SPACE SHANTY

Thanks to Prog Archives and the high rating this gets I sought it out, and am certainly not disappointed. What a terrific masterwork. I was already of a big fan of Steve Hillage's work with Gong and some of his solo work is terrific. Some of my favorite Prog is the jazzy side of the Canterbury scene stuff. But I also love Space Rock. This album is like a dream come true for a fan of fusion, Canterbury and Space Rock all blended together. Frankly I like it more than Gong's Flying Teapot Trilogy, because unlike with Gong, here, Hillage is allowed to cut loose with his amazing and inspired guitar excursions with the goal to clearly take your mind further into/out to inner/outer space.

I don't find this to be typical of early Canterbury at all. Sure you can hear that wonderful Canterbury quirkiness running through it, but there's a more menacing and even macho thing going on as they try to expand a little on the weighty sounds and notions that a King Crimson or Pink Floyd brought to their music. A stunning success and true milestone in Prog Rock.