INTERLIFE

An innovative blend of folk and jazz rock, "Interlife" was an all instrumental album like "Earth Birth", only this time Brett chose the ensemble approach rather than playing solo acoustic guitar. While he wields his considerable talent on all manner of axe, a weighty supporting cast helps bring forth a more celebratory vision. Among the well known talent are featured the ever present Mel Collins on saxes and a post Strawbs Rod Coombes on drums.

The title cut took up a whole side of the original vinyl, and is a tour de force of eclectic instrumental progressive rock. The main theme is noteworthy enough, but that which occupies most of the central minutes of the opus is simply brilliant, and lends itself, at turns, to light experimentation on guitars, saxes, synthesizers, even bass. This is like a less brocaded Mike Oldfield and better for it, especially relative to what Oldfield was doing around the same time. It's hard to believe this is produced by assembled hired hands, so in sync are the participants.

Side 2 consists of 4 shorter tracks in a similar vein. "Celebration" begins in a more folkie style with just Brett on acoustic guitar but gradually everyone joins in and Brett delivers a searing lead solo. Some of the time shifts are of a more jazzy nature, but the track eventually ends in a near jig, reminding us of Brett's sturdiest roots. "Segregation" has a similar structure but the lead solo is just as impressive for its bass work by Delisle Harper. While the shift from the relative shelter of the interlife into real life is no doubt a stormy one in practice, and the finale "Into Life" conveys this, it's heavy rock is out of place on the disk, and really the only disappointment.

It's a shame that "Interlife" did not appear a few years earlier. Not that it wasn't innovative even in its time, but in 1974 it might have had a chance to achieve for Paul Brett some merited recognition. Unfortunately, this release remains unavailable on CD, even though it begs for another life.