Sonic Origami reviews

S O N I C
O R I G A M I
Reviews. by the
H e e p s t e r s
o n
t h e
W e b

Tapio
Hi!
I’ve had SO for three days now but I didn’t want to rush on sendind my review. I wanted to listen to it properly first and it was a good thing I did because it just keeps on sounding better and better the more I listen to it. Before going through the songs in more detail, here’s first some general thoughts: I really wish that I could say: ”This is a great album, the best from this line-up so far” but honestly I can’t. Although it is good, better than RS or DW, it’s still miles behind the brilliance of SOL. When you listen to SO, you must forget everything that’s been released before under Uriah Heep name, because this sounds nothing like any of them. It’s a whole new sound and direction and I can imagine that this new sound might be difficult especially for some longtime Heep fans to adjust to. It is true that SO is partly just as "radio friendly", "light weight" and "commercial feeling" as has been reported beforehand. It's just the kind of stuff that I know some people "love to hate" but I can't help liking it! One thing to criticize is that five (5!) out of the fourteen songs are ballads and there are only three ”rockers” while the rest are all mid-tempo songs. Don’t get me wrong, I love ballads and all of them on SO are good. I just think they could have included one or two faster songs instead of the slower ones, that would balance the album. So, here’s my review of ‘Sonic Origami’, I hope that when you get your copy, don’t judge it at first listen. Give SO a chance and listen a few more times with open mind and open ears before making your mind. (By the way, I should get my copy of the ”Heap Anthology” today, at least the record store owner promised me it would be here this afternoon. More about it later) BETWEEN TWO WORLDS When I listened to the organ sound in the intro for the first time, I wondered ” Why does this sound familiar? ” and then I realised ” It’s ‘To Samuel A Son’ by ‘The Gods’! ”. The song itself is very good, a powerful fast heavy rock song. Rod sent me the 2.45 min long ra-file last week and I ”fell in love” with it already then. There’s some very good guitar work from Mick at the end of a song. A great start for the album and I think it would also be a great opener at live shows. If this song doesn’t get the Dio and Naz fans among the audience at the upcmoing concerts up from their seats or from the bar to the front row, I’ll be very surprised. One minor thing to complain in this otherwise excellent song is that the slower middle part is a bit too long, they cut have left the second verse of lyrics off. As Mick explains in the liner notes, this song is dedicated to the memory of David Byron and Gary Thain. ”You’re not the only one amongst the saints and sinners. There are those that we can see and those no longer with us. To take that walk again with someone you were close to, on stage in the other world tonight.” I HEAR VOICES This follows well, good guitar riff, powerful chorus. Didn’t sound nothing special at first listening but it kind of grows and sneaks in you the more you listen to it. I would call this a typical ”Bolder-Heep song” - different from the other mostly ‘Box-Lanzon’ written songs but good. PERFECT LITTLE HEART Was this the ”John Cougar” sounding song? I don’t know about that but it is a poppy and "commercial sounding”. Like the previous song, this sounded nothing special at first but I’m beginning to like this more now. I don’t especially like the verse but there’s a nice hook in chorus. HEARTLESS LAND This is the song that the Germans chose as a single. It’s a ballad, starts with just acoustic guitar and tambourine (?). Drums, bass & keyborads join in the chorus. There’s nothing original about it, ”a standard AOR ballad”, not one of the best tracks on Sonic but OK. Part of the lyrics are written by Phil’s son Matt and they are a bit blah-blah, not as good as the lyrics on other songs. ONLY THE YOUNG After the first track it’s been a slight downhill but this is good! Very good! One of the best songs Trevor has written for Heep. Strong rhythm, nice chorus, good solo by Mick, great Hammond sound. IN THE MOMENT This sounds very familiar to something I’ve heard before, I can’t remember what. UHAS described it as ”anthem sounding” and I guess it is. The chorus is good. QUESTION Oh yes, this is it! I am a sucker for ballads, I must admit. This is in my opinion simply the best song that this group (meaning this line-up of Heep) has done so far. An acoustic song, starts with just guitar and vocals, then the keyboards come in. A very nice melody in both verse and chorus and great vocals harmonies. I find myself listening to this track over and over again, just can’t get enough of it. OK, it’s pathetic, wimpy, ”typical 80’s AOR crap”, everything of the kind - AND I LOVE IT!!! ”Take a walk and be a wave upon the ocean. Touch the sky and feel our spirit in motion. This is the love inside that’s waiting.” CHANGE After the best track on SO comes the worst. This is a piece of s**t! There’s absolutely nothing in this song that would make me want to listen to it more than once. I must program my computer to eliminate this from the playlist. However, for some strange reason these two songs are linked to each other. It comes in just as the previous song fades out and the slower ending of this song has the same melody as in end of ‘Question’ with different lyrics. SHELTER FROM THE RAIN Another ballad, written by Trevor, also a very good song. Some excellent ”slow blues guitar” work from Mick. EVERYTHING IN LIFE This is the first of the two songs I’ve heard before. It’s a strange to finally hear this recorded in studio, I’m used to hearing the live version, which sounds a bit different mainly because of the poor audio quality so this was difficult to listen at first. A good song and I think it deserved this second chance it got. More of these, please! ACROSS THE MILES The other of the ”previously heard” songs. I have the Survivor’s original and this is a better version. Bernie sings incredibly well, much better than the ”what’s his name” Survivor vocalist. It’s well arranged, a nice AOR ballad and I kinda like it but I can’t help thinking of the reason for its inclusion on SO. If they had to pick a cover version, why this one? I wonder if they knew it was already released before, since they don’t mention that at all in UHAS, just say that it’s written by ”teo song writers in Nashville”. FEELS LIKE Another rock song, this falls to the same category than I Hear Voices, Perfect Little Heart & InThe Moment. OK, but nothing special. THE GOLDEN PALACE Starts with a long orchestrated intro. Phil tells in latest UHAS that it was inspired by their tour in north of Russia last year, I guess it has some Russian feel to it in the orchestrated sections, at least the lyrics are about winter, snow and ice. This is an epic ballad, almost as good as ‘Question’. It’s 8.30 min long but it doesn’t get boring at all. SWEET PRETENDER The bonus track on limited edition. I don’t find it anything special. It’s a fast moving rock track so it brings a change to the songs that are mostly slow or medium tempo, but there’s nothing really interesting in it. OK, that's it. Thanks to everyone who bared with me till the end. I've enclosed the lyrics to 'Question' here at the end. Tapio "still Heep fan after SO"
QUESTION
There’s a lie that runs
Across the human race
There’s a truth that draws
A tear upon your face
A child is crying and it echoes
All over the world
If we try to find some
Deep communication
Bring an end to war
And start a new creation
>From the truth inside
It’s waiting, it’s waiting
Suddenly then
The clearest voice will call
Feeling the air
You have no choice at all
Can I ask the question to you
Do you know who you are
Do you know what we’re doing here
Try to see the way from within
‘Cause it isn’t outside
Let your honesty see it clear
Why does anger fit our hearts
With missconception
Turn us inside out in every direction
>From the truth inside
That’s waiting, it’s waiting
Follow the voice
That lives inside your heart
Never the choice
That tears your world apart
Can I ask the question again
Do you know who you are
Do you know what we’re doing here
Try to see the way from within
‘Cause it isn’t outside
Let your honesty see it clear
Why does anger fit our hearts
With missconception
Turn us inside out in every direction
>From the truth inside
That’s waiting, it’s waiting
Take a walk and be
A wave upon the ocean
Touch the sky and feel our spirit
This is the love inside that’s waiting
Just waiting
Suddenly everything is there to see
You can be everything you want to be
I gotta ask the question again
Do you know who you are
Do you know what we’re doing here
Try to see the way from within
‘Cause it isn’t outside
Let your honesty see it clear
Why does anger fit our hearts
With missconception
Turn us inside out in every direction
>From the truth inside
That’s waiting, it’s waiting
Are you ready to go my love Are you ready to be my love Are you ready to die for love