HEAVY

This debut album was very well received in the US: it peaked in the Bilboard at the respectable 78th spot. Although it is awfully short, even for the era (less than thirty minutes), it holds some fine music, but the whole is not consistent.

The album opens brilliantly on Possession which is a moving song thanks to its vocals and great and hypnotic keyboards; this will be a constancy throughout the album.

The heavy / bluesy mood displayed in this album is not far from the Fudge (Get Out Of My Life, Woman). But what is available is mostly some heavy psychedelia which is very much Doors oriented like the upbeat Gentle As It May Seem or the melancholic and psyche You Can't Win. The good Look For The Sun is another one of these. The hypnotic keyboards really sound like Manzarek ones.

There is even a light track featured: So-Lo which is a soft-rock and candid piece of music. Childish vocals and syrupy backings aren't quite convincing. But let's remind that this work is forty years old. I am reviewing this album shortly after the debut one from Family; and the same conclusion is valid for Heavy: it is rather difficult to imagine the impact of such a work today.

The start of Iron Butterfly Theme is almost a rip off from Backdoor Man, but it is a fine proposal with heavy organ and weird sounds. Rather disjointed and loaded.

The sound is very old but IB should be considered as a pioneer of heavy music and therefore be respected as such. Fans of heavy blues, psychedelic rock like The Doors or the early Jefferson Airplane, this album might suit you.

Three stars.