Dancing Flower
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Number of Time Is (1971) Reviews: 1
Reviewer: John Fitzgerald, Human resources staff database assistant October 31, 2001 There must have been a huge strain on Walker (and Mike Hopkins) to have come up with
the goods here as they were the replacements for Jeff Lynne in Idle Race who was the
mastermind behind the band. There's never been a question about that. However, rather
than try to emulate Lynne, the new boys go their own musical ways and we are treated to
a nice colorful mix of styles on this platter such as the Celtic opener "Dancing flower", the
medieval folk of the Walker penned acoustic guitar & flute number "I will see you",
chiming folk rock like Dave's co-written "And the rain", their pleasing cover of Gordon
Lightfoot's "Bitter green", and the irresistible catchyness of "Sad o' sad" (my personal
favorite of the non-Walker lead vocal tunes but I think I can hear him on backing on this
one). Rock and roll is definitely not ignored as there's some great Dave lead fireballs like
the murky but wonderfully extended psychedelic drone of "By the sun" and the urgent
"Alcatraz" which sounds like something Dave would have done with Black Sabbath had
he been given the chance there. Walker co-wrote this track too along with the bouncy
closer "We want it all". This has often been dismissed as "Walker one could live without"
but I vehemently disagree with this as this is one of Dave's best appearances on record as
it shows how effective he can be in more adventurous musical surroundings than people
often give him credit for and given half a chance in Fleetwood Mac, he could've come up
with some great music, much like the material that is enclosed here. A hard record to find
granted, but one that's definitely worth the search.
