While the arena rock and progressive rock that took over popular music in the 70's eventually would fall to the old school roots rock bands that appeared at the end of the decade, there were certainly no shortage of bands that embraced the old school stylings early on in the decade. These bands branched out into all different kinds of subgenres, including blues-rock, which held claim to bands such as Cream and Led Zeppelin. But although almost all bands in this genre were technically proficient, many of them were overshadowed by their more successful peers. One of these bands was the British rock outfit Ten years After. Formed in 1967 by brothers Alvin (Guitar/Vocals) and Ric (Drums) Lee, the group added Chick Churchill on keyboards and Leo Lyons on bass to complete the blues outfit. The group spent their early years enjoying on minor success in their homeland thanks to the skills of Alvin Lee, but in 1971, they were propelled to brief stardom thanks to their album A Space in Time.

The reason for A Space In Time's a success is mostly due to the strength of the band's only Top 40 hit single, I'd Love to Change the World, which was an AM/FM staple upon it's debut in 1971, and is still in rotation today (and was also the promo music for Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11). And it certainly deserved it's fame, as it's hands down one of the most memorable and awesome rock songs ever written. The song begins deceptively quiet with a solid acoustic riff, as Alvin Lee's vocals add to the soft yet foreboding nature of the song, subdued behind lyrics that speak on the chaos going on the world. After two verses, he leads in his electric guitar over the acoustic line, which sounds just incredible. The lines aren't the hardest to play, but they sound absolutely amazing in a sort of inexplicable way. Just over the 2 minute mark, the song breaks into a full out rock jam, complete with a solid solo from Lee (one the best ones from a classic rock song) as the whole band rocks out behind him. With an instantly memorable riff, some solid vocals, and a killer solo, I'd Love to Change the World is a well deserved hit single if their ever was one. It's displays the band's brilliance perfectly, both from a musical and lyrical standpoint.

Population keeps on breeding,
Nation bleeding, still more feeding economy,
Life is funny, skies are sunny,
Bees make honey, who needs money, Monopoly...

I'd love to change the world,
But I don't know what to do,
So I'll leave it up to you,

World pollution, there's no solution,
Institution, electrocution,
Just black and white, rich or poor,
Them and us, stop the war

A few songs on the album, though, are not quite as solid as the band's hit single. Instead of sticking with the blues-rock that thet were so good at, Ten Years After decided to head off into different directions here, some that work, and some that just don't. For example, track 4, Over the Hill is certainly not your typical Ten Years After song, utilizing a string section and a slow acoustic riff. The pairing of the string section and the acoustic is clever in theory, but in execution it comes off as a poor attempt at trying something new. The song has no edge to it, and instead sounds like a forced combination of classical music and classic rock. They don't seem to fit in this song.

Baby Won't You Let Me Rock 'N' Roll You is another song that's far from the band's blues-rock staple. It's certainly the biggest guilty pleasure on the album, because while it's certainly a great throwback song with energy, it's ridiculously derivative, sounding like it was taken straight off a Chuck Berry record. Alvin Lee and company certainly have the skills to pull it off, and Lee even adds in a nice little solo, but there isn't a shred of originality in the song. If you're the kind of person who hates derivative music, then you won't find much to like about this song.

There are some attempts at trying new material that work quite well though. Let the Sky Fall is a pyschadelia-drenched effort that utilizes a repeating guitar riff and drum beat. The song sounds like a pairing of Jimi Hendrix and The Doors, with two minutes of poetry read to the tune of pyschadelic music, followed by a solid guitar solo once again thanks to Alvin Lee, and then back to the pyschadelic efforts. It's definitely a solid song that warrants more than a few listens, and is one of the more successful attempts at experimentation on this album.

Let the sky fall,
Let the sea sink,
Let the earth shake,
Let the sun blink,
Let the universe,
Go spinning free,
If my darling,
Ever leaves me...

Uncle Jam, the album closer, is also quite an inspired song, a pure instrumental jazz song where Alvin Lee gets to showcase his guitar prowess once again, laying down some solid lines. The whole band gets to chime in as well, with a solid piano solo courtesy of Chick Churchill, and some great groundwork set by Leo Lyons and Ric Lee. The only problem is the song clocks in at under two minutes, just leaving the listener hanging and closing the album too abruptly.

Past the experimentation, there's certainly a solid helping of blues-rock here as well. The album's opener, One of the These Days is a solid blues offering, showcasing the band's skill as musicians, and offering both harmonica and guitar solos just for the hell of it. The following track, Here They Come is a bit more pyschadelic, but still firmly planted in the blues-rock genre. With a foreboding acoustic riff, the song is a solid excercise in setting the mood through music. Lee's lyrics are a bit obscure and at times make little sense, but the music seemingly gives it purpose and meaning.

Once There Was A Time is more of the same, except this time keyboard player Chick Churchill gets a larger role in the song, giving it a tighter groove through his notes. And Hard Monkeys, despite having the stupidest title ever for a rock song, is probably the second best song on the album. It's a solid offering because of it's loud/soft dynamic, mixing an emotional and slow verse with a hard hitting chorus, and another searing guitar solo from Alvin Lee. Just in case you had any doubts about how good he was at playing guitar. Rounding out the blues-rock efforts is I've Been There Too, which like Hard Monkeys offers a solid loud/soft dynamic, and also another mind-bending guitar solo by Alving Lee. Well, it's not that good, but it's certainly very impressive. The lyrics are also well-written

All in all, A Space in Time is a solid blues-rock outing, and while not the band's best effort, is certainly a worthwhile one. Both setting high standards for songwriting and lyricism, A Space In Time is one of the better rock albums out right now. There's alot of quality material past the amazing lead single, and past a few musical missteps, A Space In Time is certainly a memorable effort worth checking out.

Tracklisting:

1) One of These Days
2) Here They Come
3) I'd Love to Change the World
4) Over the Hill
5) Baby Won't You Let Me Rock 'N' Roll You
6) Once There Was A Time
7) Let the Sky Fall
8) Hard Monkeys
9) I've Been There Too
10) Uncle Jam

Recommended: Yes