HIGH AND MIGHTY

One way or another, a change is inevitable

David Byron's final album with Uriah Heep came all too soon. The recording of "High and Mighty" was apparently a somewhat piecemeal affair, with only Hensley (who yet again dominates the song writing) and Wetton committed in full to the project. The absence of Gerry Bron as producer for the first time is less apparent than might have been expected, but he was reportedly unimpressed with the results.

The two sides of the LP make an appropriate division between what turned out to be an impressive side one, and a poor side two. Mick Box is largely absent throughout, with Hensley by and large providing both keyboards and guitar.

The opening track, "One way or another" doesn't even feature Byron's vocals, with Wetton taking on those duties. Ironically Byron, who was reportedly comfortable with the finished track, played Hammond organ on it instead. It is though an intriguingly successful diversion for the band in a slightly less organised direction. Hensley's middle 8 restores the more melodic sound, providing a harmonic counterpoint. The track has similarities to "Dreamer" which opened "Sweet Freedom".

Byron first appears on the beautiful "Weep in silence", a softer track but highly melodic almost emotional, with Hensley's keyboards swirling around the pained voice of Byron.

"Midnight", which closes side one, is a miniature epic in about 6 minutes. In that time it moves from an attention grabbing opening riff, through a number of time changes and brief instrumental breaks, to fade with a reprise of the opening riff. "Midnight" stand proud alongside Hensley's finest compositions, and would have made a fitting end to the Byron era Uriah Heep. Unfortunately, they continued onto side two of the album, which brings together some of the weakest material recorded by the band while Byron was a member.

Had the entire album been up to the standard of the four tracks on side one, "High and mighty" would have been worthy of it's name. Unfortunately side two of the album only served to indicate that radical change was needed, and such change was indeed, just around the corner.

There are numerous bonus tracks on the deluxe remaster, including a successful cut and paste extension of "Weep in silence". Also included are demos by Hensley of some of the album tracks, which are in fact better than the final versions. "Does anything matter", which became "Woman of the world" in particular shows how the track could have been developed into a sensitive ballad, instead of the nondescript pop version which was selected.

I have to say that this is an excellent album. It is David Byron's last album with the band and I personally stopped following them after High and Mighty. To my detriment perhaps, however listening to dizzy songs like ' Misty Eyes', the slow march of ' Footprints in the Snow' and the quirky but apt' Can't Keep A Good Band Down' and ' Can't Stop Singing' it reminds me of what a great vocalist Byron was and also what a vital ingredient to the band and the Hensley formula he was.This album comes highly recommended.

Another slightly unbalanced album from an unstable but fabulous band. The record begins with exceptionally great songs and performances, but somehow the power of the record starts to decrease as further as the album spins. The opener "One Way or Another" has John Wetton also singing the leads on it, and it's a truly dynamic and great song with his powerfully hammering bass guitar. Though this is very different music than the legacy of earlier King Crimson records he was part of creating, his familiar style of playing bass can be heard still, and fits wonderfully to the more earthbound style of the heepsters. The following ballad "Weep In Silence" is also marvelous, a very emotional minor ballad, and has several layers of guitars "weeping" on it wonderfully. "Misty Eyes" and "Midnight" are also great tracks, shimmering Uriah Heep's positive magic, and also the following "Can't Keep a Good Band Down" is fine positive mood lifter, but then the rest of the songs are only average, not very memorable compositions. I also had a change to listen through the bonus tracks presented on the remastered CD, but they didn't sound very promising either to my ears. There was a fun anecdote found from the liner notes of a newer CD though; Some band member stated that the album title "High and Mighty" kind of described the mental state of the group from that time. According this description on tour as automatically operating glass-doors of a hotel failed to open for Mr. Byron, he solved the problem with a flying kick and got eventually to the lobby through the shards.

"High and Mighty" is together with "Sweet Freedom" the least interesting album in the 70's Uriah Heep catalogue. But it is still good enough to escape the 'fans only'-rating. There are some good and interesting songs on this album. But there are some generic rock'n'roll songs that weights this albums down. Get the other 70's albums in the Uriah Heep catalouge before this one.

An underrated high point in the band's cannon, H&M benefits greatly from John Wetton's bass and Hensley's inspired set of compositions. The album begins with two absolute classics right out of the gate, One Way or Another & Weep In Silence. The former is a cleverly plodding charmer sung by Wetton somewhat pleasantly. Weep In Silence is the highlight of the record. A regally soaring Box solo frames the tale of misplaced leadership and idealism powerfully. This is easily my personal favorite Heep song, it is the highlight of an otherwise ripe heep record. At times it reminds me of a much heavier stripped down Moody Blues track maybe. Next up is the dramatic Misty Eyes, which sounds as if it may have influenced Jack Black of Tenacious D fame. The final track of Side 1 is the proggier side of the band with Midnight, definitely top quality. Side 2 begins with the cool, funky Can't Keep A Good Band Down. Wetton's sound is funky and propulsive and the song is an upbeat melodic diversion. Woman of the world is kind of poppy too, kind of a whimsical british throwback kind of number. Not the best song on the album but still quite solid. Footprints in the Snow nearly matches the aforementioned Weep In Silence for its lyrical grace. Perhaps the solo at the end of the song is a bit of a letdown, it almost sounds as if Box might be trying to conjure the sound of John Wetton's former employer Mr. Fripp somewhat unsuccesfully. Nevertheless, this is another epic Uriah Heep classic, and the quality of the material remaining on the lp can't rise to it. The remaining three tracks alternately folksy, bluesy, and minimalistic unpretentiously conclude a fine Uriah Heep recording. This is one of my favorite records and I would recommend it to anyone.

I had high expectations for this album, (one might say "high & mighty"!) because I had 3 of their excellent earlier albums "Salisbury", "Demons & Wizards" and "Magicians Birthday" (all 3 subsequently purchased on CD), and because I felt that the John Wetton albums with "King Crimson" were among the best (along with the Greg Lake ones). So when I found out that J. Wetton had joined Uriah Heep for 2 albums I thought it should make for a great lineup. Unfortunately it seems like the band was having some internal problems, or perhaps they were just running out if creative ideas, because the album was a big let- down. I had always liked Uriah Heep's music but I had felt that their lyrics were sometimes weak. John Wetton has some skills writing, however it seems like Hensley was pretty much the sole songwriter by this point. Wetton only co-wrote 2 tracks "Weep in Silence" & "Footprints in the Snow", which are the two best tracks on the album in my opinion. The only other song that I liked is "Midnight" which has great guitar & mellowtron, but suffers from mediocre lyrics. eg. "I just lay down wonderin' what to lay down". The opening track is o.k., but Wetton's vocals are not as good as his KC stuff, they sound a little forced. (Maybe the strain of making those high notes.) The The rest of the other 6 tracks are rather uninspired. I remember taping the "Footprints", "Weep" & "Midnight" tracks onto cassette and leaving the album to collect dust. I would give this album a rating of about 2.5.

To me, this is the last of the best Uriah Heep ever. A couple of albums after this one, the band will drift into mediocrity and lose its character. High and Mighty is a very enjoyable album all through -- though it lacks any 'masterpiece' song. Byron's vocals never sounded better. The opening track One Way or Another is based on Box's 'trade-mark' style riff and is very enjoyable. Weep in Silence and Footprints on the snow share similar styles, while Weep in Silence is marked by a deep lead guitar work by Box. Midnight is the best song of this album without any doubt. On side B, I like Woman of the world for its nice rythm and Confessions is one of the best mellow pieces ever written by Hensley. I did not mention the other songs-- but that does not mean they are not good. Overall, this is a must for all Heep collectors.

High and Mighty, really...Never before the sound of Heep was so ambitious, with extravagant ideas and arrangements than in this work.

I must say this was the most difficult of all of the band's albuns for me to get into, me having to listen to each song somewhat like 4 or 5 times until 'understanding' their intentions, what also gives me a deep respect for this work (What seems to be a strange fact that Hensley thinks this to be one of his most well-suceeded achievements, can be in the truth due to the lack of comprehension we have of his intentions here).

Never before had Hensley dominated so much the songwriting, as there is no song here not made by him, with only 2 contributions by Wetton, which seems to me to be the another man in the band really compromised with the sucess of High and Mighty.

One Way or Another features almost funny vocals by Wetton (his voice is weird enough to me, but having heard King Crimson's Red, it seems that he sang more seriously in that album). Anyway, it's an excellent heavy song, with great playing by all the band. 4/5

I think it is of little need to say much about Weep in Silence, it's a masterpiece. The guitars really cry, Byron sings with all the power a man can have inside, and it features my all time favorite heep choir, all with extravagant arrangements, which would last with Hensley's organ work on Firefly. 5/5

Misty Eyes is a vocal ballad, with well-constructed harmony vocalizations, with an almost a capella touch. 4/5

Midnight starts off with a great melodic introduction, never seen since Sweet Freedom. Byron sings gently, evolving his voice where lyrics get more dynamic ('miles and miles of smiles, getting me nowhere', 'morning didn't show me what it was worth'). Hensley explores lots of sounds from his synthetizer, from rodhes piano to rock organ. 5/5

Can't Keep a Good Band Down is a fine standard rocker, to be heard at lightweight ocasions. 3/5

Woman of the World is a power ballad, as Heep hasn't made since Wonderworld. Fine melody, four stars due to the great vocalizations in the end section. 4/5

Footprints in the Snow is a guitar-synth effects driven ballad, with weird backing vocals, the song has a very sweet-freedom like melody. 3/5

Can't Stop Singing has a boogie sound, featurin catchy piano playing and harmony vocals. 4/5

Make a Little Love is a weaker Hensley track, with heavy riffs from Box and average Byron's performance. 2/5

Confession keeps the tradition of a piano-driven Hensley ballad, which counted with Rain and The Easy Road in the earlier albuns. A really fine track. 4/5

4 + 5 + 4 + 5 +3 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 4 = 38/10 3.8, 4 stars

After the average "Wonderworld" and "Return to Fantasy" what can we expect from the Heep ? "One Way Or Another" featuring Wetton on the lead vocal, is the first attempt to FM / AOR music (nothing surprising with Wetton involved). This song is not really bad but do not expect anything great (backing vocals are almost unbearable). IMO, this is the Heep swan song (first era).

"Weep In Silence" is a very good song : a great rock ballad with superb guitar play. Melody is very nice. Somewhat poppy though (again, backing vocals are really weak).

There are many average songs on this album , which can be heard without listening if you see what I mean : you can play them while you're cooking or washing your car and you'll get the impression : not too bad. But when you listen to them carefully, there is not really a lot to remember. "Misty Eyes", "Midnight" (another ballad with great bass), "Can't Stop Singing" (good rocking tempo) etc. Most of the records will be of that vein : middle of the road rock music.

Some poor tracks like "Woman Of The World", "Footprints In The Snow" (again very poor backing vocals) and "Can't Stop Singing" (they should have done it in this particular case) and the mellow "Sundown" (piano-lobby-bar oriented : real bad).

"Make A Little Love" is above par : a nice old rock'n'roll flavor to kick a bit. It gives a change is this rather monotonous album.

The second good song of the album is "Name Of The Game" : the first bonus track of the remastered CD version ! Again, why didn't they include this track in the original one is a mystery. It is already the third or fourth time I am noticing this for the Heep : great bonus tracks superior to the original studio material.

Surprisingly, vocals are rather weak and dull for most of the time. It will be Byron's last one with the band. IMO, this album is even weaker than "Wonderworld". Three out of then, but I will upgrade the remastered CD version to two stars thanks to "Name.".

This is the last album of Uriah Heep with David Byron as lead vocalist. This might not be a good album by some people but I think this album deserves better appreciation. This is also an important point for the band because after this album the band will not take Byron anymore as member of the band and for Byron that meant "enough is enough". Musically, this is not a bad one at all especially if you observe the styles. My first impression start with the opening track "One Way or Another" which for me is a good start for a rocker. The style is truly Uriah Heep's, especially with the guitar work. The second track "Weep in Silence" is a killer with bluesy style and stunning guitar work The melody line is very strong especially when Byron starts to roll with his high register notes. The guitar solo during transition pieces is really excellent. The song moves beautifully in relatively slow tempo. "Misty Eyes" demonstrates great vocal line by Byron as well as vocal harmonies. Unfortunately when the music enters its main body, it sounds like pop ballad song. "Woman of the World" is a simple song with interesting bass lines. "Make a Little Love" is a straight rocker with good melody line and excellent vocal by Byron. "Confession" reminds me to "Rain" of "The Magician's Birthday" album. It's a powerful mellow track showcasing Byron's clear voice and nice piano. "Name of The Game" brings another blues-rock music with stunning guitar work. The album is concluded with "Sundown" which demonstrates Mick Box guitar work more obvious.

A RETURN TO FORM!

When HIGH AND MIGHTY came out, i didn't have any great expectations as the last 2 URIAH HEEP albums were kind of a downer. But to my surprise, when i got it, i liked it right away and still do very much after all those years.

First of all, KEN HENSLEY re-took total control of the writing duties wit a little help of JOHN WETTON here and there. I guess democracy was not a good concept for this band. And guess what, KEN HENSLEY came back quite inspired; not at the level from LOOK AT YOURSELF or DEMONS AND WIZARDS as there are a pair of stinkers on then-side 2, but the rest is high quality.

What was the first side of the album, the first 4 tracks are all great! the opener ''ONE WAY OR ANOTHER iis sung by...JOHN WETTON lead is a ver powerful hard rocker, yet with the classic melodic touch URIAH HEEP is known for. After that, the band show us that it still can produce magical songs like they used to at the beginning. What is there not to like on WEEP IN SILENCE and this magnificent guitar : a 10/10 UH song; just plain beautiful. MIDNIGHT is one of the other highlight of the album, the most proggish track; nice bass and mellotron from WETTON and of course another gorgeous melody sung by the divine BYRON; could have come from on any URIAH HEEP cd from the golden age.

Even the guitar of Mick box who again has been relocated in the background on this album sounds magnificent when he is allowed to showcase his talent; not too many notes played, just the ones that count, the nice ones.

The other side of the album is not as strong as the first one, but it's still way up compared to RETURN TO FANTASY or WONDERWORLD. FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW is another one of those ''magical'' moments offered by the band; a very emotional melody played wonderfully by all 5 members where DAVID BYRON shines again. Who knew it would be the last time?? You have also some average tracks like ''CAN'T KEEP A GGOD BAND DOWN'' or ''MAKE A LIITLE LOVE'' kind of american-style boogies not really a URIAH HEEP strength; but MICK BOX is having some good fun with them at least! not bad, but not super. And CONFESSION is a perfect gentle ballad to close this very good album.

That would be the last album of an era; the golden era of URIAH HEEP; the singer DAVID BYRON will be shown the door, but after that would never be the same band. DAVID BYRON was URIAH HEEP. (RIP)

I can't give the 5 stars treatment to this album as it is not perfect but 4 stars for sure

4 STARS

I always felt that High and Mighty was a very underrated album. Considering much of the the reviews here I see I'm not alone. This is very good, since I´ve enojoyed this album for years. Ok, this is no The Magician's Birthday nor Demons And Wizzards (their true masterpieces, ever), but it does have some great tunes that are beginning to get the recognition they deserve.

Songs like One Way Or Another, Weep In Silence, Footprints In The Snow and Midnight are classic Uriah Heep anthems: full of power and inspiration. Confession is simply one of Hensley's most beautiful and poignant ballads, ending the Byron era with a touch of grace and delicacy. The remaining tracks may be not as good, but none is crap. Actually a lot of fans dislike the album for many reasons other than the quality of the material here over the years: it was recorded to please the american audiences (or so they say), the production was weak (no Gerry Bron here), little commitement from some band members (Mick Box plays only on a few tracks), etc., etc. Plus David Byron was on the verge of being sacked (he was fired soon after the completition of this album). John Wetton would soon also leave in a short time.

Considering the crisis Uriah Heep was facing during this period, this is a very strong and valid work after all. And far better than a lot of things they'd do in the future (and I mean a lot!). This band really had something special during the Byron years and even not on their best period, they still come across with an album far superior to a lot of their competitors. Conclusion: not really essential Heep, but very good anyway: 3,5 stars.

My mark shall surely be 3 stars for this album. But what I would like to say about this album? I really believe this is the worst album for Uriah Heep with David Byron on vocals. Here we can still find the classic Uriah Heep sound, but regretfully with lower musical qualities. It wasn't the best time for making new album for Uriah Heep. It had already been sure that David Byron will be fired after that due to his alcohol addicted problems. Most of the music here is very simple, which is not ordinary for that band. Surely the worst album with Byron, but still fresh enough to beat most of the further albums by the band!

A collection of mediocore pop rock, with light hints of progressive rock, unlike their past albums, like Salisbury, Look at Yourself, Demons and Wizards, and The Magicians Birthday just to name a few of their more proggy efforts. No extended tracks, and the musicianship is very poor for this album. Though there are a few signs of greatest that Uriah Heep used to hold, their spark had flown away....until the next album. This release also marks the last album with John Wetton, and David Byron who died in 1985 from liver damage.

"One Way or Another" is one of the top cuts for the album. John Wetton and Ken Hensley are singing on this one, and do a great job. I heard somewhere that David was playing the hammond organ on this one, and he does a fairly good job at it. Not very many signs of prog rock, but it's a good heavy metal song. "Weep in Silence" is a good and heart touching song, with nice organ and intense sounding guitar. The bassline is very nice and it flows well with all of the music being played. The guitar solo after a minute in is very nicely played, and is very well distorted. David sings on this one, and he sings very well, as usual. There is no soul in this track though. "Misty Eyes" has terribe lyrics, and, even worse, no passion that I got from their earlier albums. The vocals are, nice but it's not very beleivable. Everyone just seems drained, like the rest of the album. The guitar sounds a bit out of place, the way it's playing just dosen't seem right. "Midnight" is okay, one of the better and much more upbeat songs, but still, im not really feeling the style of this song. It's not very dark like the title is, it's much lighter and it sounds too happy with the guitar solo in the beginning by Mick Box. Vocals sound fairly good, but this song is one of the best from one of the worst Heep albums. "Can't Keep a Good Band Down" is just terrible pop crap that most of this album is. The mini moog at the beginning with the guitar riff is very much so appreciated, but the lyrics are terrible and just sounds unlike their previous efforts. "Women of the World" is another pop sounding standard, with a different feeling to it. The guitar is acoustic and sounds pretty interesting, but not very pleasing with the bass line. The lyrics are terrible, much like most of this album. "Footprints in the Snow," despite it's name, is very soft and a good ballad like song. It's a bit of a saving grace for the album, because it adds that warmth that you don't really find in the album. The vocals are sweet and passionate, and work well with the whole sound. A favorite because of the darkness. "Can't Stop Singing" is terrible pop crap, just after one of their most well thoughout and best songs of the album. The vocals sound very going-through-the-motions type of sound, and are very unsoulful. This song is a bit of a disgrace. "Make a little Love" is a heavy metal type of sound with those sex lyrics that most Uriah Heep songs are really known for. The band sounds fairly good, and the guitar solo's are very nice, but I can't get through it because the rest of the album is just so uninteresting. "Confession" is just a bit boring for my taste, but has some nice piano and passion. The vocals are very nice, but, by now, it's too little too late for them to get back on top with this album.

Though there are some saving graces, this album is only for the Uriah Heep fans of the world because everyone is just so unsoulful and so unpassionate on this album. A 2 star rating, and definatly no higher.

It's 1976, and Uriah Heep seems to have fallen to some kind of trap. For every step forward they took, the next step was a step backwards trying to find that sweet spot between heavy prog and pop. They never really found it, by the way. But they spent a lot of years trying. Their previous album "Return to Fantasy" was an attempt to try to get back to their former sound with a bit more prog in it and more fantasy-themed lyrics. They even brought in John Wetton to be their bassist, and it seemed to be a great step as their fans were thinking this was going to be a return to form. But, then, they released this album "High & Mighty", with the same line-up, but totally messed up by slipping to out-right pop on some of their songs, and also by stepping away from the fantasy themed lyrics again. It was a big disappointment.

It doesn't exactly start out that way though. Right at the onset, the best two tracks on the album begin it all. It still surprises me that when this album starts, John Wetton's voice is coming through the speakers. The first few times I heard this, I had to do a double take to make sure I put the right album on. "One Way or Another" features his lead vocals, but it is the only time you'll hear him at the forefront on this album. However, this is followed up by another great track "Weep in Silence" that actually sounds like UH in it's glory days again with the original lead singer David Byron still in the line-up, and he definitely brought his soul along with him for this track. Personally, I always thought he was their most talented singer with an amazing range and depth of emotion. So, it all starts showing some promise. Unfortunately, it goes downhill from there.

Another thing that is apparent on this album is that the tracks are all under 6 minutes. Gone are the days of the epic tracks. Sure, there are plenty of great progressive albums with tracks less that 6 minutes, but the quality of the songwriting is suddenly apparent in "Misty Eyes" and the music is simple and the soul seems to be missing now. "Midnight" is decent with a more lyrically heavy track, but it's mostly not memorable. At this point, the only other somewhat good track is "Footprints in the Snow" mostly for the guitar break. Everything else is barely tolerable unless you are looking for straightforward pop. The biggest failures here are "Can't Keep a Good Band Down" and the equally tacky "Can't Stop Singing", only memorable because they are so bad. Everything else in underwhelming and even Byron can't seem to find enough emotion to pump these mediocre tracks out.

After the release of this album, Byron was fired by the band because of his alcohol problems and the fact that his performances were getting unpredictable. It wasn't long after this that John Wetton also opted out of the band as he was feeling like he was quite out of place, which he was. Thus begins the revolving door syndrome that the band would suffer for many years to come, and at this point, they would find it difficult to come close to the sounds and style of their earlier days. For many fans, this was the last straw, and many stopped being loyal to the band never to come back to the fold. Yes there are a couple of tracks here that are worth putting on a "best of" playlist, but for the most part, the album is only worth getting because it's the last album with Wetton and Byron. But even then, there isn't much here to bother with.

Writing about High & Mighty; it reminds you about how perishable everything is. Of all five members from this recording only guitar player Mick Box is still alive. Just a historical second ago they were all touring your hometown and also sipped your beer stash. If you consider the other big three heavies Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath from this time around they are certainly more spared. John Bonham (Zep), Tommy Bolin/Jon Lord (Purple) have left this earth so there are more deceased Heep members than in all other mentioned groups together. They do belong to the same generation. It's in the mid seventies and the the world is still a habitable place to stay in. The so-called classic line-up in Heep is only one step away. However, for me and a smattering of convinced, this is the perhaps the definite composition of the band. Gary Thain has been replaced by a certain John Wetton. This wasn't undisputed, far from it. Ken Hensley's reason for recruiting him was simply to replace one great player with another. Later on though, he pointed out that it was a mistake to hire Wetton. The bass player spent 18 short months in U.H. and gave a foursquare description on the outcome: 'When their management called me I had to choose between starvation or to join them'. This mutual discord doesn't necessarily mean that the end result was less interesting. On the contrary, great art is often a made of spartan and harsch conditions. After two relatively group oriented efforts in form of Wonderworld and Return to Fantasy what we are wittnessing here is an almost completly Hensley dominated effort. At least regarding writing credits. A Heep adept knows that the Hammond player is a strong force in these contexts. But H&M surpasses all previous albums. It resembles more a successor to Eager To Please than anything else. Someone claimed that the mistake they made after Thain's departure was that muscians/vocalists without hardrock background entered the domain. That's one way of looking at it. Another, more exciting, is what happens when a heavy outfit (a competent one) delves into adjacent or related territory. Just like with the case here. In the direction the wizard happened to point his wand...The cover of HM is as striking as anything from the decade. Perhaps not that much in its details, more in totality. A great concept. Fully in line with chosen chord patterns/musical direction. You'll fly along to it. It's worth pointing out though that not even K. Hensley liked it.

Negativism is yet only one side of the story; at other times Wetton was far more positive. To take a break from the complex rhythm parts in King Crimson in order to play fair-dealing Rock n' Roll. Hensley for his part, ultimately found a wealth of ideas brought by the recruit. It is embodied in current product, High & Mighty. So what did Wetton bring that Gary Thain missed? The same Thain that obviously influenced a generation of metal bassists. It's still a redundant framing of a question. U.H. has been called 'The Beach Boys of hard rock'. So what can be more proper than enlisting Wetton to the band? Maestro vocalists Byron/Hensley are are alreadey present. Now they're joined by a third. Glenn Hughes from neighbourband Deep Purple defined his collaboration with David Coverdale as the finest vocal duo ever. Without vaunt. If that's the case then you'll find the correlative trio right here. 'The Voices of Rock l' or 'The Voices of Rock ll'. A subjective truth if it applies in general. An objective truth if it applies within the genre.

It's the most advanced demo tape in music history. Leastways it feels like a strong contender. In terms of vocal delivery. As any Heep fan is aware of, opening title 'One Way Or Another' is embossed by an absent D. Byron. Rarely has a vocalist of his class chosen a more fitting time to hide in the shadows. 'One Way Or Another' in itself belongs to the upper echelons of harder music material. It exudes utmost self-assurance at a time when the genre was placed in the back seat. As if aware of its own majestic bearing. The addition of Wetton/Hensley turns it into a monster! Actually the whole track is turned upside down with a organist in form of a David Byron. You may call it a remuneration for the absent vocals. Or just as well a suitable line-up. Byron is a much more proficient keyboard player than you had any clue about. As it happens, the same singer had a sore throat and fellow band members captured his position. Albeit temporarily. When Wetton/Hensley enter the studio door they do so in order to lay a foundation for a returning Byron. It's up to everyone to size up if it had sounded differently in another reality. Where it was meant to be final product. The question is justified. Not in the slightest out of discontent with existing one, but still. The most sceptical opinions touches precisely on the subject of demo tape. It's not incorrect, it could have been done differently. But at the same time the spontaneity would've been lost. You're excused as well if you hunger for an alternative recording with permanent vocalist. There doesn't seem to exist any. Cleverly, very cleverly; Byron called off his own perpetuation of the same track. Solely on his own. The song is unique insofar as it's Wettons one and only try-out in the genre. In the wake of the end result you're just as stunned as by his magical Crimso days...The wordless outro voices transport you to levels you didn't know you were in possesion of. This is surf music, but wrapped in concrete hardness. Wetton the bass player was brought into the band. The singer came along without extra costs. Plus an array of his other talents. It wasn't only good, but too good to be true. 'One Way Or Another' is relished by the vast majority of followers. Is this the case with remaining titles?

'Weep In Silence' is eveything but second track on the long play; it's a musical monument. It reminds one of how bizarre music biz is. To be in the right place at the right time, with right offering to right recipient. 'Weep' does obviously not fulfil any of this criteria. In a reality where fashion changes with the speed of the second hand. It is and will remain a hidden album track. On the positive side, it turns into your own precious possesion. Like a golden amulet on your bookshelf, you don't need to share it with the unwashed riffraff. It's a strong contender for the pre-eminent position as the finest Heep song ever. Both musical AND lyrical conviction. Byron makes up lost ground on track 1 with double impact on 'Weep'. What Wetton/Hensley achieved together there, Byron will put across alone here. As an extra bonus you'll be washed with the all-embracing and choir like section at the heart of the song. The shining star is however Mick Box. Loud protests towers up, he's not even playing here. He is sidelined. That's true, and also the point. Back to square one, who did the same on previous song? Yes, David Byron. The turn has come to the guitar player. Cleverly, very cleverly. The generosity from Messrs Byron/Box on initial two songs is worth stopping and considering. To step aside for the good of the group, or just what's considered to be the best for the group. As well known, there are countless examples of the opposite attitude. You don't need to go far outside the domains of Heep where a simillar process would be completly unthinkable. To understand the concept of the piece one has to fully comprehend who composer Ken Hensley is. Though normally considered the keyboard player of Heep he started his career as guitar player. Not only this, his primary instrument in soul/heart remained so all along the way. The bottom line becomes that Box is fully capable to deliver what's requierd, but allows his colleague Hensley to give vent to his interpretation. It becomes even more tangible when you consider that the founders of the band did not write a single note on the record. Not only did Hensley play fantastic lead, he also did the steel part in the intro. The loyal in remembrance knows that this sortie was done by B.J. Cole on both solo/band albums before. The definition 'intro' is however scanty on 'Weep'. It's far too advanced to be left aside as a start of the song. It's rather a song within the song. An outside producer with clever vision could still have squeezed out the last drops and turned it into a 7"; some remix in intro and mid-section. The track is firmly rooted in the same league as Deep Purple 'Love Don't Mean a Thing' and 'Air-Dance' with Black Sabbath. Limitless height on one hand. Forlorn obscurity on the other. The reason for this dilemma is quite repetitive. No matter how gilded and shining; it's not traditional Heep, Purple, or Sabbath.

It'll be much vocals in this review. Plus more again. There's an obvious reason for this venture. Not enough has been put down on paper regarding the highly material question. 'Misty Eyes' takes the record on to the third track. There's nothing missing here that was a key part on first two songs. Byron's vocal arrangement on 'Misty' makes the whole Lp worth every hard-earned penny you paid for it (if you belong to the youth generation below 55; Compact disc). Hovering, atmospheric, schooled, saturated, pastoral. You name it. Let's put it clear; Byron makes his finest achievment ever on H&M (which is saying a lot). Despite this, and it may be unique, I wish him away from here. At least on parts and pieces, or one more track of the record. Because of the capacity kept in the background. The presence of Wetton with his strict art rock tone brought the best out of David 'davotron' Byron. That's logical; tell me who you mingle with and I will tell you who you are. Add that Byron on his maternal side has a healthy jazz background. There isn't one inhalation / exhalation from him on High & Mighty that lacks completion. The text content on 'Misty' is perhaps not brand new, but always on the agenda; Hensley's frequently returning theme deals with relationship issues. If you're missing a companion you're in for big trouble. Finally you'll reach solid ground and kiss your catch on the cheek; only to learn that the problems won't go away. They just change character. Possibly you've been through similar situations and felt betrayed by life. Then you can console yourself that you're not the only one. High & Mighty is a golden opportunity to delve deeper into the core subject. Let's praise a hitherto unmentioned member of the band. Rhythm section's Lee Kerslake. If you don't know the distinction between a tom and a tambourine one tends to place such in the background and just let 'em follow spontaneous breathing. What's the difference between a languid and very good drummer then? It's like a dwelling you live in attached to sturdy pillars or sliding on oozy mud. Kerslake keeps the Moog lead you hum along to in the correct position. Also credited as one in the opulence of vocalists. He's not on a par with other members as soloist but that's a task beyond hope. 'Misty Eyes' seems to be the first track here to be included on a collection album. As bonus on the Cd of the original 'Best of'. It's worth mentioning as the record in general is overlooked in such contexts.

There is so much vocal pyrotechnic in 'Midnight' that if you added let's say 35% it would be nothing but the fabulous abundance it already is. 'Midnight' tackles quite an original route and once again it's from the creative hands of Ken Hensley. More of the same vocalist; it's worth-while to have a look at his membership in The Gods a decade before. There was a bassist by the name of Greg Lake in the same unit. Emphasize 'bassist'. Hensley was the one and only lead singer in The Gods. Kenny is by no means a singing instrumentalist. He is vocalist, is musician. There's an enormous plethora of types who just pretend to be both of them. Good at one perhaps, hardly at the other. When Hensley felt the time was ripe to join forces with U. Heep the position as lead vocalist was already occupied. It did not hinder him from occasional rescues when the situation required so. The reason why he sings lead in Heep varies from case to case. Hensley's performances on Demons and Firefly are plain gorgeous and otherworldly. You may rightly pose the question; why do other vocalists even bother to show up? Hensley's lead share on actual album isn't big in quantity. It is big in quality.

The B-side of H&M is despite its diversity nothing but a coherent pearl rope. The splendid and lustrous writing from Hensley combined with a [flamboyant] instrumentation. We've noted it before; The former Family member now has his living quarters in U.H. If you mention 'Book of Saturday', 'The Night Watch', 'One More Red Nightmare' you're in King Crimson land. Also some of the most lordly and noble artrock ever produced. It is worth pointing out that John Wetton is the longest serving singer in the latter. More than Greg Lake, more than any other in the original version of Crimson. With a pedigree like that how can a future be other than going? Wettons genie glides as an indivisible part over the sections of H&M. That's good and less good at the same time. There doesn't seem to be a lot of Heep fans who who admire the B-side in its entirety. Except myself of course and one or two more. Plus the creator, Ken Hensley. It is allowed even for an artist to relish in his own work. In Hensley's case it has null and void to do with selfishness. He put it as a top three album. Rightly so. A record blended like High & Mighty can't touch more than a limitid cohort. Not even bandmembers. Byron called it a 'bummer' because it missed writing contribution from others. Blackmore didn't want to touch Stormbringer with nippers on account of its funky elements. Ozzy did not find the jazz piano and brass elements on Never Say Die comfortable. Fans were not late to queue up. Ken Hensley takes on a mini-Mike Oldfield role on present album and it's a fabulous sound sorce. 12-string electric guitar, slide, steel, tubular bells, plus the usual keyboard arsenal. + even more. The production and consequential crisp sound is unique in a Heep catalogue. You can start with just any song; 'Woman of the World' clicks with its witty lyrics and cabaret show sounding 20s piano. Filtered/treated vocals from Byron. 'Can't Stop Singing' is of course not a Uriah song. The fans are right. Rather a Steely Dan soundtrack to some unreleased obscure seventies movie. The pleasant problem is that it's matchless. Peppy, with top level arrangement. The guitar enters exactly where you need it. Followed by aerial tubular bells. 'Footprints In the Snow' takes over where 'Weep In Silence' dropped off. The counterpart on side B. Starting with a lovely Genesis instrument, the 12 string acoustic handled by an emerging Mick Box. It has the same spiritual and blessed timbre as 'The Musical Box'(no pun). Nothing but an eternal cascade, just as fresh every time it's devoured. You've never heard anything like it either before or after in the realm of Heep. It's not meant to be here. It's too good to be true. The acoustic guitar is however not always undisputed. The frequently mentioned Hensley picked up one onstage around this time. Some spectators responded by throwing things on him. A minority for sure. Call them music huligans. The vocal layers on 'Footprints' are as exemplary as anything. The electric guitar on final part is nothing but eerie in its Crimso garb (It's worth pointing out that close fellow Greg Lake has a similar fabulous title). Wetton is credited for co-writing here just like on 'Weep'. What most people don't realize is that he wrote more on Return to Fantasy than second effort. The usual 'contractual reasons' precluded the bassist from writing credits on Fantasy. He was promised paid compensation but god knows where this went. As a matter of fact, the management thought that his salary was fat enough. So no matter what embellishments Wetton contributed with on H&M, his offerings here are still accentuated by shortages from big selling debut album.

'Can't Keep a Good Band Down' tenses the muscels against the music industry. Rightly so, as Heep were one of their main targets to dump on. An easy listening and jolly song despite its theme. A slightly edited and even more catchy version was planned for single release but kept back due to internal turmoil. It could have saved the album from slipping from Premier- all the way down to National League on home ground (compared with Fantasy). There was no more top 40 for the remainder of the 70s in Great Britain. 'Make a Little Love' is a traditional rocker with Ken on slide guitar. Single release in Nordic countries (it's yours for a mere $160). If you wonder why it's because sales figures here per capita topped everything else by far. Despite this there was no more touring in arctic land. Hensley alone at the grand piano, what could be a more proper ending? Not another instrument in sight only lined up vocalists with sheet music in hand.

The album was recorded intermittently from late -75 up to March -76. In parallel with the ongoing Return to Fantasy tour. This was a hectic period in the history of the group. The H&M tour begun with a lengthy US streak of concerts. Their second long visit there in a very limited time. Understandable as it's the most important record market in the world. Almost 80 gigs in 75-76. That was even before the actual record release. Unfortunately their diligence didn't really pay off. The neglected record company boss Gerry Bron not only deprecated H&M. He made a rod for his own back, and for some unfathomable reason reined in a US release (not everone understands the role a Peter Grant in Led Zeppelin had). Bron refused to take part in the recording. Not only this, the band too yearned for a fresh turnover on the producer's chair. Bron had been sitting there since debut. Album issue was set to late May/early June with some sporadic European dates. In other words, tour was over when record was out. First of all; it's wrong to call it H&M tour. Rather 'U.H. tour'. Simply because of the meager inclusion of material from the latest album. Only 'One Way Or Another', 'Midnight' and 'Make a Little Love' reached the stage. A conscious strategy, as the band obviously feared for its limited commercial potential. None of these would ever be played again by later line-ups. However, Hensley/Wetton would play both 'One Way Or Another' and 'Confession' during the early 2000s. It goes hand in hand with Stormbringer/Never Say Die. What else did you believe?

Final date in Bilbao (Spain) has a special meaning. That was the last chance to enjoy both Byron/Wetton. The lead singer got the boot due to his pub crawls that became too numerous. The bassist and pard of the front man followed soon in his footsteps. Had Byron stayed there would've been a better chance to see Wetton on at least one more album. Or an Asia (or UK) line-up in Heep? That could've meant 'Wise Man' without Lawton, John but with Wetton, John. The latter had proposed a six months break from all touring duties to fully concentrate on writing new material. Not an unwise idea. Should've been a direct hit. It's worth pointing out that on Byron's funeral a decade later there was only one present musician; John Wetton. Exit David, whiskey bottle in hand, German wife in the other. Enter David, whisky bottle in hand, German wife in the other. The second Dave is Coverdale. He auditioned (with Denny Ball on bass) but finally got solo contract and a Whitesnake career. The Deep Purple associations are many from Wetton/Hughes; reluctance of both to join, uncredited writing on debut(Hughes got his later on), top notch vocalists & bassists, strong influence on second efforts, limited stay after that. It doesn't stop there; both steered the ocean liner into uncertain waters. You could just as well add Don Airey's ingenious keyboard playing on Never Say Die. All engine rooms are running smoothly. There's only one problem; it's not Heep, Purple or Sabbath. It's something entirely different. It wasn't only good, but too good to be true. An irreversible ride into a cul-de-sac.