Comus

Just before I start the review I would like to say that I'm thrilled to see so many other journals about now.


The shadows started off in life as Cliff Richards backing band, but ended up being so much more, this maturity was already seen here in their debut album. Before I elaborate I'd like to thank the shadows for inspiring my hero Andy Powell to pick up the guitar.

The album starts off strongly and launches you straight back to the 60's, being a mostly instrumental album means there has to be some brilliant instrumental work. And there is, no doubt about it. Shadoogie would not be out of place as the backing track on a Beach Boys album, but instead of harmonised vocals here there is some fine guitar and drum work to keep the interest strong. And when I say fine, it truly is fine work. The groove is catchy and the tune is just as it should be. There's a huge sense of innocence here and it is sad that rock music had to lose that to evolve, but it adds a very sombre feel to the album in retrospect.

Blue Star is led by a mournful guitar eloping across a gentle sonic landscape like a river through rolling plains. The beauty of this track should never be lost on the listener because it is indeed stunning in its simplicity and construction. You just want to sit back and relax, close your eyes and think, this is another example of the innocence this record portrays painfully short is reminds me of Wishbone Ash's latest instrumentals "Northern Lights" from Power of Eternity.

A lot of the songs show melodies that would be prominent in little snippets of progressive rock as parts of instrumentals or even vocal work. Nivram is very much such a song, listen to this track and you cannot deny the influence of the guitar work on the progressive rock guitarists that came about almost a decade later. Nivram is a perfect example of all the parts working together to create a beautiful dream. A cool bass part here, some sound drumming and some brilliant guitar play there and you have a brilliant song. The bass solo drives the song forward and it's incredibly funky for its time.

Baby My Heart is the first vocal song, and far more upbeat than the first three instrumentals, here you can see the influence this band had on the surf rock genre. Again it would not be out of place on a beach boys album, but overall it is far more mature than the beach boys, and the instrumental work is a lot tighter. See you in my sorrows continues where Nivram left off, the basic melodies and progressions that are put down here can be found time and time again in progressive rock and in other forms of rock throughout the sixties and definitely at the start of the 70's.

Despite the many instrumental tracks there is never a moment where the album gets dull like some instrumental sogns tend to do. The short and sweet song format is very much of its time. This being said the songs have been perfectly created for the short length and I can't say that it would be any better if the songs were longer. The songs have been perfectly crafted to fit the era, despite this it is very much ahead of its time. All My Sorrows is another vocal track done very well, with the bass work shining here in perfect compliment to the vocals.

Despite very simple lyrics it is very well conveyed and even if it doesn't fit altogether brilliantly in the album I can't say that it detracts from it in any way. Because of the great bass work it is a brilliantly powerful track when listened with a good sound system or very good headphones, and I fear that may be lost on some people. Perfectly out of place the next song is a total departure from the sombre feel of All My Sorrows, Stand up and Say That is incredibly confident and upbeat. Some great piano work here keeps the piece together at times and the guitar work is as always totally brilliant.

Very jazzy here it is as always a good avenue to show off some talent and the track does it well, but contrary to most of the other songs, this one is painfully short for what it is. Gonzales true to its name is very much a country song, if you close your eyes and listen to this, you can see a bunch of indians on horseback rolling through the desert with rifles. The guitar work here is absolutely brilliantly done and convincing, it keeps you going through the track and leaves you wanting more. Find Me a Golden Street almost picks up where Gonzales left off, there is a very good interplay between the two instrumental tracks and the atmosphere created is just as it should be.

The Shadows do something that for the time would be incredibly difficult, they manage to set mood with solos and melodies instead of vocals and simple rhythm. The rhythm section throughout the whole album sets itself apart from the work of the era, the drummer and bassist are very much at the forefront at times and again that didn't happen again until some of the more progressive or heavy artists. All the songs of the album are very much straight to the point, due to the short nature of the songs they waste no time with lengthy intros and don't do much to set the tone of the song. While regrettable I don't see this as that much of a setback, since they manage to set the mood so well with the meat of the songs that it almost doesn't detract at all.

Theme from a Filleted Place is for me a weakpoint to the album, seems they just really wanted that melody on the album and didn't care if it fit or not. Followed by That's My Desire which is very much an aquired taste it brings a few weaker songs together. By no means bad That's My Desire is another vocal song, but it doesn't have the same strength that All My Sorrows displays. My Resistance is Low is the shortest song on the album, however I feel that it puts the album straight back on track, full of tempered energy like much of the album it plays a strong guitar melody with a few surprises that keep it interesting.

Sleepwalk is a Santo & Johnny cover, played very well here and it does add to the orignal, this cover is much more subdued but it feels just as genuine. Many other artists have covered the song but I still prefer the Shadows Version over even some of the more modern examples. Big Boy ends the album on an upbeat tone, the song is a fitting end to a very very good album.


This album has been incredibly influential, inspiring many guitarists prominent in the late 60's early 70's. The melodies alone gives an indication to how influential this album is, while much of it is shamelessly copied from other places their success make it probable that their version of some of these songs will be the most known. Especially at the time. The album went to number 1 on the UK Charts, being the first British band to do so and that alone speaks volumes.

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