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Sun and Steel is the sixth and final studio album, released by Iron Butterfly in 1975. It explores a wider variety of styles than any other Iron Butterfly album, yet always remains within the contemporary conventions of hard rock.
Tracks from this album are usually left out of Iron Butterfly compilations/greatest hit collections.
This last album from Iron Butterfly is actually better than what could have been expected. Ron Bushy (the only surviving founding member) and Erik Braun (an IB veteran) are the only ones from the heydays of the band to be featured on this album; while Phil Kramer already played on their weak Scorching Beauty released a year prior to this Sun & Steal.
The title and opening song is particularly well crafted: excellent vocals, fine melody with some superb instrumentation. Sun & Steal is one of their true prog track in all their career. A highlight!
This album as a whole though is more of a hard-rocking affair; something typical for the date of release. Some strong and powerful tracks (Lightnin) combined with some syrupy rock ballads like hard-rocking bands were keen to write (Beyond The Milky Way, Watch The World Going By).
A certain New York Dolls flavour is also noticeable during the rock’n’roll Free or Get It Out. But there will still be a heavy rock one for the nostalgic old fans (Scion).
The influence of the new keyboard player (Bill De Martinez) is clearly marked on the very good I’m Right, I’m Wrong: after a symphonic opening, he will develop a fine atmospheric play to get along with this traditional rock number. It is the second highlight from this enjoyable album.
The closing number is another fine song from this offering. A very performing rock ballad which holds a great guitar furry in the middle part. It is bizarrely called Scorching Beauty (title of their previous album).
Side one
- Sun and Steel – 4:01
- Lightnin’ – 3:02
- Beyond the Milky Way – 3:38
- Free – 2:41
- Scion – 5:02
- Get It Out – 2:53
- I’m Right, I’m Wrong – 5:27
- Watch the World Going By – 2:59
- Scorching Beauty – 6:42
Iron Butterfly
- Erik Brann – guitars, lead vocals
- Ron Bushy – drums
- Bill DeMartines – keyboards, vocals
- Philip Taylor Kramer – bass, vocals
Additional personnel
- David Richard Campbell – orchestration on “Beyond the Milky Way” and “I’m Right, I’m Wrong”
- Jerome Jumonville – horns on “Beyond the Milky Way” and “Free”
- Alex Quigley – Marimba on “Free”
- Julia Tillman, Maxine Willard, and June Deniece Williams – backing vocals on “Free”
Companies, etc.
- Pressed By – MCA Pressing Plant, Gloversville
- Produced For – Coyote Productions, Inc.
- Recorded At – Record Plant, Los Angeles
- Mastered At – Kendun Recorders
- Phonographic Copyright ℗ – MCA Records, Inc.
- Copyright © – MCA Records, Inc.
- Published By – Jeryl Lynn Music
Credits
- Bass – Phil Kramer
- Drums – Ron Bushy
- Engineer – Michael Stone
- Illustration – Craig Nelson
- Keyboards, Vocals – Bill DeMartines
- Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar – Erik Braunn
- Photography By – David DeMartines, James Fortune (2), Randy Bachman
- Producer – John Ryan The Chicago Kid
- Written-By – Erik Braunn (tracks: A1, A4 to B3)
Singles
- “Beyond the Milky Way” b/w “Get It Out”
- “I’m Right, I’m Wrong” (3:50 edit) b/w “Scion” (3:40 edit)
Notes
Release Date: 1976
Recording Location: The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA
Genre: Rock
Styles: Psychedelic
Duration: 36:25
Label – MCA Records