RADIO GNOME INVISIBLE VOL. 2 - ANGEL'S EGG

The title Radio Gnome Invisible Vol. 2 - Angel's Egg makes it clear that this album is the second part of the Gong's The Radio Gnome Invisible Trilogy. The band has expanded their roster by adding such key players like Mike Howlett on bass guitar and Pierre Moerlen on drums. This lineup will also be featured on Vol.3 of the trilogy.

Musically Vol.2 is a great improvement over the first one. Although I, in my previous review, mentioned that Gong couldn't make any really interesting short compositions and that they should stick to the longer material, the band basically did exactly the opposite and made it work here! Vol.2 doesn't feature a single track over 8 minutes mark where the opener, titled Other Side Of The Sky, is the only longer composition that reaches that truly space/psychedelic style that I enjoyed on Vol.1. Still there are quite a few lighter psychedelic moments well worth experiencing.

Prostitute Poem has a beautiful acoustic guitar featured underneath the layers of synth and Gilli Smyth's vocals that truly enhances the experience and turn the performance into another pleasant highlight. What I really like about the second part of the album is how nicely the compositions shift between one another maintaining an almost hypnotic style of the general atmosphere. There are a few minor disturbances of this flow with the short Percolations but otherwise its a great ride all the way to I Never Glid Before. The last two tracks is where the album goes back to the rock territory and feel very appropriate for the ending.

The production of this recording marks a great improvement and I rarely feel irritated by any minor sound inconveniences like I did on the band's previous albums. Unfortunately for Vol.2 it still fades in comparison to the next release and have it not been for that then I would have most probably given it a slightly higher rating.

**** star songs: Other Side Of The Sky (7:39) Castle In The Clouds (1:12) Prostitute Poem (4:54) Selene (3:43) Flute Salad (2:10) Oily Way (3:38) Outer Temple (1:09) Inner Temple (2:34) Percolations (0:46) Love Is How Y Make It (3:27) I Never Glid Before (5:38) Eat That Phone Book Coda (3:14)

*** star songs: Sold To The Highest Buddha (4:28) Givin' My Luv To You (0:47)