[Mart]

For many years I have listened to AIU. It's simple melodies, chord changes and lyrics are heavenly. I have come to the conclusion that AIU is a concept album. A Concept album is one of which a theme runs through it. Every track contains the theme, and is seamless. The theme of AIU is post war dreams. Where everybody is happy and the world consists of melodies and harmonies. Overcoming the fear and desolation of war runs through the album, and the word S.M.I.L.E is in the lyrics of 4 or five tracks on the whole album. I cannot count how many times the word DREAMS is repeated on the album also.


It makes a concept album because at the end of LADY BRIGHT, Marian stops singing after the word PRETTIEST, the album finishes with an ad lib. At the very beginning, the song IAO, the ad lib begins with the word NIGHT. Because the album loops, it makes it a concept album.


There is also a hidden track on the album, but you need the proper software to play it. You must open an edit programme (Audacity, Sound Forge) and enter the track Afternoons In Utopia into it. Then you must add the other track I A O on top of the 1st one. Move IAO track to where the chorus is and align them. Hence the hidden track. Afternoons In Utopia with a fuller chorus.


You can also do this to Afternoons In Utopia (Instrumental). Just add the track I A O onto the track, and place it where the chorus should fit.



And there you have it. AIU is one of my favourite albums pre Dreamscapes. It is a beautiful album and should not be outshone by albums that were released after. The musical and vocal harmonies are just so brilliant, every track makes your heart skip a beat, and for you just to smile