Lost/Forgotten Album #38

[Jon]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I actually had a different album picked for this week, but changed my mind at the last minute. Part of me thinks that I already did feature this album before, but can't find a record of it. So, if it was, then you'll just have to listen to it again. And if it hasn't been featured, then it's all good.

 

Just to get hate mail, threats and whatever folks want to throw my way, I must let it be known that I do not particularly like the 70's output from Uriah Heep. It just bores me.

 

The first Uriah Heep I ever bought was "Abominog", and that was because of the awesome cover. When I listened to it, I really dug it. So when the next album came out, I picked that one up as well ("Head First"), but didn't like it too much. Probably had something to do with the cover of a Bryan Adams song, which is actually funny (and you'll figure out why, all except for Rjhog). 

 

So, no more Uriah Heep for me. I was happy with "Abominog" and that was that.

 

Then, on one of of my many, many CD buying trips to Best Buy (when they mattered), I was drawn to the album picture above. However, something about the cover bugged me...it just didn't LOOK like a Uriah Heep cover. And the album title? "Sonic Origami"? What the hell was that?

 

I went home and for some reason the album kept popping into my head so the next week I went back to BB and bought the album, but on cassette, since it was much cheaper. 

 

The rest, as they say, is history. I swear this album almost never left the car's tape deck for most of 1999. It just sounds like a band rejuvenated as well as much younger. Every track was (and still is) aces in my book.  

 

Even though the album as a whole rocks, there are some slower moments with "Question" the one song that gets to me for some reason......plus you got a cover of a Survivor song which blows the orignal away (sorry Survivor fans!). 

 

 

Sonic Origami

1. Between Two Worlds
2. I Hear Voices
3. Perfect Little Heart
4. Heartless Land
5. Only The Young
6. In The Moment
7. Question
8. Change
9. Shelter From The Rain
10. Everything In Life
11. Across The Miles
12. Feels Like
13. The Golden Palace

14. Sweet Pretender

 

Availability: Around $10

 

 

MSoTW: With a little prodding from Scott, Niels got last week's mystery song. Who will it be this week? And it's so very easy........

 

 

 

 

 

Oh yeah, and just because it was kind of requested:

 

[RJhog (Admin)]

I'm pretty sure you have not posted this album before.

[Jon]

Maybe I've been meaning to and thought I did. Old age.  

[Scott]

Just off the top of my head I would say the MSOTW is defintely a Bryan Adams track.  I think its titled "Fits Ya Good", and from the album titled "You Want It You Got It" released in 1981.  Could it be that you pulled it off of this album because of the connection to another track from the same album titled "Lonely Nights" which incidentally also appears on Heeps "Abominog" album as well?

 

but I could be wrong... 

 

Kylie is looking good here!  really good!!!!

[Jon]

You know, your vast intelligence ALMOST amazed me until you got something wrong....think again which album Uriah Heep's version of that song appeared on.....

[Scott]

oops, I know better, it was HEAD FIRST that the tune appeared.  DANG!!!!

[RJhog (Admin)]

The mystery song sounds like Bryan Adams to me as well.

 

I know as close to nothing about Uriah Heep as possible, although I've certainly heard of them.  So I didn't know what to expect here.  To start with, I liked it a good bit.  The vocalist is very decent.  To me, the best song is I Hear Voices.  This starts out as a nice paced melodic work,  but somewhere after the first few tracks it totally drove off the mountain.  Every song after the first few, with the exception of the bonus track, was slow, ballad type work.  I have nothing at all against ballads, but almost a whole album of 'em is kind of strange.  Now, to be clear, I don't think the slow songs were bad at all, just way too many of them. 

 

The song Across The Miles sounds like it would fit most later Journey albums.  And with all the ballads, that's kinda what it reminded me of.  I do like the pick though, 'cause it's really an introduction to Uriah Heep for me.

[Jon]

Interesting that you think  "Across The Miles" would fit on a Journey album. Very interesting. Very, very interesting.

[Niels (Mod)]

Yeah, Yeah, Bryan Adams "for me too"!!

I love that Uriah Hepp-sound, the first song has. I saw Heep in concert in 1988, and I guess it was this singer, they had at that time. He's okay, but Mick Box on guitar is very good, and is it Lee Kerslake on drums? One of THE best drummer's ever. Just listen to Ozzy's "Diary of a madman", and of course "Abominog". So you did'nt buy "Ecuator" from 1985,then did you? It had a few good songs, like "Poor little rich girl" and was the last album with the late singer Pete Goalby, AWESOME singer imo. I also thought that "Head First" was a great album, but it's been a while since I've heard it.

I like some of this album, fx. "Between two worlds" and "Perfect little heart", but it aint "Classic" Uriah Heep. RJhog, you NEED to hear "Abominog", and not just one or two tracs, but the whole album. THAT'S Classic Uriah Heep imo.   

[RJhog (Admin)]

I'm more than happy to listen...hint,hint.

[Jon]

Nope, no "Equator" for me. But I do have "Sea Of Light" which came out in the 90's which is also a really good album, picked it up after having liking this one. And it is Kerslake on drums.

[Scott]

If I position this window strategically, then I can type in my response with the pics of Kylie also visible ...

 

I have a similar experience iwth Uriha Heep, except I first hird them because my brother owned "The Magicians Birthday" and "Demons and Wizards", the latter of which got loads of play in my house.  The Wizard is one of my all time favorite tracks.  So it was when Abominog caught my eye, I reconnected with them, and like you, I bought Head First with no thought at all, but was disaapointed and they fell back off my radar.

 

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Sorry about that, got caught up in the center pic...

 

The first 4 tracks are great!  Listened to Heartless Land twice, it was excellent!  Only The Young and In The Moment were quite nice but not memorable.  These first 6 tracks are awesome, but the album kinda settles into this mid to slow tempo background noise mode. I liked all the rest of the tracks, but they werent nearly as strong as the first 6.

 

Very enjoyable post ...

[RJhog (Admin)]

Just bought a bunch of Uriah Heep, but not this one, so I listened again today.  I do like it, but it's too long.  Should have been a double CD or have had 30 minutes shaved off.  Running time is 75 minutes...