn" features a beat that comes in right away. Vocals and synths join in quickly. Guitar is next in this toe tapper. Haha. Female backup vocals come in before 2 1/2 minutes and later. Excellent guitar too. "Magic Mirrors" has a good beat with lots of synths, vocals a minute in. The synths sound so good before 4 1/2 minutes right to the end.

"End Of An Odyssey" is the longest track at 9 1/2 minutes.The synths are all over this one. A steady beat then drums come in more prominantly before 3 minutes.Guitar before 5 minutes then vocals. This sounds really good. "The Flash" has some nice bass that reminds me of PINK FLOYD. Vocals join in quickly. Synths galore after 3 minutes. "Say,Is It Really True" is different from all the others. It opens with Frank saying "Hey, hey" then guitar and synths come in followed by vocals.The sound is quite uplifting. It's more passionate 3 1/2 minutes in.

Another winner from ELOY.These guys have really had an amazing career and their latest "Ocean II" shows they haven't lost any of the passion or inspiration.

This is the last of the masterpiece section of Eloy that spanned from 1976-1982. After this, some albums just really didn't go anywhere. The music on this album is simply hard rocking and spacey to me, excellent riffs and vocals. The cover art is also excellent, as with most of the Eloy album covers. The keyboards are little more modern than the previous album, Planets, but this one might be a little less interesting. This is a concept album, released after Planet as a concept duo, both deal with the same thing about space and time and all that good stuff in between.

"Through a Somber Galaxy" is a personal favorite of mine, and an excellent opener. It's has one of the better solo's played by Frank on this one. The bassline is really neat to me for some reason, I just really like it. Keyabords, again, sound extremely modern on this track, for most of the time. "Behind the Walls of Imagination" really does get you thinking. The lyrics are majestic in their own way and beautiful. Musically, it's a much better track than the opener, but it lacks a bit of spark. The keyboards are a little modern and sometimes cold, but they do help add texture to the song. The vocals are very nice, and so are the guitar harmonics at the very beginning. The synthesizers at the middle or so of the song, when everything picks up, sounds a bit like Rush to me for some reason. "Time to Turn" is the shortest and most accesible song. The drumbeat at the beginning is very nice and is extremely dominating in the mix on this track. The keyboards add some of the best atmosphere ever, making it feel so futuristic, painting a picture that is beautifully created, you don't want to look away. So much texture is packed into four minutes of music. "Magic Mirrors" is probably my least favorite because it lacks a bit of soul and sounds much too cold for me. It just dosen't really fit in with the rest of the songs, from my point of view. The bassline is nice, imaginitve lyrics from Frank, and the vocals are nice. It dosen't seem as futuristic as the rest of the album though. "End of an Odyssey" is one of the best mini-epics you will ever hear. It reminds me a lot like the 1979 release from Eloy, Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes, and a little bit of the 1980 release Colours. It's very spacey, but the keyboards give a modern touch. This is simply the best track on the album, and there is no denying it. It contains some of the most beautiful arranged noises that will ever grace your ears. It's farily upbeat in the transition to where it's actually getting started, with a very happy sounding keyboard riff to it. It does seem to be dominated completely by the keyboards at times, but, actually, I really like that feel with this song. "The Flash" is another track which is very good, though not as good as the track before. Very nice guitar work by Frank on this one in the beginning. The vocals are alright on this track, nothing as specail as Planets or some of the other parts on this album. Bassline is very nice on this one though, and the keyboards are very futuristic, and are more or so moved to the background for this one. "Say, is it Really True?" is a more acoustic type of song, and one of the few Eloy songs with an acoustic guitar on it. It's a nice an clever closing, at least to me. The acoustic gives it a feeling that takes you to another world. It's beautiful. With the mellow keyboards in the background, it's the perfect closer.

Though there are moments in Time to Turn that I like more than Planets, I overall like Planets a little more. They are both excellent albums are essential in you Progressive Rock or Space Rock album collection. They have some of the last of Eloy's best music, but they will release more albums. I have to give it a 5 star, but thats probably one of the last times I will with an Eloy album.

This one is the last of the recordings from Eloy that are worth your time and effort to get them. Now They were in the eighties and You can feel the vibe just there beneath the surface. as in the chorus in "Time to Turn" And I really love that song It has been in my head for days, But the guitar, man, the guitar is what makes this one an special recording It is the best, in the aforementioned tune and on " Through A Somber Galaxy".. Special mention to the heavy bass lines and the not so strong german accent from the singer. A very good CD to get.

"Planets" part two, Another brick in the wall

Having been persuaded by their record label to release the planned double album as two separate albums, Eloy completed the project which started with "Planets" with this collection. Between the two releases, drummer Jim McGillivray ended his short stay with the band, being replaced by the returning Fritz Randow. "Time to turn" was good for Eloy commercially in that it contained a minor hit single of the same name. This led to increased interest in the album at a time when Eloy were finding it hard to maintain interest in the band.

As "Time to turn" opens, it seems that Jean Michel Jarre may have joined the line up, the melodic synthesiser which greets us suggesting a shift in style for the band. Soon though, the vocals assure us that all is as it should be. "Through a summer galaxy" makes for a vibrant start, with some fine multi-part lead guitar and an infectious rhythm. If anything, the synth bursts move towards a commercial sound, but this is a fine Eloy number by any standard.

On the other hand, "Behind the walls of imagination" is something of a plodder, well performed but generally prosaic. Things get back on track though with the title song, an obvious choice for single release. The strong pop rhythm is reminiscent of "Another brick in the wall" (we even have a children's chorus here too), with multi-tracked harmonies and ear- piercing synths all contributing to an instantly appealing song. "Magic mirrors" is a pretty straightforward rock number with a strong beat, but it lacks anything likely to captivate the listener apart from a pleasant synth outro.

The feature track on the album is the 9½ minute "End of an odyssey". The extra length allows the band a bit more space to elaborate on the themes. The opening section in particular has some fine synth colours accompanied only by drums. This section reminds me of Ken Hensley's fine solo on the "Live 1973" version of Uriah Heep's "Gypsy". The vocal section in itself is adequate, but as a part of the whole it works well.

The album closes with a couple of shorter songs,intended to wind up the story. "The flash" has a bit of a Genesis feel ("The knife" perhaps), while "Say, is it really true" features some nice acoustic guitar and spacey effects.

In all, an excellent album from Eloy. There's no doubt there are a couple of dips along the way, but overall the music here is highly satisfying.

Incidentally, in the UK, this album and the previous "Planets" were graced with fine new sleeve illustrations by the renown artist Rodney Matthews.

"Immensely rich"

People seem to be divided over which of the two thematically connected albums, Planets and Time To Turn, is the best one. For me there is no doubt, Time To Turn is my favourite Eloy album full stop and, in my opinion, the peak of the band's career. Planets and Time To Turn were originally intended to form one double album, but the record company managed to persuade the band into making two separate single albums instead. This was probably a wise decision even if I admit that it would have been interesting to hear what might have turned out had they made it a double album. Just hearing the two albums back to back as they now are, however, reveals that they do not quite sound like two halves of a double album. When comparing the two like this, one notices that Time To Turn has a somewhat more powerful sound and a bit more punch. Though both albums are rather keyboard dominated, Planets was even more so and the guitars make a welcome return here and the perfect balance between guitars and keyboards is achieved. There is a very appealing variation in the keyboard sounds. The palette of sounds used is impressive. The keyboards on End Of An Odyssey, for example, remind me a lot of those on Camel's Moonmadness.

The songs on Time To Turn are among the strongest and most memorable that the band has ever produced. Frank Bornemann sounds more confident in the vocal department than he ever did and his German accent is less of a problem here than on most other Eloy albums. The compositions blend elements from Symphonic Prog and Eloy's previous more Psychedelic, spacy style to great effect. There is a sense of urgency in the music of this album that I have found somewhat lacking in some other works by Eloy. They songs don't waste time but moves through its various passages in a solid pace.

There is such a good flow to this album that it is hard to differentiate the evaluations of the individual songs. The album works best as an organic unity where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The title track was released as a single at the time and has recently been re-recorded for the very good Visionary album under the new title The Challenge (Time To Turn, part 2) and even this new version has recently been released as a single. The closing number stands out as it is an acoustic song in the style of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here - a great way to end the album.

Eloy's best, a strong four stars!

Originally intended to form a double LP with Planets, also this album sticks to the known post-78 Eloy formula. The recipe: take APP songwriting and arrangements, spice up with an extra layer of spacey synths, and then spoil all potential by adding inadequate vocals.

No beating around the bush with intros this time. Right from the start Eloy head off with one of their better tracks. Through a somber Galaxy is a nice rock song, inspired by PF's Wall and with an excellent bass riff. Also Behind the Walls of Imagination is interesting, mainly for its nice staggering rhythm and lush synth carpet. The vocals are not too disturbing and the melodies are quite memorable. And also Time to Run is a track where the APP formula works out well.

As usual, Eloy albums fall flat after the first couple of decent tracks. Magic Mirrors for instance is too average. The chorus is nicely new wave but the cliché key-change during the break is so old-school. End of an Odysey is an epic that is acceptable and at the same time cliché and unexciting. Two inferior tracks finish an album that started well but ends like a deflating balloon. Despite a strong start, only 2.5 stars.

Time To Turn was always one of my favorite Eloy albums of all time. Although I only owned this CD in 2003, I´ve been listening to it constantly since then. The similarities with the cover of their previous one, Planets, is not a coincidence, since Time... is the continuation of the same sci fi story. Likewise, the music here is - not surprisingly - quite similar too, although the guitar has more room to appear (even if Hannes Folberth´s synths are still overwhelming). It is also interesting to see how much clavinet-like sounds are found among the keyboards, making this album very out of synch with the general plastic production of the 80´s. It might have come up oddly by the time, but its elegant and futuristic timbres also gave it a timeless aura to both records that we seldom ever heard of anything released at the period.

The band in general, but Frank Bornemann in particular, are in fine form and full of inspiration. Which is quite strange since prog rock was much a has been in 1982: it was released before Marillion´s Script For A Juster´s Tear and the whole neo prog movement show the world that symphonic prog was very much alive and well (and marketable). The success fo this record and the title song were a very nice surprise for all progheads around the world (believe it or not, it was actually played on the radio in my hometown in Brazil). Ok, Time to Turn (the song) owns a lot to Pink floyd´s earlier hit Another Brick On The Wall, but sitll is a great song, with clever lyrics and a female chorus that enhances the powerful melody line.

As with the previous record, Time To Turn has no weak tracks and I like to hear it form beginning to end without skipping a single track. The CD has a great unified feeling that is even slightly superior to the one I felt on Planets. The line up had a small, but significantly, change: out goes english born drummer Jim McGillivray, in comes a returning Fritz Randow (who had left at the time of The Power And the Passion). The Planets saga finishes with a rare acoustic song Say, Is It Really True. A very nice ending for one of the finest concept albums of that era.

With an excellent prodcution, the album still sounds fresh and exciting after all these years. One of the very few early 80´s works that stood the test of time so well.

Rating: 4,5 stars. Highly recommended!

Time to Turn is the sequel to Planets, and continues that album's general approach. On balance, however, I'm not so keen this time around - perhaps because there seems to be a greater emphasis here on Frank Bornemann's vocals, which have always been a particular weak spot for Eloy. Had Eloy just decided to bite the bullet and go all-instrumental I suspect I'd enjoy them much better as a band; as it is, Bornemann's pedestrian, monotonous and distracting vocals impair the music whenever he steps up to the mic (it's the main factor which stopped me giving five stars to any of their classic 1970s albums). Still worth a listen if you absolutely loved Planets, but I suspect I'll be listening to the former more often.

The last significant effort of Eloy before the fall that was so common to many bands in the 80s starts with a song between Alan Parsons and Pink Floyd. Nothing strange, it's the year of "Pink Project" a lucky single which mixed Another Brick in The Wall and Mammagamma, so it's what remains of the prog sound of that times, just before the neo-prog wave. "Through A Somber Galaxy" has the bass and keyboards very in line with Parsons, the guitar very similar to the Gilmour of WYWH and Animals and the terrible vocals of Bornemann, that even if terrible with his accent is a trademark of the band.

"Behind The Walls of Imagination" has something of the old times. Only five years are passed from the release of a masterpiece like Ocean and they are already "old times". Have a Cigar is the source of inspiration for bass and keys on this good track.

The title track radio friendly but on this track Bornemann sing sin a very unusual way for him. There's some vibrato that makes him sound similar (not too much, just a bit) to Roger Chapman. The female choir seems stolen from Waters and appears a little outplaced, but the song is everything but bad.

"Magic Mirrors" is another typical Eloy song. The "Parsonesque" bass and drums are counterbalanced by the keyboards, but it's a song totally into the 80s.

"End Of An Odyssey" is the longest track and has a very spacey intro. Surely the best track of the album which sometimes reminds to Yes or even to Vangelis for the keyboards. The drums are great on this track until minute 4 when it calms down and gives room to a space rock suite. Without vocals it could have been a masterpiece. It's not for Bornemann's voice, it's the melody that makes it "just a song".

"The Flash" is interesting even if a bit commercial. The influence of Alan Parsons is more than evident, the part in 4/4 sounds almost "disco" but is saved by a good keyboard riff.

Acoustic guitar is listened for the first time in this album with the closer. "Say, Is It Really True" is a great song. Even Bornemann when doesn't scream has a decent voice. It's an excellent closer. Unfortunately it closes an era. Considering that this should have been the second album of Planets was it released as a double LP, I would have expected something better, but probably the label has some responsibilities.

In any case it deserves its three good stars

I like Eloy but to me the most beautifull works was made in seventies. In this album, de sound of 80 decade put a more comercial vein in is music. We can listen a psichewdelic space rock with some spacey keiboards with lot of spacey sounds that provides an air slushy to music. The powerfull bass and the not spectaculary drums begins to spoil the beautiful compositions of older albuns. This is the Eloy sound but a litle bit of comercial vein. This album show what de 80 decade made to the bands. 3 stars (realy 3,5) because I like this band but I'm a liltle disapointed because I love the old records and I think that it's a fantastic band before is comercial vein.

Eloy's "Time To Turn", the sequel to "Planets", is a literal turning point for the band as they continue to blaze away in the 80s. The space rock is augmented by Hannes Arkona's guitars, and keyboards, along with Hannes Folberth's keyboards, Klaus-Peter Matziol's bass, Fritz Randow's drums and some female guest vocalists. As usual all proceedings are overseen by guitarist visionary Frank Bornemann who I also thought led the band admirably on vocals.

The album begins with a powerhouse rocker 'Through A Somber Galaxy' that is a definitive highlight for the group. It has some dynamic synth work and awesome heavy guitar riffs with a blistering lead solo. After listening to more recent Eloy albums such as 2009's "Visionary" and 1994's "The Tides Return Forever", to me this album really stands out as being a masterful accomplishment. Of course the band were younger and more inventive back then, but it is such a delight to hear Eloy launching into one treasure after another. The tunes are always uplifting and the spaceyness of the synths are mesmirising throughout. The bassline punctuates the rhythm and drives the track beautifully. A brilliant start to this album.

'Behind The Walls Of Imagination' is another great track with a strong rhythmic feel, on keyboard and guitar. Clavinet accents are effective but the synth keyboards dominate and saturate the soundscape with pleasurable stellar nuances. Two solid gems to begin the album make this proghead very pleased indeed, and I am already in love with this album.

'Time To Turn' is intriguing for me after hearing part 2 from "Visionary" first. The same melody was obviously implemented as I recognised instantly the melodic phrases, especially in the chorus. The addition of guest vocalists Amy, Anna and Sabine is a master touch as they sound incredible. This is a poppy song, rather than prog, but is endearing with the vocal work and synth soaked musicianship.

'Magic Mirrors' opens with more clavinet and a pulsating bassline. The keyboards are mixed to the front and overpowering. I like it though as a diversion from complex structures, but it has to be said the keyboard work is very straight forward rather than complex virtuoso.

'End Of An Odyssey' clocks 9 and a half minutes so I hoped for a masterpiece composition. It begins with a welcome synth solo with spacey drones and high pitched resonances, as though Wakeman turned up in the studio and began to play on his way to a curry vindaloo. So far I am delighted and looked forward to some inventive structures. The music builds with drums and high hat cymbal work and this continues for about 5 minutes. Then on cue Bornemann's vocals chime in and he sounds great on lines such as "if you perceive the truth within yourself". The Pink Floyd style symphonic element is present throughout but there is also a funky Alan Parson's Project feel. The captivating song ends with a battle of clavinet and keyboard sounds and overall this is another definitive highlight of the album.

'The Flash' begins with ambience in the form of synth pulsations and a heartbeat of bass. Bornemann again injects some great vocals. The music develops to a quicker cadence with wavering synth. I love the music at 2:20 that is a bit like the synth heard in 80s rock such as Ultravox, Yazoo or Human League, and I am a fan of that sound. It is actually like the New Romantic music which was a delight for me. Eloy are more complex on this track in terms of structure and what a treasure it is to hear after the simplistic styles preceding. I love this song so much and it really cemented and confirmed a high rating as far as I am concerned.

'Say, Is It Really True' is a song with a difference, very diverse as it features the acoustic guitar, similar to tracks on other Eloy albums but mysteriously missing on this album until now. It is quiet and peaceful after the deluge of synth previous. The lyrics are nice; "Say is it really true that the flame of hope has grown, that the spirit has changed, that the few no longer stand alone." I like the seagull screech effects too. It is a melancholy song that ends the album with a fade out. I highly recommend this album unreservedly to Eloy fans and symphonic or space rock addicts. I was pleasantly surprised at the consistent quality and the amount of highlights. There are no filler tracks and it is an uplifting experience to hear Eloy so inspired and playing at their musical best. As an 80s album, this must rate as one of the best when prog was experiencing a lull in inventiveness. Eloy at least delivered a worthwhile sound and this never disappoints from track to track.

From the excellent Dawn, Eloy definitely forged his unique sound. Obviously, with influences from various sources, but with its distinctive touch. Indeed, the golden age was from Dawn to this outstanding Time to Turn. From here, only Ocean II was at the same height musical.

Time to Turn is mature, compact and transcendent. It isn´t an innovative product with reference to the previous albums, but continues in the same musical and lyrical line. The sound is reminiscent of the 80's, the remastered version is excellent. There is a wonderful interplay Between Bass Guitar, Keyboards and Guitars.

End of an Odyssey, Behind the Walls of Imagination and Through Somber Galaxy are essential classics of this particular band, which should be much more appreciated and recognized that it already is.

Say, ELOY turns floyd-ish again, is it really true?

"Time to Turn" was initially planned as a double-album with "Planets". As the progressive genre was not very highlighted in the beginning of the 80's, the Harvest label refused. The two albums were finally released as a dyptic, which was a reasonable decision. The musical style, sound and inspiration are in continuity with their previous opus, however featuring more guitars and bass as well as a few surprises. Frank Bornemann is more present and delivers some inspired soli. It also marks the return of drummer Fritz Randow, who played in the band during 1973- 1975, and of some PINK FLOYD's borrowings. However, ELOY's style is now quite new, the Germans' fantasy sci-fi prog compositions cannot be compared to what their elder British brothers did. So, there should be less controversy this time.

"Through A Somber Galaxy" is a catchy good space-rock opener. ELOY is style alive, and Bornemann gives us a nice gilmour-ian guitar solo. The progressive "Behind The Walls Of Imagination" is a nice track with mysterious intro and a melancholic ambiance. The title track gives some arguments to the band's detractors, as it can be regarded as their reinterpretation of "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2". The bass and guitar lines are quite reminiscent of the well known song, as well as the kids' chorus. Nonetheless, as said before, the musical style is different, it's fantasy sci-fi here. Anyway, a very nice track in ELOY's discography.

The ambient electronic "Magic Mirrors" is less melodic and more melancholic. An enjoyable piece. The highlight of the record is undoubtedly the 9 minutes mini-epic "End Of An Odyssey". The most progressive track, its spacey intro and various atmospheres will make you travel through stellar systems. In contrast, "The Flash" is the weakest composition here. It sounds like a RUSH's tune from the "Signals" or "Grace Under Pressure" period, however less inspired. The ending song, "Say, Is It Really True" is also the most surprising. Mainly a short acoustic guitar piece, in the style of you-know-who's "Wish You Were Here". Although this exercice is quite new for ELOY, the result is convincing.

"Time to Turn" is ELOY's best 80's album, with "Planets". Whether you prefer the black or the grey one is just a matter of taste. "Planets" is more coherent and dominated by synthesizers, whereas this 1982 opus is more rock oriented and less lyrical. Again, the music still sounds a bit dated, but,at the time, there were not many progressive records of this quality.

Very recommended to space-rock lovers and ELOY fans!

Possibly the last of the golden era. Eloy was turning less adventureous with coming years but they still maintained a high degree of artistic quality and elements for a prog listener.

I appreciate the acquired taste of painting atmosphere which is not easy when the overall complexity is decreasing. I think at this point, German new-wave bands could have look up at Eloy's last 3 albums and get inspiration on how to play floating keyboards.

"End of an odyssey" is maybe a progressive good-bye by the band strengthened by dilligent drumming and synth explorations in the beginning. For 1982, it's not an overstatement to say that this is a kayboard odyssey, not being flamboyant but still relatively symphonic.