Un ADLS qui aura une allure d'hommage à
Ed Cassidy décédé récemment, tête luisante et aussi pensante de
Spirit.
Si je me souviens bien, le groupe aura déjà eu les honneurs d'un ADLS, mais il le vaut bien. Et puis histoire de mettre un peu de baume au cœur des babas mollassons...
Quoique là, ça ne donne pas vraiment dans le déliquescent.
J'ai hésité longtemps entre "Future Games" et "Farther Along", deux albums de choix dans ce qui peut être considéré sans trop de problème comme la seconde période du groupe,
Et cependant fort différents. Des albums que je m'administre régulièrement avec le double "Spirit of 76".
Seconde période qui pourrait aussi être considérée comme une carrière solo parallèle de
Randy California, pas franchement déclarée.
Spirit reste, au milieu des années 70, un des rares groupes importants de la
West Coast a évoluer et à ne pas s'enliser.
La même année sort "Fly like an eagle" du
Steve Miller Band, que j'aime à rapprocher de la démarche de
California.
"Farther Along" retrouve beaucoup de l'ADN du
Spirit original, et ne manque que
Jay Ferguson, remplacé pour l'occasion par
Matt Andes.
Il reprend l'esprit (normal) et la forme des premiers albums et surprend par la densité et la qualité des compos, sur des titres généralement fort courts.
Très varié dans les styles folk, rock, jazz, soul, orchestral, et d'autres encore, comme l'illustre notamment le surprenant et rafraîchissant instru "Pineapple" de
John Locke.
Gros boulot sur la production et travail sur le son.
J'aurais bien pondu quelques beaux commentaires attractifs fournis, mais je ne suis pas trop en condition là. Je lance la ligne et on verra bien le flotteur bouger.
Voilà un groupe qui m'aura procuré bien du plaisir depuis le temps.
Farther Along01. "Farther Along"
(Andes, California, Cassidy)02. "Atomic Boogie"
(Andes, Andes, California, Cassidy, Locke)03. "World Eat World Dog"
(California, Cassidy, Locke)04. "Stoney Night"
(California)05. "Pineapple"
(Locke)06. "Colossus"
(California)07. "Mega Star" (California, Locke)
08. "Phoebe"
(Andes)09. "Don't Lock Up Your Door"
(Andes, California, Cassidy)10. "Once With You"
(California, Locke)11. "Diamond Spirit"
(Andes, California)12. "Nature's Way"
(California)Mark Andes - bass, vocals
Randy California - guitar, bass, vocals
Ed Cassidy - percussion, drums
John Locke - keyboards
Matt Andes - guitar, vocals
Ian Underwood - synthesizer
Ernie Watts - saxophone
Robert Lee - keyboards, vocals
Michael Temple - mandolin
Steve Larrence - percussion
David Blumberg - horns
Nick DeCaro - horns
Al Schmitt - producer
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Farther Along was the third album that Spirit released through Mercury Records.
Though Jay Ferguson was missing from the lineup, it is generally considered to be their first "reunion" album.
Out of the four albums that Spirit recorded for Mercury in the mid-70s, this one is the least influenced by Randy California's time in Hawaii.
However, it isn't too dissimilar from the previous two albums in that regard, though the song structures are very tight throughout.
Consequently, it also bears more than a passing resemblance to Clear at times, probably because of John Locke's presence in the group.
It is particularly cherished by fans of that album. The album also includes a notable version of Nature's Way, which is arranged for a chamber orchestra.
Though most of the album was issued on the Mercury Years compilation, much of the material included overdubs which were not part of the original recordings.
Thankfully, the 2004 CD reissue of this album (as a two-fer with Son of Spirit) contains the original mixes.(Wikipedia)
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Imagine, if you will, a Spirit reunion (minus Jay Ferguson) which leads to an album's worth of excellent and original jazz and soul influenced rock
material buoyed by the best songwriting since SARDONICUS. Surprise!
FARTHER ALONG is vintage Spirit, a worthy successor to the classic first four albums. Mark's brother Matt Andes [also ex Jo Jo Gunne]
joins the boys for 11 new songs and an instrumental "Nature's Way" featuring a lush and tasteful orchestral arrangement.
Ed Cassidy remembers the band watching proudly as Randy's anti-pollution anthem was transformed by maestro Don Henderson.
Also particularly worthy of note, "Atomic Boogie" which pokes fun at the perpetrators of the Arms Race, and "Diamond Spirit" which stands out vocally
on an album featuring harmony singing (and vocal double-tracking) to take the breath away.
FARTHER ALONG is one of Ed's favorite Spirit albums and you can hear why. SARDONICUS'S David Blumberg returns to render blastingly effective
horn arrangements and there isn't a duff track on the album. Fans who enjoy the brighter, jazzier side of Spirit found on earlier albums
(especially CLEAR) will not miss the harder edge missing here. Outside producer Al Schmitt concentrates on the intrinsic merits of the songs
and the band plays across a complex sweep of styles and the playing is TIGHT.
It is to be hoped that the compiler of the collection of Spirit's run with Mercury/Phonogram will draw heavily on FARTHER ALONG [and SPIRIT OF '76]
as it remains the best single album from those years and far outdistances THE SPIRIT OF '84.(By Nick (Doc Rock) Moroney)
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