Rahul Sharma (Editor)

A Space in Time

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Released
  
August 1971 (1971-08)

Artist
  
Ten Years After

Producer
  
Chris Wright

Length
  
37:26

Release date
  
August 1971

Label
  
Chrysalis Records

A Space in Time httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumbf

Studio
  
Olympic Studios, London

A Space In Time (1971)
  
Alvin Lee and Company (1972)

Genres
  
Blues rock, Hard rock, Psychedelic rock

Similar
  
Ten Years After albums, Blues rock albums

A Space in Time is the sixth studio album by the British blues rock band Ten Years After. It was released in August 1971 by Chrysalis Records in the United Kingdom and Columbia Records in America. A departure in style from their previous albums, A Space in Time is less 'heavy' than previous albums and includes more acoustic guitar, perhaps influenced by the success of Led Zeppelin who were mixing acoustic songs with heavier numbers. It reached number 17 in the Billboard 200.

Contents

The third track on the album, "I'd Love To Change The World", is also their biggest hit. By combining a melodic acoustic chorus with challenging electric guitar riffs, they managed to produce a sound that hit number 10 in the charts in Canada and number 40 in the USA. Although this was their biggest hit, they rarely played it live. "Baby Won't You Let Me Rock 'n' Roll You" also charted in the USA, peaking at number 61.

Reception

Billy Walker gave the album a generally positive review in Sounds. He noted the atypically soft sound of songs such as "Over the Hill" and "Let the Sky Fall" and approved of this "unexpected but pleasing dimension to the overall feel of the album", while simultaneously praising "the old TYA excitement" of tracks such as "I'd Love to Change the World" and "Baby Won't You Let Me Rock 'n' Roll You". He particularly praised Alvin Lee's guitar work. However, he complained that a number of the tracks suffered from "lack of strength or projection of Alvin's voice" and concluded "Ten Years After are a far better live band than their albums suggest; they get over much more of their charisma and excitement that has a job surfacing on their recorded work."

Track listing

All songs by Alvin Lee except "Uncle Jam", which was composed by C. Churchill, A. Lee, R. Lee and L. Lyons.

Side one

  1. "One of These Days" – 5:52
  2. "Here They Come" – 4:36
  3. "I'd Love to Change the World" – 3:44
  4. "Over the Hill" – 2:28
  5. "Baby Won't You Let Me Rock 'n' Roll You" – 2:16

Side two

  1. "Once There Was a Time" – 3:22
  2. "Let the Sky Fall" – 4:19
  3. "Hard Monkeys" – 3:10
  4. "I've Been There Too" – 5:44
  5. "Uncle Jam" – 1:57

Album

Album - Billboard (United States)

Personnel

  • Alvin Lee – guitar and vocals
  • Leo Lyons – bass
  • Ric Lee – drums
  • Chick Churchill – keyboards
  • Credits

  • Recorded at Olympic Studios, London
  • Engineer – Chris Kimsey
  • String arrangement on Over the Hill by Del Newman
  • Front cover photograph – Ed Caraeff
  • Back cover photograph – Alvin Lee
  • Executive producer – Chris Wright
  • Songs

    1One of These Days5:50
    2Here They Come4:37
    3I'd Love to Change the World3:44

    References

    A Space in Time Wikipedia