RADIO GNOME INVISIBLE VOL. 2 - ANGEL'S EGG

ANGEL'S EGG is the most song-oriented of the three RGI albums, yet it's one of their most enjoyable works to sit through. Yes, the extended instrumental interplay is subdued on this album compared to others, but at the same time, there's a certain charm ANGEL'S EGG has that keeps me spinning it.

There are a few extended instrumental breaks, notably the opening track's spacey grooves. There are others like the ''Inner Temple/Outer Temple'' space/jazz interlude that keep the interest. ANGEL'S EGG is mostly lyrically whimsical with many unusual moments that make you go, ''Wait a minute...WHAT?'' followed by a few chuckles. The music backs up the humour moments quite well, particularly with Hillage, Blake and new rhythm section of Mike Howlett/Pierre Moerlen taking instrumental duties and Didier Malberbe's soaring woodwinds.

Highlights are ''Sold to the Highest Buddha'' with its sudden yet fluid shifts of metre, the closing ''Eat That Phonebook Coda'', the strange hard rocking ''I Never Glid Before'', the groovy ''Oily Way'' and the marimba infested ''Love Is How Y Make It''. On certain versions, the bonus ''Ooby Scooby Doomsday'' is worth a good laugh. The whole album is worth a spot in your prog collection as ANGEL'S EGG is full of progressive little tunes that never take themselves seriously.