MANDALABAND II - THE EYE OF WENDOR: PROPHECIES

Despite buying the LP back in 1978 because of the contribution of Hayward/Prior/BJH, until a few months ago I had not heard it for many years yet in my head was what I thought was a Prog classic. I now tend to think I was wrong. Sure, there are some good bits and some good performances, but it doesn't flow as it should. Too often tracks start, toodle along a bit and then just finish or fade into the next track without fully developing a cohesive musical theme or narrative, despite some nice ideas. It is an album of chunks: basically a collection of songs tenuously connected by a number of instrumental passages. When executed with the genius of, for example, Genesis ('Supper's Ready'), disparate sections can be made to sound as if they really do belong together. Sadly, that is not the case here.

There are one or two turkeys (the jazzy/funky 'Florian's Song' and 'Elsethea' seem uninspired to me) while the highlight is the Justin Hayward sung 'Dawn Of A New Day' which is sublime. Overall, it's nice enough in a late-70s pop-rock-opera sort of way, and perhaps a working band like Camel might have pulled it off. Perhaps it deserves a more in-depth review. Perhaps I am doing it a disservice. As it is, I can't help feeling disappointed .....

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