Featuring an eye catching cover by renowned painter Shusei Nagaoka, Flight were the unsung heroes of major label ‘Ameriprog’.
Written by: Eric
ARTIST: Flight
ALBUM: Incredible Journey
LABEL: Capitol
SERIAL: ST-11536
YEAR: 1976
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Pat Vidas – brass, lead vocals * Ted Karczewski – electric & acoustic guitars * John Ray – acoustic & electric basses * Russell A Dawber Jr – drums, percussion * Jim Michael ‘Fizzwah’ Yaeger – keyboards
TRACK LISTING:
01 Music Is
02 1929
03 First Impression
04 Mystery Man
05 2003
06 Visions Of A Dream
07 The Sands Of Time
08 Rock N Roll Star
Background
Featuring an eye catching cover by renowned painter Shusei Nagaoka best known for ELO‘s ‘Out Of The Blue’ stunning art as well as several Earth Wind & Fire equally gorgeous album covers, Flight were the unsung heroes of major label ‘Ameriprog’.
I’m not a one hundred percent sure, but I believe the band hailed from sunny Florida under the direction of brass player Pat Vidas who seems to have gone on to a career as a tennis coach of all things.
Oh well, Flight released three albums, two for Capitol and one for Motown Records and ‘Incredible Journey’ is the best of the trio.
The Songs
Imagine if Emerson Lake & Palmer had gone the fusion route and you will have a pretty good idea what Flight sound like.
The production here is crisp, unlike so many albums of the time and the playing is outstanding as to be expected.
The opening track ‘Music Is’ clearly is most ELP influenced track here and Vidas’ vocals are comparable to Greg Lake.
There are three instrumentals, ‘First Impression’ a fast paced and red hot fusion number that cooks, while ‘Visions Of A Dream’ takes on a Latin flavour ala Santana.
‘The Sands Of Time’ is a nice mellow slice of fusion although the strange thing is there are lyrics to the song printed on the inside album sleeve, but there are none on the track itself!
‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Star closes the album and as a song its pretty average and in the hands of any other band it would have been, but not here. The song is very experimental with aggressive guitar and percussion that simply dazzles the ears.
In Summary
I would love to hear this album on CD, but unfortunately that hasn’t happened yet. I am rather surprised the Japanese haven’t had a go at reissuing the Flight catalog, but I am sure it will happen eventually.
A few years ago Flight was still a going concern with Vidas playing gigs in south Florida as ‘Paul Vidas And Flight’ but I am not sure if any recorded product came of it.
Flight on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
