Rocktrospectiva: The Magnificent Instrumental Album "Sky 2" Turns 45

Released on 18 April 1980 "Sky 2" was the second album by English/Australian instrumental progressive rock band Sky. Despite being a double album it reached number one in the British Album charts, and at the time was the fastest double album to receive platinum status in the UK. 

 

The album spawned the instrumental single "Toccata" which peaked at No. 5 in the British Singles Chart. The album was released in the United States and Canada as Sky, and become the group's first and highest-charting entry on the Billboard 200. 

 

This double album was an ambitious but for certain critics an uneven effort. Kevin Peek displays a nice feel on the electric guitar and adds some needed spice to tunes such as "Hotta" and "Scherzo." And even the legendary John Williams proves once again that he has no intention of opening up his style, opting instead to play traditionally on the electric guitar. The band manages to loosen up a bit on the amusing "Tuba Smarties," yet it is Francis Monkman's virtuosic performance on "Gavotte and Variations" and Williams' rendition of "Dance of the Little Fairies" that make this the Sky album to get to mainstream audiences, Francis Monkman played guitar on the 20-minute rock suite "FIFO" (First In First Out) because, in his words, "I felt it necessary to inject a grunge element". and is a piece about computer processing.

 

The track "Tuba Smarties" is a light-hearted piece composed and played on tuba by bassist Herbie Flowers, and commonly played during the band's live show as a humorous encore. It was named after Smarties chocolate confectionery, that are sold in cardboard tubes. The track "Vivaldi" is Sky's own version of an earlier track by fellow progressive rock band Curved Air, of which Monkman was formerly a member.  It originally appeared on their 1970 album "Air Conditioning". 

 

Due all this elements, this second album proved to be more effective for Sky, especially in terms of success, check out their biggest hit "Toccata" that achieved a huge commecial success for the band early in the 1980s., a masterpiece standar in progressive rock, technically brillant and very entertaining. No ego's in this band and that is most clearly shown on this track, definitely a cool album. 

 

Sky 2 Track List: 

 

1. Hotta

2. Dance Of The Little Fairies

3. Sahara

4. Fifo (1st. Movement)

5. Adagio (2nd. Movement)

6. Scherzo (3rd. Movement)

7. Watching The Aeroplanes (4th. Movement)

8. Tuba Smarties (Live)

9. Ballet-Volta

10. Tristan's Magic Garden

11. El Cielo

12. Vivaldi

13. Scipio

14. Toccata