WONDERWORLD

3,5 stars really. Wonderworld is definitly the least succesfull album done by their ´classic´line up of the 70´s. It was done during a big inside crisis (Byron´s drinking and bassist Thain addiction to heroin) and not many critics liked it at the time. And there is controversity about it even today. Nevertheless, they still could deliver a better work than most of their competition.

The LP has a great side one: the classic title track, Suicidal man, The Shadows and The Wind and the beautiful short ballad The Easy Road. Only So tired is a throwaway song, with its lyrics confessing its lack of inspiration explicity. side two is not as good: not a really bad song, but not any highlights either. What saves the album is the group´s fantastic chemistry: even at their lowest those guys were special, including Gary Thain´s playing is impeccable and fluid. those backing vocals are also unique and thrilling.

Certainly changes had to come, but they did it in a very sad fashion, with Thain´s death not long after the LP release. And things would never be the same again. So Wonderworld, with all its faults, is still a good farwell CD to Uriah Heep´s golden era. Not their best for starters, but essential for the fans.