After losing founding vocalist
David Byron in 1976, many hard rock fans thought
Uriah Heep had reached the end of the line. However, the group bounced back in 1977 with
Firefly, an album that pursued a stripped-down sound harking back to the group's early-'70s successes. They also boasted a new singer in
John Lawton, a vocalist who had made his fame working with artsy German hard rockers
Lucifer's Friend. Although he lacked the multi-octave range of
David Byron,
Lawton boasted an impressive and emotionally rich hard rock voice that instantly jelled with the
Uriah Heep sound. An ideal example of this new synergy was provided by the opening track, "The Hanging Tree," which featured
Lawton dramatically delivering a narrative about an outlaw on the run over a spooky musical track that blended echo-drenched synthesizers with some typically gutsy guitar riffs from
Mick Box. Other memorable tracks on
Firefly include "Who Needs Me," a spirited slice of boogie rock with a rousing singalong chorus, and the title track, a miniature prog epic that deftly blends balladry, hard rock, and acoustic-styled folk into one cohesive outing. Nothing on
Firefly hits the epic heights of "Gypsy" or "July Morning," but it contains none of the failed experiments that weighed down
High and Mighty and it further benefits from a nice sense of consistency that is built on tight songwriting and inspired performances. In the end,
Firefly remains one of the most cohesive albums from
Uriah Heep's mid- to late-'70s period and is guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of the group's fan base. ~ Donald A. Guarisco