Sci-fi author Julian Jay Savarin went a step further than Hawkwind collaborator Michael Moorcock in realising his cosmic landscapes as sound by actually driving his Treatment from behind a Hammond organ on this delicious period piece. 'Altarra', 'The Coming Of the Mule', 'Princess of The Blue Woman' - the track titles speak much of what elapses.

Savarin's admirable zeal built a band specially drilled for a 1970 double album on Youngblood's Birth imprint and the result is proficient and somewhat archly handled.

Though Australian, singer Cathy Pruden is from the school of Continental pop-prog, her strong if mannered vocal chiming with the contemporary output of the likes of Amon Duul II and Earth & Fire. Clamp this to Savarin's highly dramatic Hammond and Jack Drummond's drumming (no really) and you are smiling, chaired along by the fun, reminiscent of budget horror film soundtracks on occasion, Vincent Price on organ.

***

Review by Peter Muir