Year: May 1973 (CD 19 May 1998)
Label: Capricorn Records (U.S.), 314 558 380-2
Style: Hard Rock, Rock
Country: Los Angeles, California
Time: 33:20
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 231 Mb
Why this 1973 album from Captain Beyond, the group's second, gets such a bad rep is beyond this writer's comprehension. Issued in the wake of their eponymous, hard-rockin' debut, 'Sufficiently Breathless' saw the expanded line-up fleshing out the first album's nuts-and-bolts sound with a strong injection of dreamy prog atmospherics and Santana-style grooves. As a result, 'Sufficiently Breathless' proves a marked improvement over its predecessor in almost every department. Simply put, this is a fresher, more imaginative and funkier group at work here, whilst the album also features the group's heart-breakingly brilliant signature ballad 'Starglow Energy', a cosmic rock classic of startling power and emotion and a track that has one yearning for the stars. Add the catchy jangle-pop of 'Bright Blue Tango', the Latin-fused anthem 'Drifting In Space' and the impressive closer 'Everything's A Circle', and what you have here is a damn-fine slice of colorful 1970s rock. The real shame is the fact that Captain Beyond could never quite rise beyond the level of cult status, yet thankfully they did leave behind a trio of albums that all true classic rock lovers should hear. Highly-recommended. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2013.
(progarchives.com/album.asp?id=4258) Review by stefro. August 9, 2013
The charms of the self-titled debut album was that is was presented as a complete piece of music where the organic whole was far greater than the sum of its parts. Not so here. The band has also lost its sense of urgency and this second album is far less interesting and far less memorable. In addition, this album is no longer Heavy Prog, since it is neither particularly heavy nor particularly Prog. Rather, it is more towards psychedelic pop with occasional heavy sections.
In its favour I should say that it is better recorded and produced, the instrumentation is a bit more interesting too, with more keyboards added to the mix. But this can hardly redeem this rather lacklustre effort. This is not poor, only not very interesting. Fans of Heavy Prog should stick with the first album.
(progarchives.com/album.asp?id=4258) Review by SouthSideoftheSky. December 31, 2008
01. Sufficiently Breathless (05:15)
02. Bright Blue Tango (04:11)
03. Drifting In Space (03:12)
04. Evil Men (04:51)
05. Starglow Energy (05:04)
06. Distant Sun (04:42)
07. Voyages Of Past Travellers (01:46)
08. Everything's A Circle (04:14)
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