Captain Beyond: Lost & Found 1972-1973

Rock music is littered with bands who were unappreciated during their all too brief time together, only to be held up as cult heroes as the years rolled by. Captain Beyond are a prime example, the coming together of ex-Deep Purple singer Rod Evans, Iron Butterfly pair Lee Dorman (bass) and Rhino Reinhardt (guitar) and Johnny Winters Band drummer Bobby Caldwell releasing two albums that are now hailed as the perfect heavy rock, psyche, progressive hybrids, before blotting their copybook with the substandard, Evans-less Dawn Explosion in 1977. After that they were gone, fans left to lament as they spoke of days gone by and what should have been, occasional live shows and a 2000 EP the only respite. Meaning that any opportunity to resurrect this band's past is welcomed with open arms, whether that be last year's official bootleg release, Live In Texas October 6 1973, or these Lost & Found 1972-1973 demos.

Unearthed recently by Caldwell, what we have here is a ten track affair gathering together eight demos for the 1972 Captain Beyond self titled debut, and one cut, "Icarus" that went on to feature on the much maligned Dawn Explosion – here however, fronted by Evans and all the better for it. In terms of sound quality, considering their age and if you can forgive some serious tape hiss, things aren't too bad, as the band lay down sizzling versions of songs that their fans know extremely well and which don't really veer too far from what made their respective albums. Even now it's still impossible not to be struck by the power and precision of the likes of "Dancing Madly Backwards (On A Sea Of Air)", or both parts of "I Can't Feel Nothing" and all that comes in between. Although with the end results as similar as they are to the finished pieces, it's difficult to bestow the mantle of 'essential' on any of it.

Where the real interest kicks in is through the tragically titled "Uranus Highway". The only previously unreleased Captain Beyond track to surface since their demise in the late seventies a good example of the razor sharp riffing, impassioned vocals and pounding drums the band were known for. It's not a song that insists that it should have had room made for it on one of the first two albums and yet, especially for long term followers, it's more than good enough to merit some excitement and to finally be heard. In terms of bespoke material, that's it, which in truth ain't all that much. Will that fact matter to Captain Beyond devotees? Not one jot, the chance to own these demos and a brand new, old song, far too good to pass up. Time for those 'what if' and 'should have been' discussions to begin all over again.

Track Listing
1. Uranus Highway (previously unreleased) 2. I Can't Feel Nothing (Part 1)
3. As The Moon Speaks (To The Waves of The Sea)
4. Astral Lady
5. As The Moon Speaks (Return)
6. I Can't Feel Nothing (Part 2)
7. Icarus
8. Raging River of Fear
9. Dancing Madly Backwards (On a Sea of Air)
10. Myopic Void

Added: June 24th 2017
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Lost & Found on bandcamp
Hits: 1699
Language: english

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