ONCE AGAIN

I came into BJH via allmusic.com's "similar artists"-links to Moody Blues, but to mock BJH as 'poor man's Moody Blues' (as critics did at the time) is an unfair insult. Yes, their early Mellotron-featured sound is sometimes close to MB's, and like in MB, most members sing. Anyway, safe to say BJH will most likely please those who like MB ('67-'72). 'Baroque rock' is one description I've heard. Before this I had heard the two next albums which I find very uneven - especially singing in them sounds often quite bad. I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The majestic opening ('She Said') is among the best album intros I know. That spellbinding spirit continues with fantastic, melancholic - and also well-sung - songs ('Mocking Bird' being the best known). 'Ball and Chain' is very ballsy rocking number but I like it too. 'Lady Loves' in the end is the weakest - it BTW features Alan Parsons on jaw- harp. My CD has bonus tracks, two unreleased songs and quadrophonic versions of album's songs (I could do without them). But Once Again is to me the 3rd best album of 1971 (after Pawn Hearts and Nursery Cryme). Fragile has too many fillers to beat it.