RETURN TO FOREVER — Return to the Seventh Galaxy: The Anthology (review)

RETURN TO FOREVER — Return to the Seventh Galaxy: The Anthology album cover Boxset / Compilation · 1996 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Sean Trane
A rather strange series of XXth anniversary edition of RTF (I’ve seen the same treatment for Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi era) that holds a few surprises and a few disappointments as well. First of all, this compilation only concerns the Polydor albums, meaning that RTF’s debut album on ECM and the later two albums on CBS get the cold shoulder treatment. Can one imagine a RTF compilation without tracks from Romantic Warrior? Actually since I think RW is so over-rated, that this omission is half forgiven, as is the ignoring of their last (poor) album, but I don’t think the debut album should’ve gotten ignored. In either case,, this compilation’s name gives a clear reference to what I think is their best album.

While the better tracks of LAAF are featured on this compilation, one of the pleasant surprise is to find the superb 14-mins Spain in a live version with an intermediary line-up that had never recorded: it is a different version of the line-up that’s featured on the Seventh Galaxy album, with Bill Connors in place, but Mingo Lewis (ex-Santana) on percussions and Steve Gadd on drums. This three-track radio session is the only real “gift” but what a gift it is: not only is the Spain version awesome with its fairly different interpretation, but there is also a completely unknown track getting a release: Bass Folk Song. All three tracks are absolute musts and this previously unavailable line-up smokes. Clarke’s bow on his stand-up bass provides a cello-like drama for Spain’s introduction, while the previously unavailable Bass Folk Song is an awesome romp through the group’s instrumental prowess. Should there one day be a remastering of the Seventh Galaxy album, there is no doubt that these three tracks should belong as bonus tracks.

Three more tracks are taken from the Seventh Galaxy album, which means that only Space Circus is missing from what is clearly the group’s crowning achievement. The second disc concentrates on the first two albums with ADM on guitar, the editors just choosing to opt for a live version of Shadows Of Io, so there is little surprise here. The track selection from those two albums is correct and does justice to those albums. As I said above, I have a few reservations about the albums selection process and calling this compilation “thing” an anthology, but then again the tracks chosen give a real good introduction of RTF’s works outside the RW album, that owning this “thing” and the RW album could be almost everything you needed, if the debut album had gotten a bit of a sunshine as well.

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