Space Waltz: Space Waltz

By GRAHAM REID

Back in the mid 70s, Space Waltz, fronted by Alistair Riddell, was one of the best astral-flight rock bands we had. Mostly unseduced by psychedelic wig-outs but with an ear on Bowie's camp but brittle Ziggy-pop, Riddell wrote tight and edgy guitar rock - Fraulein Love, Beautiful Boy and the number-one single Out in the Street are local classics. He also penned literate and ambitious progrock (Seabird still sounds like he's gargling a thesaurus, however).

He performed them with real panache and the band - which included Peter Cuddihy (Street Talk), Eddie Rayner (Enz), Greg Clark (Citizen Band), Brent Eccles (CB and the Angels, dad to Matt in betchadupa) - were cracking.

Oh yeah, the album's full of camp affectation (Love the Way He Smiles may be religious or about Bowie, but it's still a neat gender-bender) and took itself very seriously, but this long-overdue reissue - beautifully remastered by Riddell - should be in any serious collection. And at a budget price, there's no excuse for it not to be.

Classic Kiwi rock, because not too many local songs mention Aphrodite, right? And he's getting in just before the new Bowie.

Label: EMI