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Since Gong’s Steve Hillage has always been fascinated by Eastern spirituality and music, it makes perfect sense that he chose to open his 1976 sophomore album with a more cultured reworking of Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man.” It's arguable if it's the definitive version (Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham <i>did</i> play on the original, after all); Hillage incorporates the rich tones of Indian instruments to give the song a mystical edge. It's his virtuosic guitar playing that shines brightest here—especially toward the end, when he's soloing off into the cosmos alongside a spaced-out Moog. Hillage sings like a young Syd Barrett on the following “Hurdy Gurdy Glissando,” where tablas keep things sounding mellow until more analog synthesizers go head-to-head with Hillage’s intricate leads. Similarly, his take on George Harrison’s “It’s All Too Much” gets into a guru’s state of mind with deeper drones built from the weird and wonderful tones of arcane instruments. A kitschy cover of The Byrds' “Eight Miles High” is one of three bonus tracks.

via Apple Music