Customer Reviews

Dawn Explosion

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Captain Beyond's third album, DAWN EXPLOSION (1977), was released four years after their second one, the Latin-tinged SUFFICIENTLY BREATHLESS. Absent for the second album, original drummer Bobby Caldwell returned, vocalist Willy Daffern stepped in for Rod Evans, and the group was reborn as a power foursome.

Unfortunately--though not a bad album--DAWN EXPLOSION is far less energetic, even quiescent or reserved compared with the first two. "Fantasy" is really the only cut on the album that somewhat approaches the band's previous energy.

I'll get right to the point. The first album, simply entitled CAPTAIN BEYOND (1972), is the one you must have. From the opening drum intro to the final tirade of chords at the very end, the first album is no common rock 'n' roll experience. Indeed, the first album is a monster. Bobby Caldwell's drumming alone will stupefy you. You won't believe the energy the band produces, though it's never reckless. The music is well thought out. It's classy. They have finesse. They'll blow your mind!

So get DAWN EXPLOSIN if you like. Get SUFFICIENTLY BREATHLESS if you like. They are enjoyable albums. But remember: You must get that incredible first album.

The third Captain Beyond album comes back to the format the band used on their debut, though not so successfully; they are back as a trio with a vocalist, without the keyboards and latin percussion section. "If You Please" sounds like something from Sufficiently Breathless and "Midnight Memories" is a throwaway (except for its unusual chord progression), but the rest of the album rocks, though not like their first album. "Breath of Fire, Part 1" kicks serious ass, but the highlight is "Fantasy," which is on the same level as "Dancing Madly Backward" or "Mesmerization Eclipse" from the first record. Overall, this is serious hard rock, highly recommended.

Just received Dawn of Creation, listened to it, and went right back to listening to CB's first two recordings--to me, the debut and the follow-up present the band in the best way. Not that Dawn is a bad listen, it's just the weakest effort of the three, I think. Rod Evans who sang on the first two CB albums (and first three Deep Purple albums) unfortunately can't be heard on Dawn (Willy Daffern is the Lead Singer). The songs Fantasy and Breath of Fire, Part 1 & 2, are pretty cool and hard-driving Rock.

All three Captain Beyond albums are true gems (Captain Beyond #1)(Sufficiently Breathless #2) (Dawn Explosion #3). The albums take you on a journey and make you feel like you've been somewhere and done something. This to me is always a sign of great musicians. I thoroughly enjoy my CD's and play them often and LOUD. I never tire of them, and they always lift my spirits. Buy all three so you have the collection, you won't be dissappointed. Every song is a true work of art and the first album is a masterpiece. If you are interested,visit the Captain Beyond webpages on the net, they are really cool and you can learn more about the band then and now. Yes, now! I've learned that the heros are back!!! Bobby Caldwell (drums), Larry Reinhardt (Rhino)(guitar), Dan Frye (Keyboards), Jimmy Interval (lead vocals), and Jeff (Count) Artabasy (bass guitar). A new line up for the 90's! But to buy the CD's, get them at Amazon, it's easy/quick. This time around lets hope that Captain Beyond is highly recognized as they most definitely deserve it! These guys are amazing musicians and I look forward to new albums (hopefully they will be putting some out)! Thanks to Amazon you can buy the three albums, get yours TODAY!!

"Dawn Explosion" was a very good comeback for Captain Beyond; armed with a new record deal with Warner Brothers & a new singer with Willy Daffern, the band was on a mission to come back strong, & in their way, they definitely succeeded. However, the wind of change was blowing hard through the music industry at the time of its' 1977 release with disco dominating the pop charts on one side & punk dominating the underground on the other. Classic & especially prog-rock bands like Captain Beyond were then regarded as dinosaurs & has-beens, so despite being a fine album, "Dawn Explosion" was caught in the middle & vanished without a trace. Had it been released a few years earlier, this might not have been the case.

New vocalist Willy Daffern's voice boasts a more throaty rock & roll voice & does some serious screaming at times on the album which is in direct contrast to the long departed original vocalist Rod Evans. The band had returned to its' original core lineup of guitarist Rhino, drummer Bobby Caldwell & bassist Lee Dorman for this release, & as was the case on their previous 1973 release "Sufficiently Breathless", the emphasis is once again on straight ahead song structures with only an occasional tip of the hat to the odd time signatures & prog-rock leanings that dominated their classic 1972 debut.

Most of the songs are good, with only "If You Please" not being a particular favorite of mine; its' subject matter dealing with, of all things, choosing your career path; it even includes a reference to being a paramedic! Needless to say, I generally skip over this one when listening to the whole album. The closest the band gets to recapturing the feel of their first album is "Space Interlude".

All in all, this is a good album but unfortunately was the last for the band. Should this be the last we hear from Captain Beyond, then they've gone out in a great way. On a side note, Amazon lists this as being a "box set", "enhanced disc" & "hybrid" for some reason, but it's not. It's definitely a single disc, & the "remastered" part is probably true.

The last and best song on the album is Oblivion, an appropriately named instrumental that is the last time we hear from Rhino, Dorman, and Caldwell - three awsome muscians who's talents shine in albums one and two. Unfortunately, Dawn Explosion most often misses the energy and creativity of the first two albums. Oblivion...an appropriate name for their wherabouts... until 1999!!!! Rhino,( now Ryno) and Caldwell are back with a new Captain Beyond band, currently beginning a tour in Europe, with rumors of an album to be released this year!!

I don't think any band could follow the sheer brilliance that Captain Beyond gave the musical world with their debut, but I think this album is a very respectable effort and it's always been a big favorite of mine. Willie Daffern has a great voice, just different from Rod Evans is all, and all the naysayers just aren't being open-minded. In fact hearing him on this record made me seek out anything else that he might have lent his voice to, and there's precious little that I can find: Gary Moore's

G-Force album, Pipedream (with Tim Bogert!), and a solo LP under the name Willie Dee. Too bad, I think he has a classic voice.

But back to this record: I think it's way better than the more laid back Sufficiently Breathless, and I can't help but wonder if that's due to the return of Bobby Caldwell. Even without attempting some more of those great odd time signatures that are all over the debut, there are some great tracks here, with "Do or Die" and "Fantasy" being two standouts.

Compared to the first record or not, you can't go wrong with this one.

Willie D, where are you, man?!!

This, the 3rd CB album, doesn't come close to their debut self-titled MASTERPIECE. But there are still moments when that old CB magic emerges. For example, the background guitars build in the same manner prior to the solo in both DANCING MADLY BACKWARDS & ICARUS. Highpoints: DO OR DIE, ICARUS, ALONE IN THE COSMOS. Bobby Caldwell doesn't kick butt like he did on the debut, & W. Daffern is a very different vocalist than Rod Evans. In general, it sounds like the songs weren't as fully realized. There's more of a pop, rather than a purely hard rock feel.

I think this album deserves better than the very average review it is typically given in most cases on most sites. One of the problems with successive albums released by groups which had an initial stellar album is that everyone typically compares the successive releases to the first release. While Captain Beyond's first album was indeed extraordinary, and while this album isn't of quite the same caliber, it is nevertheless an excellent musical effort and worthy of any serious collection of progressive rock. The songwriting is very fine, the instrumentals first class, the vocals by Willie Daffern (while notably different from Rod Evans' excellent vocals) are really very good. There are really no weak tracks and if one compares to efforts by other groups -- even to efforts by outstanding musicians like Robin Trower -- this album comes out smelling very nicely indeed. I think if one gives it several listens, most open-minded folk will become reasonably fond of it, and possibly outright enthusiastic about it.

Ive never heard Captain Beyond although I have heard of them...Ive listened to Rhino play up close and personal and he wears his music like a second skin...undoubtly one of the greats that was overlooked by circumstance...but now is his second chance...the band as a whole at times had a flavor a kin to that of "sound garden" and other times "the Grateful Dead" Very orginal content, Its time Captain Beyond Gets regonized. Good Music never grows old........