Spedding will remain a legend for his work with Mike Gibbs, Nucleus, Jack Bruce, as a Womble and a secret Sex Pistol (allegedly). But this recording, once thought missing in action, should have remained, um, missing. Spedding himself shelved it after its original recording, although it surfaced in Japan. But now he's overseen a reedit, losing seven minutes from the old A-side, and adding a ‘bonus’ track from 1972. Unfortunately ‘Sub-Continental Drift’ is a different style from the rest of the material as it's rich with tabla-tinged rhythms and an Eastern vibe as befits its title. Songs Without Words, however, fits squarely with the era's free association of jazz and rock, reflecting a time when Spedding regularly appeared at the top of jazz polls. But it's Paul Rutherford who steals the show, kicking and questing on the opening ‘Station Song’. Spedding by contrast prefers to add colour and his signature rhythmic pulses (‘solos’ is pushing the terminology somewhat). Mitchell turns in a Keith Tippet vibe on ‘Song Of The Deep’, while Spedding arrives late on ‘New Song Of Experience’ to provide an energy elsewhere missing. A curio, but that complete Japanese vinyl version remains the one to pursue. Val Wilmer's photos are always worth perusing though.