T.2. [AKA: 1970; FANTASY]

This album should have been their second release but was buried into the vaults for a very long period of time (twenty-five years!). The release of these lost tapes was a fine news for the fans of this discreet band from the early seventies.

Although the sound might not be exceptional, it is quite decent when one bears in mind its genesis.

Since the line-up is the same as the one who recorded the excellent debut Boomland, what we'll get here is pretty much in-line: at least during some tracks. A heavy and bluesy rock which has its roots in the Jimi Hendrix Experience (Highway is the closest and best one of the whole).

What makes them special though are very sweet vocals which contrast with their heavy music (Careful Sam). Psychedelia is not forgotten either and is softly rendered during the smooth Timothy Monday). During longer pieces, their proclivity to jam (CD) is very well underlined. This album also holds some very smooth musical passages. Almost pastoral and early Genesis oriented. The fine Minstrel is such a melancholic track with mellotron and flute.

After such a nice parenthesis, we are brought back in their heavy blues jamming mood. As such, Fantasy is not very well achieved and the guitar solo is too much Jimi oriented. Too much is too much.

The closing song is another good number, with some symphonic aspects as well. It sounds as if T2 was willing to explore new musical territories. It would have been a nice adventure, had they decided to go on a little longer. But they decided to split: too bad! It is called T2. Such a name maybe because they hadn't another title in mind while they wrote it, who knows?

This is an enjoying album, but I was much more impressed with their debut one. Three stars.