Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy

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Return to Forever chronology
Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy

Studio album by Return to Forever
Released	1973
Recorded	August, 1973, at Record Plant Studios, N.Y.
Genre	Jazz-rock fusion
Length	40:36
Label	Polydor Records
Producer(s)	Chick Corea
Light as a Feather (1972)	Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973)	Where Have I Known You Before (1974)

Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973) is the Return to Forever's third studio album.

The album was Return to Forever's first album with rock-sound and without any vocals. Now the group itself and its music had completely changed. Former members Flora Purim, Joe Farrell and Airto Moreira had been now replaced by a drummer Lenny White and a guitarist Bill Connors. Latter left the group after this album for a solo career since he wanted to concentrate on acoustic music.

The album was first recorded with a drummer Steve Gadd but when Gadd did not want to join a tour with the band, a new version was recorded with Lenny White. The version featuring Gadd was never released and the whole recording is said to be lost.

Album's style has been described as a some kind of "space rock" that mostly relies on the sound palette similar to psychedelic rock and features long improvised solos. Compositions include influences also from other genres such as funk, latin jazz and avant-garde jazz.

Corea is still not using synthesizers but relies mostly on electric pianos and organs. Also Clarke has not developed his famous electric bass sound yet but plays his sole solo on the album through a fuzzbox. Bill Connors has no reputation as such a technical wizard as his successor Al Di Meola, but his heavily distorted guitar sound and fiery licks have received positive comments from reviewers.

The review of the album on All Music Guide notes that "it is the quality of the compositions that marks Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy as an indispensable disc of '70s fusion". Clarke has contributed one song for the album and Corea has written the rest of the material. First track, the title track, is Corea's short space rock anthem that sets mood for the rest of the album. Second track, "After the Cosmic Rain", is Clarke's sole composition on the album, and it features Clarke's long bass solo played through a fuzzbox followed by Corea's fiery e-piano solo. "Captain Señor Mouse" is a piece that has a fast, airy theme that suddently turns into another theme that sounds like Latin music. This composition shows a humoristic side of Corea who has claimed that the song is written about a mouse that he saw in some house while visiting Switzerland. Long solos following themes are played by Corea and Connors. Al Di Meola has recorded his own version of this song for his album Casino (1978). B-side of the recording starts with "Theme to the Mothership" that is another space-rock anthem. After a melodically strong theme, Connors plays a solo over one long repeating riff. Corea switches distortion on during his own solo. "Space Circus" features Corea's "Children Song" as a spooky intro that is followed by a piece that is based on a funk riff. This time Corea lefts solo space solely for Connors. Lenny White has also some extensive drum breaks on the track. The last track, "Game Maker" has also a slow intro after which an avant-garde-like theme comes in. Corea and Connors play their improvised solo bits in a call-and-response style.