Yes have nearly always been an overdose of kitsch. As time goes by they once in a while get a kind of nostalgic reevaluation. Rick Wakeman, a keyboard player coated with sugar like no other in pop history, has been part of the game. That they were once called „prog“ casts a dark shadow on the whole idea of „prog rock“! Believe it, or not: they are still well and alive (that is the good news), and now, with their new opus and its telling title „Heaven and Earth“ they definitely prove that they love big screens, nice singalongs, soft harmonies, and, best of all, that the summer of 68 has never faded away. It’s peace on earth, and the electric guitar is a lesson in playful nirvana. Samsara, samsara, samsaleikum! The most profound moment comes when they sing about „getting to know the empty space / Beneath the surface of common days“. It’s a bit more self-referential than originally intended. Regression therapy has found a new classic!
