 Uriah Heep
- "Live \'73, 1973 (re-release)" Sanctuary Records 2003 An album that is still ranked as one of the best live albums in history of rock! Last touring day, last chance, they went on stage and did it, on a Friday night at Birmingham Town Hall. A whole recording session was taken there. You won't believe it, but division of instruments in this newly remastered version is even improved. Work of Mick on left and Ken on right monitor is supremely divided, and you can clearly hear what both guys are doing through entire album, which was not quite possible with previous remaster. Also sound of backing vocals is improved. This concerns especially for recognizable Hensley's back vocal singing on right monitor, without which we simply can not imagine Uriah Heep of their "cosmic" seventies era (Hensley's backing vocals are outstanding straight in Sunrise, than grandiose fantasy suite July Morning and Tears In My Eyes). You will immediately ride the sky with opener Sunrise, straight after band's usual little tuning introduction. This three minute fantasy delivers first proof how heavy, self-convinced, and straight forwarded this classic Uriah Heep line up was... ups, almost 31 years ago. All five pieces breathed as one unit perfectly. Working chemistry in studio was manifested and brought live on-stage on a best possible way. This album not only offers, oh so many, rocking moments that will make you wanna boogie, but captures some special unique magic. Boys were in great shape on that very special night. Hensley's chunky organ, that multiplies the power of Mick's heavy edged guitar riffing, thunderous Lee's drumming in fantastic conversation with melodic powerful Gary's bass lines, and David's irreplaceable singing and acting in centre position, give altogether an impression of how relaxed, spontaneous and powerful this band was on stage. This album is heavy as hell, no matter which track you choose, Heep's are delivering bomb after bomb. True alive album with sonic rollers Sweet Loraine, Traveller In Time, Easy Livin', probably the heaviest piece on album Love Machine or Tears In My Eyes where Ken Hensley joins Mick by doing all those slide guitar hooks and lays down a beautiful guitar slide solo. Live album is bombastic, atmospheric experience, where everything fully breaths. Album retains all authentic fade outs as featured on four sided vinyl recording. It ends with fantastic Rock'n Roll Medley, a band's blistering rock'n' roll tribute to Berry, Presley...where Mick spices things up by addition of some shivering spontaneous solo improvisations. If aforementioned songs serves as a straight portions of rock'n'roll, than Sunrise, July Morning and Circle Of Hands offer some dreamy moments of shivering fantasy touch that will grind your souls very tightly. Gypsy is lying somewhere in between. It joins some psychedelic moments in middle and closing sections, than straight ahead heavy sharp edged vah vah guitar riffing and Lee's two minute drum soloing prior to song's ending. Gypsy as a composition describes phenomena called Uriah Heep on a finest possible way. It has many faces, as music of Uriah Heep. It joins together Earthly arrogant and shaky boogier face of a band and at the same time band's great abilities of subtler and sophisticated sensitive approach that easily takes listener to the journey far beyond the sun and skies. Uriah Heep are, as far as I am concerned, band which brings on stage to life all fairy tales and other stories of mystery and imagination on most convincible way. All you have to do is close your eyes and you'll find yourselves in real Wonderworld. Oh, I almost forgot some other facts concerned to this new re-release. Also what we got is bonus CD. It features 20 minute long radio broadcasting with live songs Something Or Nothing, I Won't Mind, Look At Yourself, Gypsy and film mixes used for radio which was later released on 35 minute vinyl "Live At Shepperton '74" with exactly the same set list of the original release (without Sweet Freedom that is included as a bonus on 1997's remaster). Its redesigned shape and sound is quite different and will surely make happy all Uriah Heep devotees.
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