LIVING THE DREAM

There is a very old English folk tradition called Morris Dancing, and proponents of this melodeon-based genre say it's not enough to churn out the notes - your music needs something special called "lift". Probably very few people would connect Uriah Heep with Morris Dancing, but "lift" is exactly the term I would use to describe the music in this album. Whether or not you happen to like the songs, the almost overpowering energy of the delivery is undeniable.

And the extraordinary thing is that in 2019 this band will celebrate its 50th anniversary. The surviving original member Mick Box is no less than 71. I remember seeing him perform at an outdoor pop festival in 1972 - that is 46 years ago. Unbelievable. Maybe it is his birthplace of Walthamstow in East London - scene of a much-loved song on this site - "Along the Forest Road there's hundreds of cars - luxury cars...".

And the music is great, I love these songs where the band seem to be trying to out-do themselves in heaviness while always keeping a melody underneath. Bernie Shaw (aged 62) is one of the best operatic rock vocalists ever.

I am shocked that just one week ago I uploaded a review for Phideaux's brilliant new 'Infernal' and said that if a better album came along in 2018 I would be very pleasantly surprised. I am in two minds now.

Verdict: talk about the 'endless river'...