Hug's Neon Dream, from 1975, by request

 

The only album from this band named after Mike Hugg who wrote two phenomenal SSW albums just prior to this. I've loved those 2 (Somewhere from 1972, and Stress and Strain from 1973) deeply forever for their warmth and passion and the inventive songwriting he brought to the table. Note that he also played with Manfred Mann for a brief period.

On this record there is more energy and funk and less of the delicacy, electric guitars being front and centre (John Knightsbridge being the highly competent guitarist), but it's still quite strong in terms of composition (all by Mike). Title track (not necessarily the best one this time):

It closes out with the part-of-the-times 10 minute long opus, Star Traveler-- like I always say, we were promised back then, when I was a child, a beautiful future with space travel in our lifetimes... hardly could have known we wouldn't even make it back to the moon in more than 52 years... and, I might add, humans probably will never step foot on it again the way things are turning out.