Wonderworld

Overview - First of all, this album gets blasted too often as a 'weak' Heep album. Weak compared to what? It's not the magnum opus that Demons & Wizards or The Magician's Birthday are but it's certainly as good as Sweet Freedom or Look At Yourself.
Secondly, and unlike most of those albums, there is not one weak tune on the album! So quit whining, Heepsters! This is a one great rock album! Grade: A

1. Wonderworld - When Heep makes a title track, you know it's going to be great. This song does not dissapoint. A wonderful mix of minor and major keys and nice use of the synth by Ken. Grade: A+

2. Suicidal Man - One of the best Heep riffs ever - get out your air guitars for this one! My only complaint is that at times this song sounds too polished or over-produced for such a heavy rocker. Grade: A

3. The Shadows and the Wind - I love this piece! Great sing-a-long! Crank up your speakers at the start or you'll miss one of the quietest starts to a rock song ever. Great buildup to some beautiful Heep harmonies, the kind that gave Heep the nickname The Beach Boys of Heavy Metal. They even go a capella for us before bringing the band back in. Grade: A+

4. So Tired - Another hot rocker with great playing by everyone. Nearly every phrase has subtle differences from similar phrases, from Lee's rhythms to Gary's bass lines to Dave's vox. After a soft bridge, everybody gets a chance to solo. Then at the end, just as Dave and Mick get going ala Blackmore & Gillan (Deep Purple), the song fades out! Too bad an unedited mix wasn't included as a bonus track! Grade: A+

5. The Easy Road - When I first listened to this song, I thought it was one of the wimpiest things I'd ever heard. Now I love it, including the orchestral arrangement. This is a very lovely ballad, nearly as good as Rain. Grade: A
note: A live version from Live At Shepperton is included as a bonus track.

6. Something or Nothing - The third great riff on the album, this just bristles with energy throughout. Like Suicidal Man and So Tired, this doesn't merely rock, it's also a song you can really sing along with in the car. This probably has the best melody of the three. Grade: A+
note: A live version from Live At Shepperton is included as a bonus track.

7. I Won't Mind - A slow, grinding blues burner featuring Mick and Ken torching their strings! There must've been smoke rising from their guitars by the time this one was over! Unfortunately, Dave's performance is flat on this one. Again, another piece that should've been offered unedited on the remaster instead of fading out on Mick. Grade: A

8. We Got We - Gary gets funky on this good old-fashioned Heep-stomper straight out of the Gypsy vein. This one, however, gets a little too rough at times, as the band is often out of sync, especially on the break. Grade: A-

9. Dreams - This is the best song on the album. Another mystical piece, this is a wonderfully dark song with great synth work by Ken and vocals by Dave. There are 2 versions on the remaster, and both are great. I prefer the longer (by a full minute) alternate version, especially for Lee's drumming. Grade: A+ (both versions)

What Can I Do - (Bonus track - 'B' side of Something Or Nothing) Good solid rocker, although it's obvious why it wasn't put on the album. The riff is much too plodding and relies too much on the organ. On the upside, the band plays with a lot of energy and the production isn't so overpolished. Grade: B+

Love Hate & Fear - (Bonus track on Time Of Revelation) Wonderfully quirky song with surprising chord changes and great harmonies. It's amazing that a song like this gets left in the can when most bands today would give their right brain for something this creative! Grade: A

Stone's Throw - (Bonus track on Time Of Revelation) This song, unfortunately, was probably too mellow for Heep at the time, as it's all acoustic. A great bluesy piece featuring Ken on either an acoustic slide or a dobro. It's a real shame this gem didn't make the original album. Grade: A

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