Uriah Heep - Firefly (1977) - €10,00

Firefly is the 10th studio album by British rock band Uriah Heep, released in February 1977 by Bronze Records in the UK and Warner Bros. Records in the US. It was their first album without lead vocalist and founding member David Byron, and the first of three albums with new singer John Lawton, formerly of Lucifer's Friend. 

Bassist Trevor Bolder made his Uriah Heep debut on this album. Barring a break of about 18 months in the early 1980s, he remained with the group until his death in 2013.

After losing founding vocalist David Byron in 1976, many hard rock fans thought Uriah Heep had reached the end of the line. 

However, the group bounced back in 1977 with Firefly, an album that pursued a stripped-down sound harking back to the group's early-'70s successes. They also boasted a new singer in John Lawton, a vocalist who had made his fame working with artsy German hard rockers Lucifer's Friend. 

Although he lacked the multi-octave range of David Byron, Lawton boasted an impressive and emotionally rich hard rock voice that instantly jelled with the Uriah Heep sound. 

An ideal example of this new synergy was provided by the opening track, "The Hanging Tree," which featured Lawton dramatically delivering a narrative about an outlaw on the run over a spooky musical track that blended echo-drenched synthesizers with some typically gutsy guitar riffs from Mick Box. 

Other memorable tracks on Firefly include "Who Needs Me," a spirited slice of boogie rock with a rousing singalong chorus, and the title track, a miniature prog epic that deftly blends balladry, hard rock, and acoustic-styled folk into one cohesive outing. Nothing on Firefly hits the epic heights of "Gypsy" or "July Morning," but it contains none of the failed experiments that weighed down High and Mighty and it further benefits from a nice sense of consistency that is built on tight songwriting and inspired performances. 

In the end, Firefly remains one of the most cohesive albums from Uriah Heep's mid- to late-'70s period and is guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of the group's fan base. 

The first single from the album was "Wise Man". The original vinyl album was a gatefold sleeve, with a cardboard lyric liner. 

Side one
1.  The Hanging Tree  (3:42)
2.  Been Away Too Long  (5:04)
3.  Who Needs Me  (3:39)
4.  Wise Man  (4:43)

Side two
1.  Do You Know  (3:15)
2.  Rollin’ On  (6:23)
3.  Sympathy  (4:49)
4.  Firefly  (6:17)

Notes

Release:  1977

Format:  LP (Gatefold)

Genre: Heavy Metal

Label:  Bronze Records

Catalog#  28520 XOT

Vinyl:  VG

Cover: VG

Prijs: €10,00