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Tracklist:
Introduction
- Why did you go – The easy road – Echoes in the dark – Come back to
me – Cross that line – The golden palace – The shadows and the wind
– Wonderworld – Different world – Circus – Blind eye – Traveller
in time – More fool you – Lady in black – Medley (The wizard /
Paradise / Circle of hands) Musicians:
Mick
Box: Guitar, vocals Lee
Kerslake: Drums, vocals Trevor
Bolder: Bass, vocals Phil
Lanzon: Keyboards,vocals Bernie
Shaw: Vocals Guest
musicians: Ian
Anderson: Flute (track 11-12) The
Uriah Heep Classic Rock Music Ensemble: Liz
Chi Yen Liew: First violin Sarah
Chi Liew: Second violin Saskia
Tomkins: Viola Pauline
Kirke: Chello Steafan
Hannigan - Uillean: Bagpipes and percussion Melvin
Duffy: Pedal steel en slide guitar Kim
Chandler: Flute (track 3-7-14) Pip
Williams: Acoustic Guitar (track 15) Website:
Back in 1979 it was the first time I saw Uriah Heep in concert at Jazz Bilzen. I’ve always remembered that concert as it was so energetic and thrusting. Ken Hensley’s keyboards were so dominantly present that the lesley organ sound remains stamped in my memory. I have stayed a Heep fan ever since, bought different albums by them but when Hensley left the band, I sort of lost track of the band. Up until the year 200o when they were scheduled to appear at Boerenrock. After 21 years I saw the glory from the past on stage and to be honest, it wasn’t a bad show but in no way it could match up to my memory from the past. The main reason being that Mick Box is very much in the foreground while it used to be the keyboards that ruled. Because of this one had the feeling it was more like a hard rock band instead of a symphonic band and I regretted that. Nevertheless, because of this performance I paid more attention to Heep and when “Acoustically Driven” was released, I purchased it right away. And yes, on this almost completely acoustical CD they manage to reach the glory level once again. Vocalist Bernie Shaw can sing without having to try to get on top of the guitar violence. The atmosphere of the album brings out reveries, the evaporated times come to a standstill and the memories come back to the surface. The album has been put in a fantastic cover by Roger Dean, just like in the past. On this album the band gets assistance from the Uriah Heep Classic Rock Ensemble, which is made up out of strings, flute players, an extra percussionist and a guitar player. They play a remarkable prominent role on this CD. Also guest flutist Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull plays along on two songs (Circus and Blind Eye). This must have been some party at the Mermaid Theatre in London on December 9, 2000. The recording quality is excellent, in short a feast for your ears. “The Easy Road”, “Come Back To Me” and “Wonderworld” are performed so well that I was almost in goose-flesh all over. All of this means that “Acoustically Driven” was the top album of 2001 for me. With albums like this Uriah Heep may continue for a long, long time. I am already looking forward to their next album. Heep Heep Uriah. Report: Jany |
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