Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy
| Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy | ||||
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| Studio album by Return to Forever | ||||
| Released | November 1973 | |||
| Recorded | August 1973 | |||
| Studio | Record Plant Studios, New York City | |||
| Genre | Jazz-rock | |||
| Length | 42:14 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Producer | Chick Corea | |||
| Return to Forever chronology | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
Non-US version of cover
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| Creem | B |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | |
Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973) is Return to Forever's third studio album.
This was the group's first album with a rock-influenced sound and without any vocals. Former members Flora Purim, Joe Farrell and Airto Moreira were replaced by drummer Lenny White and guitarist Bill Connors.
The album was originally recorded with drummer Steve Gadd but when Gadd did not want to tour with the band, a new version was recorded with Lenny White. The version featuring Gadd was never released and the whole recording is said to be lost.
The music draws upon elements from various genres, including Latin jazz, funk, psychedelic rock, and avant-garde jazz.
Corea relies mostly on electric pianos and organs, not yet playing the Minimoog. Also, Clarke has not developed his famous electric bass sound yet and plays his one solo on the album through a fuzzbox. Bill Connors does not have the same reputation for technical wizardry as his successor Al Di Meola, but his heavily distorted guitar sound and fiery licks have received positive comments from reviewers.
The review of the album on Allmusic notes that "it is the quality of the compositions that marks Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy as an indispensable disc of '70s fusion". Clarke contributed one song for the album and Corea wrote the rest of the material. The first track, the title track, is Corea's short space rock anthem that sets the mood for the rest of the album. The second track, "After the Cosmic Rain", is Clarke's sole composition on the album, and it features a long bass solo played through a fuzzbox followed by Corea's fiery electric piano solo. "Captain Señor Mouse" is a piece that has a fast, airy theme that suddenly turns into another theme that sounds like Latin music. This composition shows a humorous side of Corea, who has claimed that the song was written about a mouse that he saw in a house while visiting Switzerland. Long solos following themes are played by Corea and Connors. Al Di Meola recorded his own version of this song for his album Casino (1978).
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