| Look at Yourself | ||||
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| Studio album by Uriah Heep | ||||
| Released | September 1971 (US) October 1971 (UK) |
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| Recorded | July 1971 at Lansdowne Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Hard rock, psychedelic rock, heavy metal, progressive rock | |||
| Length | 41:14 | |||
| Label | Bronze (UK) Mercury (USA) |
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| Producer | Gerry Bron | |||
| Uriah Heep chronology | ||||
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| Allmusic | [1] |
Look at Yourself is the third album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.
It is Uriah Heep's most straight ahead "hard rock" album, with one notable foray into progressive territory on "July Morning". The album has come to be viewed as a highpoint in the band's career, and is today regarded by many fans and critics as Uriah Heep's finest album, contended by Demons and Wizards, released the following year. The title track and "July Morning" were released as singles in North America in 1971 and 1973, respectively.
The original cover art (not pictured opposite) on the LP came in a single sleeve with a die-cut opening on the front through which a reflective foil 'mirror' was seen. This relates the cover art directly to the album title. The idea was that of guitarist Mick Box. Not being a perfect reflecting surface, one sees a distorted image of oneself. Indeed, this theme is carried on with the band photos on the rear of the LP sleeve, which have also been distorted.
The LP itself was housed in a heavy-duty card inner, complete with lyrics.
The song "July Morning" has become the inspiration for a Bulgarian Hippie tradition, known eponymously as July Morning.The third time proved to be the charm for Uriah Heep: on Look at Yourself, the group perfects its fusion of heavy metal power and prog rock majesty, and the result is one of the best albums in the Heep catalog. The gauntlet is thrown down on the title track, a powerful rocker that layers its relentless hard rock attack with ornate vocal harmonies and quicksilver organ runs before climaxing with a tribal-sounding drum jam. The remainder of Look at Yourself presents an effective blend of gutsy guitar rock and organ-fueled prog excursions. In the rock arena, the gems are "Tears in My Eyes," a powerful rocker driven by an almost rockabilly-style riff that stops midway for a surprising vocal harmony break supported by smooth wah-wah guitar, and "Love Machine," a short, punchy slice of hard rock built on an infectious, stomping rhythm. However, the best track on the album is one of the more prog-oriented ones: "July Morning" starts with a pastoral organ riff, then builds into a heavy yet symphonic rock tune that divides its time between gentle acoustic verses and emotional, organ-fueled choruses before climaxing in a monstrous jam dominated by a swirling Moog synthesizer lead. Special note should also be taken of David Byron's vocal performance; his multi-octave, operatic style was no doubt an influence on later metal vocalists like Rob Halford. All in all, Look at Yourself is both one of Uriah Heep's finest, most cohesive albums and a high point of 1970s heavy metal.
Contents |
All songs written by Ken Hensley, except where noted.
Side 1
Side 2
Look at Yourself was remastered and reissued in 1996 with two bonus tracks:
An expanded De-Luxe CD was released in 2003 with seven bonus tracks:
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