SPACE HYMNS

Like COMUS' "First Utterance" from around the same time, RAMASES "Space Hymns" seems to occupy a sane middle ground amongst few listeners. It's also often regarded as a shrouded classic and is cited as an influence disproportionate to its limited commercial success. But then it does involve premature death (of central figure in 1976) and we know how much that can do to posthumously endow artists with genius. Ramases the fellow so renamed himself and his spouse to Selket for reasons that vary depending on the source, but despite these Egyptian connections, this is more like one of those Jesus freak productions, just one that's a lot more charming for being a lot less lavish. It's dated in its way, yet just as timeless.

Backed by the future members of 10CC, who scored a hit earlier as the group HOT LEGS (some just have all the luck don't they?), Ramases and Selket offer an eyes of wonder take on the peace and love folk of their day, or perhaps the day before that, not a million miles away from PETER PAUL AND MARY, DONOVAN, FRESH MAGGOTS, and LINDISFARNE. In fact, the guitar in the brilliant opener "Life Child" is similar in timbre to that deployed on some of ALAN HULL's later solo work. "Oh Mister" is just as impressive, fusing negro spiritual and middle eastern motifs, with distinguished bass and percussion. Sel takes the lead on the round the campfire number for depressives "And the Whole World" and that makes 3 ear turners in a row.

Unfortunately, the somewhat vexing repetitiveness wafts into the listening room around "Quasar One", still charming, especially compared to the awful "You're the Only One" and the closer "Journey to the Inside", where the dubious connection between this fellow and the Pharoahs is severed for good, It was fun while it lasted, and along the way I'll highlight "Earth People" which is one of the few numbers I could call understated. Even "Jesus" exudes a melancholy that reminds us that there was a time when we at least sang like we were sure he was coming back. Not sure what Pharoah thought of all this though. At least throw in a song about a mummified cat or something! But, to repeat myself, like none of us are used to over redundancy in prog? We can't all be ECHOLYN you know.

Another similarity with COMUS, I am rating this a solid 3 stars and am willing to sing the praises of "Space Hymns" to the lower cloud layer if not recklessly to the skies. For you to discover.

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