Return to Fantasy
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Return to Fantasy
| type = studio
| artist = Uriah Heep
| cover = Return_To_Fantasy_(Uriah_Heep_album_-_cover_art).jpg
| released = 13 June 1975
| recorded = Spring 1975
| studio = Lansdowne and Morgan, London
| genre = {{hlist|Hard rock|progressive rock|heavy metal}}
| length = 40:35
| label = Bronze
| producer = Gerry Bron
| prev_title = Wonderworld
| prev_year = 1974
| next_title = High and Mighty
| next_year = 1976
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Return to Fantasy
| type = studio
| single1 = Prima Donna
| single1date = June 1975
| single2 = Return to Fantasy
| single2date = July 1975 (Europe and Japan) {{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Uriah+Heep&titel=Return+To+Fantasy&cat=s|title=Uriah Heep singles}}
}}
}}
Return to Fantasy is the eighth studio album by English rock band Uriah Heep, released on 13 June 1975 by Bronze Records in the UK and Warner Bros. Records in the US. It was the first of the two albums to feature John Wetton as the new bass player, who replaced Gary Thain in early 1975.
The sleeve-art is by British artist Dave Field.
Reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic |class=album |id=return-to-fantasy-mw0000201286 |label=Uriah Heep - Return to Fantasy review |first= Donald A |last=Guarisco |accessdate=6 July 2018}}
|rev2 = Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal
|rev2Score = 5/10{{cite book |last1 = Popoff |first1 = Martin |author-link1 = Martin Popoff |title = The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies |publisher = Collector's Guide Publishing |date = October 2003 |location = Burlington, Ontario, Canada |isbn = 978-1894959025 |page=303}}
}}
Return to Fantasy "retains the musical experimentation that marked Sweet Freedom and Wonderworld, but has an overall harder-rocking feel that makes it more consistent than either one of those albums", said Donald A. Guarisco in his retrospective AllMusic review. He criticized some of the album's "genre-hopping", and concluded, "In the end, Return to Fantasy lacks the coherence of a top-shelf Uriah Heep classic like Demons and Wizards but remains a strong and likable album that is guaranteed to please the group's fans". The review by Canadian journalist Martin Popoff was very critical of the album's recording "dominated by blaring but thin organ and sloppy drumming" and of Byron's "distant and unsure" performance, judging the album "completely adrift without a trace of spark".
Track listing
All tracks are written by David Byron, Mick Box, Ken Hensley and Lee Kerslake except where noted
{{Track listing
| headline = Side one
| title1 = Return to Fantasy
| writer1 = Hensley, Byron
| length1 = 5:52
| title2 = Shady Lady
| length2 = 4:46
| title3 = Devil's Daughter
| length3 = 4:48
| title4 = Beautiful Dream
| length4 = 4:52
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side two
| total_length = 40:35
| title5 = Prima Donna
| length5 = 3:11
| title6 = Your Turn to Remember
| writer6 = Hensley
| length6 = 4:22
| title7 = Showdown
| length7 = 4:17
| title8 = Why Did You Go
| length8 = 3:53
| title9 = A Year or a Day
| writer9 = Hensley
| length9 = 4:22
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = 1996 Essential remastered and expanded edition bonus tracks
| total_length = 57:49
| title10 = Shout It Out
| note10 = B-side to single "Prima Donna"
| writer10 = Hensley
| length10 = 3:34
| title11 = The Time Will Come
| note11 = B-side to single "Return to Fantasy"
| length11 = 4:10
| title12 = Beautiful Dream
| note12 = previously unreleased version
| length12 = 5:49
| title13 = Return to Fantasy
| note13 = edited version
| length13 = 3:39
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = 2004 Sanctuary Midline remastered and expanded edition bonus tracks
| total_length = 75:08
| title10 = Shout It Out
| note10 = B-side
| length10 = 3:34
| title11 = The Time Will Come
| note11 = B-side
| length11 = 4:08
| title12 = Prima Donna
| note12 = alternate demo version
| length12 = 4:05
| title13 = Why Did You Go
| note13 = alternate demo version
| length13 = 5:18
| title14 = Showdown
| note14 = alternate demo version
| length14 = 4:18
| title15 = Beautiful Dream
| note15 = alternate demo version
| length15 = 5:48
| title16 = Return to Fantasy
| note16 = extended version
| length16 = 7:18
}}
Personnel
;Uriah Heep
- David Byron – lead vocals
- Mick Box – guitars
- Ken Hensley – keyboards, guitars, synthesizer, backing vocals
- Lee Kerslake – drums, percussion, backing vocals
- John Wetton – bass guitar, Mellotron, backing vocals
;Additional musicians:
- B.J. Cole – pedal steel on "Why Did You Go"
- Mel Collins – saxophone on "Prima donna"
;Production
- Gerry Bron – producer
- Peter Gallen – engineer
- Dave Burns, Dave Harris – assistant engineers
- Harry Moss – mastering engineer at EMI Abbey Road Studios, London
- Dave Field – illustration
- Joe Gaffney – photography
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| Chart (1975)
! Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}
| align="center"| 19 |
| {{Album chart|Austria|3|artist=Uriah Heep|album=Return to Fantasy|rowheader=true|accessdate=November 8, 2023}} |
| {{Album chart|Canada|83|chartid=4021b|artist=Uriah Heep|album=Return to Fantasy|rowheader=true|accessdate=November 8, 2023}} |
| scope="row"|Danish Albums (Hitlisten){{cite web |url= http://danskehitlister.dk/?song_id=2263| title=Return to Fantasy - Uriah Heep |access-date=7 December 2018|publisher=Danske Hitlister.dk}}
|align="center"|12 |
| {{Album chart|Netherlands|10|artist=Uriah Heep|album=Return to Fantasy|rowheader=true|accessdate=November 8, 2023}} |
| scope="row"| Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts){{cite book|last=Pennanen|first=Timo|title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972|edition=1st|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|location=Helsinki|year=2006|isbn=978-951-1-21053-5 | page= 166 | language= fi}}
| align="center"| 8 |
| {{Album chart|Germany4|21|id=9466|artist=Uriah Heep|album=Return to Fantasy|rowheader=true|accessdate=November 8, 2023}} |
| scope="row"|Japanese Albums (Oricon){{cite book|title=Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005|publisher=Oricon Entertainment|location=Roppongi, Tokyo|year=2006|isbn=4-87131-077-9|language=ja}}
| align="center"| 74 |
| {{Album chart|New Zealand|29|artist=Uriah Heep|album=Return to Fantasy|rowheader=true|accessdate=November 8, 2023}} |
| {{Album chart|Norway|2|artist=Uriah Heep|album=Return to Fantasy|rowheader=true|accessdate=November 8, 2023}} |
| {{Album chart|UK2|7|date=19750629|rowheader=true|accessdate=November 8, 2023}} |
| {{Album chart|Billboard200|85|artist=Uriah Heep|rowheader=true|accessdate=November 8, 2023}} |
{{col-2}}
==Year-end charts==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col" | Chart (1975)
! scope="col" | Position |
|---|
| scope="row" | German Albums (Offizielle Top 100){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1975|title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts|date=1975|publisher=GfK Entertainment Charts|language=de|access-date=2 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129003943/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1975|archive-date=29 November 2021}}
| 49 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1975|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|certyear=1976|artist=Uriah Heep|title=Return to Fantasy|id=5494-397-22|access-date=4 February 2021}}
{{Certification Table Bottom |nosales=yes }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Uriah Heep| state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Uriah Heep (band) albums
Category:Albums recorded at Morgan Sound Studios
Category:Warner Records albums