{|Spooky Two|} is this British blues-rock band's piece de resistance. All eight of the tracks compound free-styled rock and loose-fitting guitar playing, resulting in some fantastic raw music. With {|Gary Wright|} on keyboards and vocals and lead sin... Read more

{|Spooky Two|} is this British blues-rock band's piece de resistance. All eight of the tracks compound free-styled rock and loose-fitting guitar playing, resulting in some fantastic raw music. With {|Gary Wright|} on keyboards and vocals and lead singer {|Mike Harrison|} behind the microphone, their smooth, relaxed tempos and riffs mirrored bands like {|Savoy Brown|} and, at times, even {|the Yardbirds|}. With some emphasis on keyboards, songs like {|Lost in My Dream|} and the nine-minute masterpiece {|Evil Woman|} present a cool, nonchalant air that grooves and slides along perfectly. {|I've Got Enough Heartache|} whines and grieves with some sharp bass playing from {|Greg Ridley|}, while {|Better by You, Better Than Me|} is the catchiest of the songs, with its clinging hooks and desperate-sounding chorus. The last song, {|Hangman Hang My Shell on a Tree,|} is a splendid example of the bandmembers' ability to play off of one another, mixing soulful lyrics with downtrodden instrumentation to conjure up the perfect melancholia. Although {|Spooky Tooth|} lasted about seven years, their other albums never really contained the same passion or talented collaborating by each individual musician as {|Spooky Two|}. ~ Mike DeGagne Less