Flying Island - 1976 - Another Kind Of Space

Flying Island

1976

Another Kind Of Space

01. Star Dance (5:18)

02. Dandelion Wine (2:39)

03. Huh! (4:21)

04. The Whole Family Would Like This (7:07)

05. Radiant Point (3:37)

06. Isolation (7:36)

07. Thorough The Four Doors (5:38)

08. The Vision And The Voice (9:48)

Bill Bacon / drums, percussion

Thom Preli / bass

Jeff Bova / keyboards, clavinet, trumpet, organ

Ray Smith / guitar

ith Fraioli / electric violin

Essentially more of the same from the fusioneers, who sound eerily like Return to Forever with Jerry Goodman on violin. There’s also even more of a pronounced fusion-era Frank Zappa influence here, as one track essentially steals the main riff from “Eat That Question” in a somewhat modified form. Not original in the slightest, but enjoyable.

When I think of Flying Island, I tend to categorize them as a fusion band. But this listen proved to me that's not really the case. Even though there's a little funky business, I would say that Flying Island are more of an instrumental progressive rock band. The lead instruments are violin, guitar and organ, and this is definitely no chops fest. Compositions are first and foremost, while instrumental dexterity backs up the highly melodic, but complex music charts. The violin in particular will remind the listener of Curved Air and Darryl Way's Wolf.