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Uriah Heep - Electrically Driven  CD (album) cover

ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN

Uriah Heep

 

Heavy Prog

3.92 | 28 ratings

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ZowieZiggy
Prog Reviewer
4 stars With the enourmous amount of live albums released by the band, it must be pretty difficult for the casual fan (or newbie) to decide which one is the best to grab. Actually, the choice is very easy. Get the newly remastered version of their fantastic "Live '73" album which holds two CD's (the original album and "The King Biscuit" one).

Now, things get more complicated if you would like to get an additional one. I would suggest you to avoid both "Live at Shepperton " and "Live in Europe". In 1988, the band will release "Live In Moscow" which could be an option.

This "Electrially Driven" live effort, is IMO probably the best choice so far (since the Heep will be taken by the frenzy of releasing lots of live stuff afterwards).

Several anthems of the band are played very well and less know numbers as the heavier "Universal Wheels" from one of their best album (post Byron period of course) : "Sea Of Light". "Between Two Worlds" from their last studio album ("Sonic...") is really great. I can not have the same positive comment about "I Hear Voices".

We'll be travelling in time (!) with the next number which brings us back to their very first album. This is a gentle acoustic song. When I reviewed the studio album ("Very 'Eavy, Vey 'Umble") I mentioned that the track was almost prog. This version holds not so much keys though and is more acoustic guitar oriented. Still, a nice break.

This song will open a serie of old tracks belonging to the best Heep's repertoire with a very pleasant surprise : the presence of Ian Anderson for the next two songs. He adds his flute playing during the intro of "Circle" which is a very nice addition. He did already joined the Heep during the "Acoustically Driven" set. It sounds as if the whole song has been revisited by Tull. Extremely pleasant and so original. It really transforms this very average studio track.

"Blind Eye" will get the same treatment. And my judgment is the same (but I admit that I am biased since I am a die-hard fan of the Tull as well). These two songs are a very nice present. A great emotional moment (at least for me), but I really wanted to share this feeling with you).

The four last numbers will be a kaleidoscope of the best ones of the Heep. "Sunrise is great and it is just a pity that "Gipsy" has been reduced to a mere three minutes, but let's not be too difficult. "July Morning" is one of my all time favourite and is brilliantly performed here.

I discovered the band in 1972 with the single "Easy Livin" so I am completely biased when I hear this song even if most of the time live versions have never reached the quality of the studio one. But honestly, this might well be the best live one available.

This live album is a very pleasant travel in the Heep's repertoire. Not too many average songs, Ian Anderson's skills to raise the level of two songs and a great amount of classic Heep legendary tracks propel this live set to one of their very best so far IMHHO (in my humble and honest opinion).

Seven out of ten would be a logical rating, but I guess that I'm in a pretty much nostalgic mood today, so I will upgrade this to four stars. Give this one a try not for its "progessivity" which is close to none (as most of their work actually) but for the emotion it conveys.

ZowieZiggy | 4/5 |

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