Hope (Klaatu album)

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Hope
HopeKlaatuAlbumCover.jpg
Studio album by
Klaatu
ReleasedSeptember 12, 1977[1]
RecordedJune 1976 – June 1977[2]
Genre
Length40:53 (including hidden track)
LabelDaffodil, Capitol
ProducerTerry Brown
Klaatu chronology
3:47 EST
(1976) 		Hope
(1977) 		Sir Army Suit
(1978)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic2.5/5 stars[5]
4/5 stars[6]
(Klaatu/Hope two-in-one)
Classic Rock3/5 stars[7]

Hope is the second album by the Canadian rock band Klaatu and their first concept album. Released in September 1977, it won a Juno Award for "Best Engineered Album" and a Canadian Music Critics award for "Best Album" that same year.

An alternate version of Hope was released in 2005 as part of the group's Sun Set collection of rarities. The alternate version on Sun Set includes the complete contributions of the London Symphony Orchestra, which had largely been removed from the version released in 1977. The alternate version also includes a short unreleased track, "Epilogue," which had originally been intended to be placed between "So Said the Lighthouse Keeper" and "Hope."[8]

Hope was remastered and re-issued in 2012 by the band's members, and was released on the band's independent record label Klaatunes.[8]

Musical style[]

A reviewer for Julian Cope's Head Heritage described Hope as “an elaborate sci-fi prog opera,[3] while an article in the Edmonton Journal described a “whimsical space-rock album”.[4] Allmusic's Mike DeGagne commented that the album was "less pop-infused" than the group's previous album 3:47 EST, and contained more "progressive depth" with an "experimental sound".[9] Peter Kurtz of the website felt that the album's conceptual rock opera theme sounded "pretentious, and in some cases like a rip-off of Queen".[5]

PopMatters described the song “Around the Universe in 80 Days” as a “powerful pop ballad” with a “gorgeous piano melody”, and a “fine example of effortless pop-rock craftsmanship”. It described “Prelude” as “an instrumental rock epic”.[10]

Artwork[]

Like the previous Klaatu album, the cover was painted by graphic artist Ted Jones.[11]

The cover shows "the Lighthouse Keeper's beam". The ruined stone plaza features the sun image from the cover of the previous Klaatu album.

Track listing[]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."We're Off You Know"John Woloschuk4:01
2."Madman"Dee Long2:39
3."Around the Universe in Eighty Days"Long4:59
4."Long Live Politzania"Woloschuk9:11
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Loneliest of Creatures"Woloschuk3:44
2."Prelude"Woloschuk, Long, Terry Draper5:44
3."So Said the Lighthouse Keeper"Woloschuk5:51
4."Hope"Woloschuk4:44
Total length:40:53

The album opens with a mouse squeak. Their previous album, 3:47 EST, ends with a mouse squeak. The cover art for each album features a mouse.

The original release credited all songs simply to "Klaatu"; however, subsequent reissues and the band's website provided individual song writing credits.[8]

Personnel[]

Klaatu
Additional
Production
  • Arranged & produced by Klaatu & Terry Brown
  • Recorded & engineered by Terry Brown

The band members are not named on the original LP.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ "Capitol Records Releasing 11 LPs on September 12th" (PDF). Klaatu.org. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
  2. ^ "The Morning Sun - 5th Edition". Klaatu.org. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Dog 3000. "Unsung Reviews – Klaatu: Sir Army Suit". Julian Cope Presents Head Heritage. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Hicks, Graham (12 July 1980). "Klaatu has long maintained a low profile emerging from the underground". Edmonton Journal.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Kurtz, Peter. "Hope - Klaatu". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  6. ^ Dave Sleger (1992-01-06). "Klaatu/Hope - Klaatu | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  7. ^ "Klaatu: Hope album review". Loudersound.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "The Official Klaatu Homepage". Klaatu.org. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  9. ^ Mike DeGagne. "3:47 EST - Klaatu | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  10. ^ "So Said the Lighthouse Keepers". www.popmatters.com.
  11. ^ Bradley, David. "Klaatu Frequently Asked Questions". Klaatu.org. Retrieved 2021-01-16. 3:47 EST, Hope, Endangered Species and Magentalane were painted by longtime friend of the band, graphic artist Ted Jones.

External links[]

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