This is a reissue of a 1970 release with a number of bonus tracks. This is not truly prog rock, but it is proto-prog. There is a lot of psychedelia built into it. It's a concept album and at times makes me think of The Moody Blues. Both Steve and John Hackett appear on this disc, adding another prog angle. This isn't going to be a favorite for me as it does feel dated, but it is well worth having.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2016 Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
The Great Birth / Theme
Trippy sounds open this with whispered voices leading the way. Then it works to some really strange and ominous music from there with a real classical soundtrack kind of texture. It drops to mellower music and a spoken recitation comes over the top of that. It segues to the next number.
First Light With layers of vocals over the top, mellow psychedelically tinged music is created on this number. It works to a real folk prog kind of arrangement from there. This makes me think of the Moody Blues just a bit. It powers to some cool psychedelic rock from there.
Theme Here we get another spoken recitation. Again, it makes me think of the Moodies.
Star Acoustic guitar brings this into being, but as the electric guitar joins this becomes very much a psychedelic rocker. The balance between more powered up and more melodic is classic. This trippy and rather strange. It's also quite dynamic and intriguing.
Theme Rather jazzy piano is the backdrop for this spoken segment.
Loneliness and Grief The piano from the previous piece starts this off and accompanies the first vocals. It drifts to space and then emerges as a jazzy rocker from there. More powered up proto prog is on the agenda for later, too.
Theme - Change of Age
Spacey sounds are the backdrop for the spoken stuff here. From there this works out to a church music meets 60s rock vibe.
Christ One
Psychedelia and proggy folk merge here.
Hang on A folk rocking tune, this is energetic and catchy. It gets quite involved before it's done.
Christ Continued A harder rocking number, this is proto prog and quite psychedelic in nature. It's another cool cut.
Body to the Mind This is a real powerhouse. It's psychedelic, but quite proggy, too. There is a rather fusion meets space element to the extended jam later in the track.
Traveller Somehow this folk prog sort of piece makes me think of the Bee Gees quite a bit.
Let Everybody Sing This ia bouncy hippie styled tune. It's a fun number that's quite catchy.
Theme This is less than half a minute in length. Cool spacey rock is the backdrop for this spoken segment.
Children of the World Very much set in an empowering psychedelic rock arrangement, this is classy stuff.
Change of Age A wall of vocals drives this short piece.
Love Is Walking Psychedelic rock and proto prog are the concepts here. This rather trippy song made a great closer to the original album.
Bonus Tracks
Miss Whittington
The mix of early prog with soaring psychedelic rock here is so classy. I think I like this as well as anything from the album proper.
There Is a Mountain A mellower cut, this is folk music laced with psychedelia.
Rest Comfortably This is more of a pure rocker. It has some hints of prog and a lot of psychedelia built into it.
Gemima This cut is more of a mellower psychedelic rocker. It's a particularly strong tune, really.
The Visitor Keyboards dance over the introduction on this cut and shine at other times along the road. This is a pretty hard rocking number that's very much proto prog.
Sam This bluesy rocker makes me think of Canned Heat quite a bit.
