Comus' Review Corner
 

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The Album starts of with a bang, a sharp repetitive and overall memorable riff kicks it off, reminiscent of Black Sabbath's debut sped up a few measures. Freelance Fiend set the album up to be a true great. The solos cut a harsh rift through the music that perfectly complements Peter French's vocals that rock, roll and soar throughout the album while still remaining gritty and unpolished. This grittyness is reflected throughout the album with the exception of the drums that place a nice juxtaposition to the rest of the album. The twin guitar work of Mick Halls and Derek Brooks can sometimes be reminiscent of Wishbone Ash, if a bit more edgy and quite a bit less technical. Nevertheless the guitars lack no soul and this truly makes the album a must have for any aspiring guitarist.

The albums first three songs reflect a Zeppelin-esque hard to soft rock transitions with Sad Road to the Sea being far more reflective and sombre, without losing any of it's harsh guitar solos providing a huge basis for the whole album. Growers of Mushroom starts to reach it's full potential as it approaches an early climax with the incredible psychedelic/stoner track Work My Body which lends a very progressive feel to the album. The eight minute epic is short in comparison to a lot of epic tracks from other albums, but it nevertheless has all the hallmarks of a progressive great. Work My Body builds on a guitar solo that progresses throughout the song increasing and decreasing the tempo, sending even the sober mind into a mild stupor. Paralells can be drawn between this and Dazed and Confused but that can be misinterpreted so it's worth only a small mention. The lyrics are some of the strongest on the album while cliche heavy it still works incredibly well with the song. The guitar work simply can't be overlooked and neither can the recurring themes and psychedelic riffs throughout. The song quickly changes in a very progressive manner, synths/hammond taking over from the guitars as they blister through a solo that's simply faded out.

As the fift track Stray begins some of the weaknesses of the album become apparent, all the songs do tend to sound very similar, harsh critics would see this as a huge let down, however there is some variation and as they say, why fix something that aint broken. As an album it does have a very distinctive sound that can be quite easily identified however it is very of its time, of course that's not to say it hasn't aged well, I wouldn't be reviewing it if it hadn't. However, an album like this would simply not be made today, not even by a band of the era, the sound is unmistakably 70's and everything about it is set in the era. What Leaf Hound has done is take something done before, alter it with great effect and perfect it; the result is something entirely different but still very similar.

The ballad With a Minute to Go is an obvious attempt at commercialism however I find it well recieved and quite effective with it's placement in the album, set quite rightfully in between two climaxes. The solo seems the most appropriate to the song, being a lot more in tune with the song, again very Zeppelin-esque vocal style (not pitch), the song draws huge paralells with Ramble On at times. This brings the album to what I believe is the finest moment in the 48 minute long journey, with very spaced out lyrics, the title track simply embodies the drug addled imagry the album conveys. With lyrics such as "nothing was out of places except the floor" and "my life was a beetle that ran down the wall". The song can become uncomfortably intense if listened to twice in a row within the album setting, yet it's not very musically intense. Stagnant pool provides some more excelent guitar passages and a return to the harsh hard rock vocals absent in the title track, providing a highly effective contrast. As the album progresses towards the end four songs we get the reissue songs, with the exception of Hip shaker which was on the original album, however appears nearer the end here.

This is not to say the final few songs are no brilliant, however they may seem a bit out of place in the album setting, the same principle sound is apparant however there are some slight changes in production and guitar work. Sawdust Ceasar provides one of the most psychedelic pieces with a very simple short recurring riff mesmerizing the listener while a drawn out guitar solo distracts you from your slipping mental state. If you truly listen to this album you'll find it as unsettling as music can get without building huge soundscapes and haunting lyrics. The psychedelia is achieved in an incredibly simple way, and that underlines the effectiveness of it. It's Going to Get Better is the second song of the album to feature a far more clean style of vocals in a ballad setting. The song has a sad yet uplifting undertone, it's very layered and ambient which provides yet another contrast to the harsh style of the rest of the songs, if there ever was one for the girls, this is it.

Hip Shaker is unmistakenly from the original recordings, and would fit in better earlier in the album, however poor production really does harm this song and probably led to it's placement at the back. I'm very pleased it's not the last song of the album, because an album of such quality should end on a high, and if there ever was a high, Too Many Rock'n'Roll Times perfectly embodies it. An incredibly sharp 70's riff suprisingly released in 2005 provides a hard rocking, brilliant end to the album.

Unmistakenly set in the 70's this album has aged incredibly well throughout the years and interest in the album throughout reflects this. Noted as one of the most collectible Vinyl LP's ever, it's no wonder considering the quality and excelence of musicianship throughout and newer tracks certainly don't fail to shine either.

If this was a perfect world and I could rate based on pure personal preference I would give this a 10/10 however it's not, and some obvious weaknesses means I can't give this anything more than 8.5/10, nevertheless a brilliant score for a brilliant album. This is a must have for any hard rock/70's fan or guitar player. Fans of Led Zeppelin, Captain Beyond, Free, Foghat, Atomic Rooster and Iron Butterfly will love this.

Even I loved this album and I hate Led Zeppelin.

Brilliant, I have heard alot about this stoner-rock classic, will check it out
They ****ing knew how to entice you with the artwork back then aswell, you'd buy this stuff from a record fair just on the basis of a cool name and a trippy cover

Excellent review. All I have to do is hear it now!

This is a truly epic and sad tale of a bastard, Job Senior. Starting generally with a narration of story followed by a song expanding the tale, a myriad of musicians and vocalists contribute to the album. Birth sets the scene for a poor bastard however it starts off quite promising for young Joeb. Before I start fully reviewing it, some things have to be said about the album, the sound quality is quite poor for 1975 since the only surfaced rip is from an early Vinyl pressing. Also this album can only be enjoyed truly as a single package, to which you must devote your full attention to the music and lyrics, it's a very lyrically heavy album considering the strong concept of this hermit's life.

Starting quite upbeat, Birth sets the scene for a promising new life, the instruments complement the song well. During the narration there is a nice instrumental passages running in the background. Journey's narration tells of a lonely childhood, and an eventuall descent into the bottle, the song continues the quite upbeat theme as the vocalist sets off on his journey with hope for fortune, honour and fame. The vocals at times can be grating if you're not wanting to commit to the album and the theme may seem corny, so this is definitely not something for a casual listener, which unfortunately may have to count against it. However the instrumentals are enough to keep the background music listeners. And the whole concept theme would of course be very popular with proggers.

Journey gives an interesting insight into Joebs descent to alcoholism featuring a long fiddle passage from Geoff Bowen, after the passage the vocals seem disheartened as Job has realised what he has become. This is incredibly powerful in how it's done, some male/female "harmonies" that bring a very intense ending to the song, I find this to be the first truly strong point of the album. The narration aspects are a truly great bit of the album, it provides a great base onto which the songs can be performed and have a truly great impact. Stone on Stone is a new life for Job, who lists his jobs and then eventually as a dry stone waller. Stone on Stone beams of pride and the performance is truly great, however it is instrumentally a weak point in the albym, providing not atmosphere for the vocals.

A Long Winter has Job becoming an old man of 60, sick and losing his strength, he marries an 80 year old widow, this is an incredibly touching bit of the album as it chronicles the final years of his wife, and the love that they share. This is what firstly sets this album above all other folk albums of the era, obscure or not, the atmospheric potential of the acoustic instruments is finally realised, as is the vocal talent. This album is hard to listen to all the way through for the unusual reason that you might have to get tissues to help your crying. The tale is told in a truly passionate and real way and that has to be the biggest upside.

As a whole the album has very few drawbacks for someone expecting a good folk album that they won't have heard. However, on a lyrical/story point of the album it is practically flawless. Who Knows tells of Job's final descent into a true hermit, with his estate possessions illegaly taken off him after his wife's death. This continues the sad and emotional themes of the latter parts of the album.

As far as the concept of the album is concerned it is more a choice selection of the most important parts of Job's life, yet these highlights still manage to paint an incredibly good picture of the subject. The final true chapter of the story is I'll Sing For My Supper, this provides a final closure on Job's last years as an entertainer, who can sing in perfect pitch in four voices. I'll Sing provides a lovely upbeat final ending song to the story before the final narration the Outcast.

The final three songs provide closure for the rest of the album, an a sombre lush ending.

The Hermit is a true forgotten gem, however that is a bit of an understatement, Mountain Ash Band never got much reckognition for the album at all and it's a small miracle that the album surived so many years before finally emerging on the internet. The album has some drawbacks relating to accessibility and it can be very hard to get into for the casual listener. Overall there is no true spectacular instrumental passages, nothing will make you go "wow" here, however each instrument contributes effectively to the song and some incredible passages and atmospheres can be found throughout the album. It is by all rights the telling of a story and the score should reflect that.

The story is powerful and the vocals play their part well. This has been an incredibly hard album to review because of the manner of how it plays out and how the combined effort is just so much more important than the single bits. For an imperfect album it does a lot, and for that reason it deserves a strong 8/10.

Bravo. This is a part of my catalog that is surely lacking.

Sounds like a really time-consuming album...Perhaps you could send another round of PM's?

Starting off in true prog fashion with unusual instruments and generally spacey themes Eiliff sets the scene for yet another underlooked prog epic. Vocals aren't exactly brilliant so we'll thank our lucky stars they're only on very briefly in one track, that being said they're better than a lot of the sh!te around today. Byrd-Night starts the album off in an incredibly off-hand whimsical fashion and this generally will reflect the theme throughout the album. Lovely lush soundscapes are created by various instruments and effects, however they're build up only to be torn down again in a nearly frustrating circle that eventually hightens the enjoyment of the clean pieces. Psychedelic synth solos built on very repetitive short riffs seem to set the tune for a nice trip into the prog underworld. If you lose focus for just a few seconds you may forget that it's actually music you're listening to, that can be a good or a bad thing depending on how you feel about it.

Gammeloni is a lovely energetic piece that is quite reminiscent of a lot of Frank Zappa's pre-70's instrumental work. With a continuing shifting focus on one or two instruments with a lot of different solos the music entices you without managing to build to a true climax. This being said most passages are incredibly satisying nevertheless and I can only see them getting more enjoyable with every listen. The production on the drums is very good however I would like to hear the bass a bit clearer because there's some lovely work there. The sax solo on Gammeloni can also draw some paralells to King Crimson's Lizard which in my book is certainly a huge bonus to any fusion album. Now after being teased for a good 5 minutes (10 if you count Byrd-Night) you get a proper climax as the guitar solo kicks in, it's short but oh so sweet.

Oh dear the vocals have returned, not to worry it's not as bad as I'm making it out to be, but for a band generally referred to as instrumental it's got quite a bit of singing in it. Nevertheless this is immediately redeemed by some wonderful bass and guitar work. As you'll have noticed in the tracklisting the songs get progressively longer and at an average of over 10 minutes per track this isn't really something for last.fm whores or people with small attention spans. That's not to say Eiliff don't get straight to the point. A huge bonus about these songs are they don't mess about too much, the songs are this long because that's how long they need to be, not because the band wanted to create long songs. Uzzek of Rigel IV is a truly spacey journey into psychedelic/fusion soundscapes without becoming overly ambient (if at all) the band achieves some lovely melodies and catchy passages. The guitar work is instantly satisfying while some of the other instruments take awhile to fully appreciate.

If I were to change anything about this album it would certainly be to add more guitar solos like the one on the middle of Uzzek, as long as it may be already it's simply too good to end. Then again a fundamental drawback of the LP was the length restrictions on the album itself. A huge credit to the album is that despite the average song length it really doesn't ever become boring or tedius, you'll always be wanting more when it's over. And when you do come back to it, probably right after the first listen it will be oh so much more satisfying than the first, many of the hidden melodies will become apparant and as you start to become more familiar, it will becme even better. Never one for traditional endings the 6-7 ish minute long guitar solo in Uzzek ends sharply with a simple fading out leaving you wondering where the **** your time just dissapeared but also wanting a more bombastic end to the song. However this can't really be a weakness considering it sets you up perfectly for the album's epic appropriately entitled Suite.

Starting with a very In The Court style riff oozing with all sorts of influences Suite is instantly satisfying, more upbeat than the rest of the album it's attack after attack of brilliant solos and passages. Despite all these brilliant pieces, surpisingly the whole is still more than the sum of its parts and that's another great attribute. For progheads this album will be a true gem as you can play "spot the influence" on a lot of the riffs and solos however it never ever comes across as ripping off anything. The album does sound very much like you would expect from a prog/fusion album however it's still incredibly fresh and original for anyone who hasn't heard it and it never comes off as stale. Having aged a lot better than a lot of the fusion work of the time will certainly count very postively towards it's score. The epic Suite has some delightful passages leading towards the middle, with a lot of more eastern melodies becoming apparant and even moreso with the introduction of the sitar towards the middle of the song.

When I hear a sitar played by a modern rock band I normally frown with distaste however this is done beautifully, I know most people wouldn't regard a 1971 release to be modern but then again I'm not most people. In this case the sitar is used beautifully and to great effect within the song as it has been beautifully built up and introduced. The latter stages of Suite tend to be even more upbeat and it works beautiful with some lovely hammond work and driving bass lines and it all proves incredibly entertaining. The drumwork can tend to be overlooked however it certainly does deserve a mention as it perfectly keeps everything together and provides some incredible introduction and backing to a lot of the album. The melodies contained in this album can't but help to put a smile on my face and it's certainly a welcome change from a lot of the clinical work of other prog artists.

Eiliff does everything a prog/fusion fan wants and more, there's some lovely melodies, some great instrumental work and undeniably some very satisfying music as a whole. It's hard putting a score to it, because it's better than The Hermit, however I enjoy the hermit a lot more, in a more perfect world I'd be able to give them a lot higher ratings but I wouldn't be comfortable with fudging the scores. Eiliff deserves a good score, and my rating will reflect that. And like the album, let's go out with a bang. This is a must have!

8.3/10

Touted as noise metal this collaboration between members of Enslaved, Fe-Mail and Emmerhoff starts off with a slow, haunting track with a very slow developing metal riff. Turn-Away has a certain epic feel about it however there's something truly lacking, it doesn't have the confidence of Enslaved and lacks any true power, nevertheless it's still quite enjoyable for what it is. The vocals are incredible, half death half black they really redeem the song much the same way as the lovely sounding guitars. The repetitive riffs and whispering really does build the song up increasing intensity with each chord. The song however remains quite simple despite all the input and I feel this could be it's downfall. While I'm not a fan of the overproduced certain metal albums like this could certainly do with a lot more production, by the end of the song however this is fully utilised and it turns out to be quite a powerful opener, by no means perfect, but certainly powerful.

Most metal fans will find this boring, but some doom metal fans will approve of the slow tempo, personally I find this release very refreshing as it's something I've certainly never heard before. The opening track however is very reminiscent of parts of Goblin's masterpiece Suspiria. The second track The Silence is unfortunately not silent however false advertising aside it is a lot worse than the first. Tinny badly recorded drums and an overload of noise music with an uninspirational riff makes the track seem incredibly disjointed, noise fans will however probably like this track the best. It half redeems itself towards the middle of the song, an early climax proves itself to be more intense than any moment in the first song. And some lovely guitars complement the clean whispered vocals after the climax. Some nice, if unoriginal riffs start filling the song and it's incredibly satisfying, the harsh vocals are about as grim and frostbitten as you can get. However everytime you get the metal elements you will get the strong urge to turn it off and go listen to enslaved instead.

Metalheads will eventually get incredibly frustrated feeling it needs to be a lot heavier. Make No Mistake is aptly titled, we'll certainly not make the mistake of thinking this is another enslaved album... however hard it tries. The song includes some of the fastests passages in the album and it is quite refreshing after the rather slow start, it's also quite heavy while never getting truly to black metal standards. The drums start to really grate at points by now and I just can't see why, enslaved's drum work is usually some of the best out there. Make no mistake is one of the more all out metal songs on the album, however it's not entirely free from the noise element, always working overtime in the background. All that being said the crescendo is incredibly satisfying.

I'm reviewing this on my second listen for various reasons, while a lot of metal of this sort takes awhile to get into, once I did get properly into it I would be unfairly biased. Reviewing such albums while they are still fresh in your mind is generally the best way. Endless Roads follows the pattern used by the early tracks of a slow building song working on quite repetitive patterns. The vocals are some of the best I've heard in awhile and it is a huge strongpoint to the album. Of course if you don't like harsh vocals, I would advise you to stay away. Endless roads is very representitive of the album, slow building but eventually satisfying. Parts of me would call this album incredibly fresh but other parts would say I've heard it all before, yet it still manages to remain incredibly intense and evoke feelings of great discomfort at times.

The guitarist in me knows it's a very simple riff but it also feels that the intro to Breach is amazing, the guitars sound sharp and it's just a lovely sound. All deviations are appropriate and welcome and the atmosphere built around them is outstanding, certainly a highpoint to the album. A lot of opinions on Travel Now Journey Infinetly as a whole have tended to feel that it can be boring at times, this is something I truly cannot agree with, even during the slow building noise bits I've never been bored, there's always something new and that is also quite a big plus to the album. Again the vocals shine and the black metal fan in me rejoices.

The title track sets itself up well and provides an appropriately strong end to the album. The female vocals are a truly great addition, while used simply as an instruments they provide huge contrast to the harsh metal vocals and add a strong element of unmistakable beauty to the song. By the last few minutes the whole album as a whole has had a profound effect on my mental state, and I'm beginning to feel very loopy. The strength of the music is unmistakably rewarding and the score should reflect that. I will be hard pressed to give this anything over 7, while that might not sound too high my system of rating is quite a bit different to others. A standard good album will be getting on average about a 5-6. Anything over 5-6 every point is worth quite a lot. And the albums I have reviewed so far, that given any other standard would be getting 9.5-10/10 reflect that.

Solid album, has some obvious drawbacks, I'd rather listen to Enslaved, but despite all this, it's incredibly deserving of...

Room are a wonderful twin-guitar band that produced a catchy, proggy and generally awesome album in 1970 and with a female vocalist more metal than man it's a huge wonder they never made it big. The title track features several forays into jazz and prog with some lush densly layered segments, this is an incredibly satisfying and powerful song. The guitar solos are very appropriate and jazzy at times however they never lose sight of the song, and can seem very controlled at times. Room are very good at building mood and setting a strong thick atmosphere utilising every instrument to its full potential. Despite being nearly 9 minutes long the title track will leave you wanting more after a very quaint ending. Where Did I Go Wrong delivers this and more, starting off with a lovely guitar solo and soft yet agressive drumming. The vocals might remind you of early Black Sabbath only female instead of whatever Ozzy Osbourne is.

The guitars are what you'll be listening for here on the second track, which generally reflects the whole theme of the album, it features some incredibly wonderful solo work and memorable riffs and licks. The drumming is also a high point of the album sounding very clear and appropriate. Where Did I Go Wrong can seem quite bluesy at times, something which is built on as the album progresses. No Warmth in My Life builds on this blues theme however also remaining quite jazzy at times. The guitars again don't fail to impress with some powerfull riffs, however proto-metal fans will be left feeling a bit dissapointed wanting something a bit more heavy to complement the vocals. My personal feeling however is that the album never needed to rely on heavy riffs to make it great and the band must have felt the same way.

The guitar solos remind me a lot of Capability Brown at times, a band I'm reviewing in the very near future. Big John Blues continues the blue feeling with a track very similar to Wishbone Ash's Vas Dis with the vocalist scat singing the notes of the guitar. Lovely guitar solos run throught the whole song cementing it as a truly great guitar album, just the way I like it. At times the vocalist may seem quite awkward like at the start of Andromeda, however this is wholly redeemed immediately after, the quirky yet incredibly catchy song features some of the best vocals of the album. Not exactly lyrically however and this counts a bit against it, musically it's one of the albums most intense songs because of the bassline. It feels almost depressive with each beat feeling like a drain on your mind.

Musically proficient solos complement most of the songs very well however it most certainly wouldn't be a stretch to say Andromeda's guitar solo does it perfectly, all different sections of the song complement each other very well and it's hard to find songs that sound so tight while still seeming very free. Andromeda is certainly one of the big highlights of the albums and it's heartwrenching to think how unnapreciated this album truly is. War follows on the high set by Andromeda and is the true highlight, the vocals alone make this the heaviest song on the album, and the opening riff is very reminiscent of Black Sabbath's debut album with less distortion. The whole song is very reminiscent of Sabbath's early albums without being truly metal. This is certainly not a downside but if you are wanting something heavy it would be better to listen to something else.

While being in some ways similar to the early metal movement the sound is far more deeply rooted in the early 70's prog movement, however without the spacey self importance of some of the bigger groups. The album is incredibly earnest and lacking in almost any pretentia, sure they have the guts to make 8 minute songs but they're not doing it for the sake of long songs. As we come to the last song I can certainly say that this is a true obscure prog gem. And the final track makes the album oh so much more deserving of such a title. The instrumental Cemetery Junction showcases the true talents of the brilliant musicians involved in the pre-flight project. Lush synths, brilliant bass lines and cutting guitars are scattered throughout being very well supported throughout with brilliant tight drumming. Also present are some wind and string instruments that complete the package.

Being the proggiest work on the album it's definitely appropriate as an album finisher as it will definitely leave you pumped up and thirsting for more, it would certainly not be unexpected to immediately want to spin the album once more immediately afterwards. As a whole the album is immensely satisfying and there are very few drawbacks, I may not enjoy this as much as Leaf Hound however it is fundamentally bettern and my score will have to reflect this. The lush atmospheres here feature some inspirational and beautiful string and wind sections that will either lift your spirit or break your heart. It's a truly epic feeling, and it leaves you with an empty heart once it's abruptly cut out by a catchy bassline. The final song is truly a journey of emotions, worthy of the name Cemetery Junction.

Not to get too caught up with the atmosphere of it all it's score time, as I said this is better than Growers of Mushroom, it might not be as catchy or heavy but there's just something about it which makes it just in a totally different league and, well I'll just let my score do the talking.

Starting off with beautiful vocal harmonies and a lovely riff Beautiful Scarlet sets the scene for an absolute ripper of an album. Everything about this album screams classic the vocal performance is honest and heartfelt, the guitars are beautiful and you'll always find something new. There's always something mind-blowing going on in the background, and the production is absolutely brilliant for a 1970's album. All the songs have something extra underneath, the layering is superb yet it never feels overproduced. The vocals are as close to perfect as you can get on a prog album, the vocal harmonies are incredibly appropriate and the solo vocal performances just ooze class and beauty. I'll challenge anyone to find a weak moment here.

The Band is one of the first lyrical strongpoints on the album, listen to it properly and you'll see why. The guitar work is incredible here in the background, as I said there's always a solo or something similar going on in the background, and you'll have to listen to this several times to fully appreciate the album as a whole. There's just too much to concentrate on to fully understand the first few times around. The vocal performance here can nearly be called an early form or rap, and let's just say it works incredibly well (that's from someone who despises anything to do with rap). I just simply cannot express how incredible the guitar work is, it's quirky, soulful, catchy and musically proficient all at the same time, and it never ever feels pretentious.

The musical performance by the band as a whole is incredible, and for an early vocal highlight, go no further than the solemn Garden. A lovely lush pop song without ever adhering to any of the rules of pop music, so pop, yet unmistakenly full of self respect. It has a slow build up to a crescendo and some incredible vocal performances all the way up to. The lyrics are beautifully crafted and create a perfect picture as the band must have intended. The song Liar is a Russ Ballard song, yet Capability Brown so very aptly make it their own (Just as they do with Rare Bird songs "Beautiful Scarlet and "Redman"). The vocal performance as well as the incredibly catchy riff here are brilliant, Liar is a song you can listen to all day and never get tired of. The solo is incredibly simple yet so effective.

Very reminiscent of Wishbone Ash at times, many songs come to mind, one of them being WA's own Epic "Phoenix" this album is a must have for any Wishbone Ash fan. The layering is done so incredibly well within the guitar work and the drumming keeps it all together brilliantly with the bass work. Overall an incredibly powerful piece Liar is simple yet complex in so many ways. No Range is full of surprises, a lovely powerful riff, brilliant vocals and lyrics, and why yes, that is a flute. The vocal harmonies once again come out and shine in a song which could have been a huge hit in every decade after it was released and not seem out of place. Criminally underrated this album just goes from strength to strength and it's just simply baffling how underappreciated it is.

There's something for everyone here proggers will love the instrumental performances, casual listeners will love the lush sounds and catchy lyrics that stay with you for days. Classic rock fans will love some of the epic riffs and guitar performances, the album can be overly intense at times if you get truly into it and it can be draining to listen to once you're fully aware of the scale of the layering. There's something truly beautiful about the most simplest of lyrics here and it's ultimately an incredibly satisfying listen from all angles. I will be there leads on to the second Rare Bird cover, "Redman" which is the most heartfelt and beautiful song on the album. The vocalists make the song their own and do so without any form of pretentia, it's more than just a tribute. And to top it all iff it has hands down the finest guitar solo I've ever heard, forget Comfortably Numb, forget Stairway to Heaven, forget Hendrix, Page, Gilmour or any of your guitar heroes. Capability Brown beats them all hands down in 35 seconds of pure brilliance, so simple, yet so amazing.

Day In Day Out provides another beautiful vocal performance and yet another beautifully crafted song, the formula is used to great effect on the album yet it never seems stale simple guitar work holds it all together very well. The vocal harmonies on Day In Day Out put CSNY to shame and make you wonder why the hell this band isn't regarded as one of the 70's finest. To close off the album I couldn't have picked anything more appropriate than the fast, epic and huge track Sole Survivor, proggers will feel it's the strongpoint and the pure brilliance of the instrumental work won't be lost on even the most casual listener. The vocals powerful and instense and you'll feel like the whole album has built up to this final perfect piece of perfection. This album made me appreciate obscure music and led me on a tireless journey to find anything to top it, as of yet I have been unsuccessful. There's not a weak point on this album, it is without a doubt the finest I have heard.

You'd think there would be a limit to perfection yet I don't know if there should be, to say this album is truly perfect would be wrong because it may not be the pinacle of musical achiement, and the score I will give will reflect this and my optimism that one day I might find an album to top this one. If I fail I will have to alter the score of this album, but until then it will stay as it is now. From Scratch represents what music was meant to be, an honest, earnest venture into every aspect of the band. Yet all the band did outside of the music they created was venture into obscurity and dissapear after releasing two albums that no one heard, until now.

I wanted to put off reviewing this album until I had set a precedent with my scoring system to truly appreciate how good I feel this album is. I talk about enjoyment and how my score doesn't fully reflect how well I enjoy it (Leaf Hound scoring below Room). However this is brilliant on both levels I enjoy it more than any other and I feel that it truly deserves the score I will give. Anyways let's get onto the score:

Wow a Capability Brown review before my very eyes!! I doff my cap to you sir

Have you come to expect anything else from this thread?

Ups? :thumb:

On Leafhound: They sound like Led Zeppelin a bit, it's mainly the vocal style though. The lyrics are pretty clumsy but I love the sludgy double guitar riffing, and the songs all have a larger-than-life feel while remaining gritty and down to earth.

Leaf Hound's lyrics are great for what they are, considering they are a complete drug fueled mess.

True. I wasn't complaining.

While not the most obscure artist I've reviewed it's certainly one of the more obscure albums, not considered a fully official part of the Johnny Winter discography it was very difficult to track down. Well as you should all know if anyone's got the blues it's Johnny, and Rollin' and Tumblin' certainly reflect this. An overall twangy feel to the guitar starts this album off with a bluesy bang, bursting with energy and charisma the vocals do lack some finesse yet it does add a certain bit of charm to it. The drums and bass keep it all together really well leaving time for Winter to play on a bit. Tribute to Muddy see a lovely blues song with all the cliches, and why the **** not, it's called Tribute to Muddy. The guitar work is pretty standard, but it works so very well with the song. The beat is incredibly catchy and lets Winter do whatever he wants and I feel this will continue throughout. The solo is nothing short of a nostalgic journey back in time, yet it feels so refreshing.

It's been awhile since I've listened to some great blues, and for anyone wanting to experience some good blues this is what you'll be looking for. Winters does excellent stuff playing up and down certain parts of the song to create a lovely contrast. This is a lovely guitar album because it shows what you can do with just a guitar and a pick without resorting to any of the tricks guitarists used in the next decade. If I could change anything though it would be the sound of the guitar, a bit tinny in bits but it seems to vary from song to song, yet I'd wish for it to be a bit smoother. This album's never really going to get away from the blues aspect but you can certainly respect that, yet it's still certainly a very different kind of blues while remaining very much the same. This album takes the blues guitar to a new standard, bringing a lead instrument even more to the forefront. This is not to say there's not some lovely drum and bass work which at times can be quite spectacular.

The Drummer is none other than Uncle John Turner who has played with such greats as Hendrix, BB King and Muddy Waters himself. Bad Luck and Trouble features some lush mandolin and harmonica performances from Winter who keeps it all together brilliantly without the help of percussion on bass work. A lovely track if just for it's simplicity and great mandolin playing. While not present in this song, the bassist is none other than Double Trouble great Tommy Shannon. Help Me brings a new more distorted guitar style onto the album and it works very well in contrast to the mandolin featured previously. This is just what I've been wanting the guitar to sound like, far smoother and it even has a slight psychedelic feel to it.

If this album had been more popular I would have had to say it was instrumental in shaping the way the guitar was used in progressive rock, there is certainly a very progressive element in his playing that can be heard all throughout the seventies. The vocals improve with each song and shine in Mean Town Blues in a very gritty hard rock fashion, I do still have a few qualms about his voice on the album though. There's just not enough soul in his voice to reflect the bluesy stylings of his guitar, and it's not powerful enough to properly convey his lyrics in the hard rock style. But that's all moot really when he can play a solo like he does in Mean Town Blues. This is definitely one for the guitarists out there, that's not to say any blues fan won't enjoy this either, and it's essential in any Johnny Winter collection.

Even with an acoustic his playing still stays fast and inspired, a perfect example is Broke Down Engine where once again Winter is alone without his rhythm section and once again holds it all together very well. After the sombre acoustic piece Black Cat Bone is a huge burst of energy with a fast powerful blues song, this is probably the band's best performance on the album as a whole, sounding incredibly tight. "Hey man check this out" Winter sings before launching into an incredible solo, you can hear aspects of Jimmy Page's latter playing here and it reflects the styles that would become popular later on in the seventies.

The epic 7 minute long It's My Own Fault shows off Winter's truly bluesy vocals, and it finally showcases his most soulful delivery on the album. Coupled with more great guitar work it's not much different from the rest of the album, but this can't really detract from the feel because I knew going into it, that it was going to be pure blues. Winter shows some great guitar control towards the end of the song and the final solo featuring some scat singing is brilliant. Forty-Four immediately made me thing "Cliffs of Dover" yet that really doesn't feel right. There's a great eastern feel to the guitar that works superbly with the song and the album as a whole. For a straight blues record this certainly doesn't break many boundaries, but it does expand them quite somewhat and Winter takes the guitar to whole new levels.

Overall it's an incredibly enjoyable blues album but it has a lot of obvious drawbacks, the sometimes lack-lustre vocals bring it down and so does the general lack of experimentation, it's still a very good album, just not a truly brilliant one, and as I'm beginning to so often say, my score will reflect that.

The album starts us off with a nice ambient guitar and generally annoying vocals that still somewhat retain their charm from earlier releases. The instrumental passages are interesting and but don't really seem to flow anywhere. This could be seen as a good thing as a lot of it is incredibly infectious, it's very stimulating to say the least. My first question here absolutely has to be: okay guys, I understand that you're experimenting and going in new directions, but didn't you used to do metal? Not much stands out in the title track yet it all does come together well and is executed just as it should be. The overall theme is interesting, but you can't really listen to the vocalist for any long period of time, so I don't know what the lyrics are about, it feels like their trying really hard to be the Mars Volta.

Clelia Walking is geniunely fun to listen to, it's like you're back in the canterbury scene with five guys going "okay, how can we make this sound as random as possible". Not enough bands do this anymore, and all the power of these guys for pulling off a fun filled passage. There are some stand out performances, a lovely violin, which although not very technically proficient still sounds absolutely awesome. I can't help but think I've heard some of the accompanying noises before though on a nintendo handheld version of donkey kong. Yeah, trying really hard to be TMV on the lyrics here, somewhat effective, but only because it distracts you from how annoying his voice has become.

The rest of the album follows on much in the same way, with nothing really standing out, it's certainly not as eventful as their other work, and that of motW, but I'm sure this one will have some growing potential. In all honesty this does sound like a straight forward prog/avant garde work without many of the earlier hallmarks of true experimentalism that were present in their earlier work, for better or worse. The whole album is starting to feel genuinely light handed, as if the musicians aren't genuinely interested in what they're doing, with their minds drifting elsewhere. This however does have somewhat of a positive effect on the listener, as I can feel my mind racing all over the place. I often comment on the mental impact of the music I review, and this is certainly one of the most profound.

It's as if it's trying to make me remember everything I've forgotten, it's filling me with a great sense of incompleteness, intentional or not, it's certainly a very strange experience. But on the musical side, I can almost see why, the whole thing does feel incomplete and unpolished, unfinished and not yet fully layered. Maybe their producer died from boredom halfway through the mixing process, before he could add all the awesome metal bits and ambient soundscapes. All this being said, it's still genuinely enjoyable, I sometimes comment on the whimsical side of the old obscure prog I review, and this has a lot of this, but it just doesn't work as well. The whole reason why is because music just simply isn't that innocent anymore, the world is more aware, and thus music has changed to reflect that.

The album does manage at times to be infectiously catchy, like on The Awkward Wind Wheel which is a certain highpoint, some great drumming keeps it all together, and the song is beautifully put together. The faster pace of the passage is entirely welcome in this album setting as it focuses the listeners back onto the music after letting their minds wander for a long time. Effective use of repetition and the absurd keeps the Useless Ladder interesting and ultimately sets up the final song.

For all the drawbacks on the album, Symmetrical Arizona is a true journey into the beauty that music can become. Featuring a beautiful guitar solo that strikes almost all the right notes. This continues on beautifully for the final half, with some more beautiful instrumental passages from several different musicians. The track is layered beautifully and just works on a scale which isn't present anywhere else on the album, except maybe on the Awkward Wind Wheel. Each passage is a welcome change from the next, and there's just no drawbacks. It is truly a fitting end to an overall good album, despite my criticism.

Make no mistake, this is a good album, a contender for the top 20 of the releases this year, but it's not a true masterpiece, and, as I say, my score will reflect that.

The much awaited new album from Opeth leaked tonight when I was at work, and it will most certainly be living up to expectations. Coil starts off with clean guitar and singing, a trademark for bits of the newer Opeth albums, and I must say it's done masterfully. Mike's singing has changed a bit but I certainly can't say that it's bad. It also introduces soem beautiful female vocals that are done very effectively at the end of Coil. I wasn't expecting the first track to be completely clean, but Opeth immediately deliver at the end of it, with some awesome guitars at the beginning of Heir Apparent. Again with the trademark heavy/clean interludes this is unmistakeably Opeth, yet there's something so awesomely different.

The album feels more organic than their earlier efforts and there's so much life in this, the guitars sound absolutely stunning and much better than they have on earlier releases. At times the ambience created will completely blow you away, and the soft interludes fit perfectly in. Mike's growls are even better than ever, and they add more of a natural harsh feel to the music, Bloodbath was a good testament to his vocal abilities, but this just blows them out of the water. The progressive influences can be heard so much clearer here than on for example Ghost Reveries and it really adds a new, greater dimension to the album.

The Lotus Eater brings another dimension to Mike's vocal expertise, with both the growls and clean vocals outshining even Heir Apparant. The guitars are incredibly catchy and memorable, and you can really see Opeth have matured from their earlier material, if such a thing was even possible. The drumming is constructed brilliantly, and it stays away from many of the downfalls of metal drumming, it keeps everything together brilliantly without being overboard. The guitar solo in Lotus Eater is even better than Heir Apparent and it's great to see some well played solos as I've never really found that to be Opeth's strong point. Quiet bits continue to impress as Lotus Eater reaches the halfway point with some incredibly ambient pieces, that despite their generally slower approach never completely lose the momentum of the song.

Burden starts out with a slow piano and ambient effects that sets an incredibly dense atmosphere, which just keeps building as drums and vocals are added. The instrumentals on Burden are some of the most stong and progressive that Opeth has ever done, and it's a joy to behold the band maturing in such a way. The guitars are brilliant, and the same can be said for everything else within the song. It's the second song completely devoid of metal and it's great to hear such progression.

The album progresses further with some lovely acoustic guitars on Porcelain Heart, the lyrics are an obvious downfall but then again they are basically just an afterthought for Mike. The dual guitars work perfectly, and in places such as Porcelain Heart are simply glorious, there is so much depth here, on just the first listen that I can feel this being even more of a grower, definitely with a very high replay value.

Hessian Peel is a very heavy listen despite the acoustic/clean instrumentals, there's something primal about it, and this works so effectively within the album. There are some incredibly 70's styled riffs filtered through the song, and it's starting to become clear that there's a lot of nostalgia throughout the whole effort. This is certainly delivering and has been well worth the wait since 2005's Ghost Reveries. There are a lot of influences that only become apparant if you really look for them, but it is certainly well worth the investigation. There are some incredibly psychedelic parts to Hessian Peel and it's definitely the best layered song on the album.

Some of the more quiet parts of the album are, to me, very reminiscent of Ulver's Shadows of the Sun, yet it's so brilliantly balanced with the heavier metal parts. Although there are some death metal vocals, it never even borders on the genre, this is pure progressive metal/rock and I'm incredibly pleased Opeth have decided to go even further in this direction. The whole album just simply sounds more fun and experimental than the earlier work, and it's clear it's got a lot less pretentia in the production.

Overall the album was incredibly refreshing and certainly didn't dissapoint, actually I don't think much of it dissapointed at all. It's certainly one of the top three releases of this year so far and the score I give will be deserving of such a place. Brilliant from start to finish, with great production, incredible intro's and outro's. The progressive element has been taken up to a whole new step, however it feels a bit more like immitation than their own progression, but that really doesn't take away from the enjoyment. Brilliant album.

i need to catch up with this thread, it's doing alot

A piano plays softly on a scratched vinyl record, a fitting intro to this beautifully melodic black metal effort by the band formed by the former keyboardist for Windir. Staying far away from the tinny black metal guitars the focus is a lot more on the atmosphere. The vocals are as grim and frostbitten as any black metal fan could wish for. The opening track and dare I say "lead single" Ei Fane Svart which was released for free download by the band previous to the album being released is a brilliantly melodic piece of music. The production on the drumming is incredible when it comes to the dynamics it creates within the sound.

The guitars and keyboards continue to add an incredible amount of melody to the album and fans of the more melodic side of Windir will love this type of black metal. However it strays away from the weaker side of melodic black metal in which such bands as Dimmu Borgir and other ****e bands reside. The vocals are incredibly catchy and before long you'll be doing your best to sing along. There are some beautiful quiet parts in the album with focus on the keyboards and bass which is incredibly strange for this type of black metal. The bass guitar is incredibly well produces and can be easily heard throughout the whole album, and it yet again adds another layer of atmosphere.

I, the damned includes some incredibly lush sounding guitars, to put it this way, black metal has never sounded this awesome. This album breaks all the boundaries while remaining soundly inside it's own little square, it's full of contradictions, but that's certainly not a negative aspect. The effort as a whole is incredibly well thought out and it shows, the tracks flow together well and each song is incredibly well layered. There are some infectious folky melodies which carry on the legacy of Windir, and does so in spectacular form. You won't find another Arntor here, Cor Scorpii go far beyond imitating Windir's sound, it all feels incredibly fresh.

The drumming, while adding an incredible energetic atmosphere is the most black metal influenced thing about the album as a whole, apart from the vocals. The drums keep the speed up, while everything else is going along at quite a leisurely pace, this adds a great contrast to the album, and does so to great effect. Some of the longer instrumental pieces are again very reminiscent of Windir, but it's truly a resemblance only in style. Helvetesfossen is one of the more accessible songs on the album, and one of the most dynamic songs on the album. The drumming is nice and fluid, the guitars are beautifully crafted, the whole beat is more rock than metal.

The song is beautifully atmospheric and left me in a complete daze, the layering is dense yet an easy listen, the whole effort is overly melodic and beautiful with some lush passages. The fast paced drumming returns on the Eepic Oske og Innsikt which includes some of the heavier parts of an already heavy album. You'll never be bored despite the length, because there is absolutely always something to hold onto and grasp with your mind. The album is overall too short, clocking in at just under 47 and a half minutes, but if you crave more, play it again sam. The guitars continue to impress here, there's nothing spectacular on a technical level, but it just sounds so incredibly good, and in the end, that's what makes the music.

The album can get quite mentally draining at times, and you can feel yourself slipping, the end effect is that it can feel like a few minutes until it ends, a generally gutted feeling that will leave you wanting more and more. I'm not entirely sure how it's attained but a lot of the great black metal bands and albums evoke the same type of reaction. The music as a whole is very upbeat and not very angry despite the vocals, yet it's still quite aggressive. Kjettar is an incredible song, with some great interesting instrumental/vocal combinations which sound very fresh. The song as a whole is very catchy and works very well after the comparatively straight forward Oske og innsikt.

The guitars are brought far more into the spotlight on the second half of the album and Kjettar is a perfect example of this. With this album Cor Scorpii have created a sound which is unmistakably theirs, and it's one hell of a sound. On an interesting sound note, I'm sure that's a black metal version of the Loituma song levan Polkka in Bragder i stein, a grimmer more frostbitten version definitely, and very awesome. The whole song is very folky and it's a brilliant end to the album.

Make no mistake, this is so far and will be the best black metal release of this year, nothing can possibly top it, I'd be very glad to be proven wrong, but this is just overly too brilliant. My second favourite album of this year, and I can't see that changing. Great album.

Nice reviews. I haven't had a chance to listen to Watershed yet because I've been away from home, but I'll probably give it a spin today. And I've been meaning to check out Cor Scorpii.

I like the reviews, but feel 9.5 for Watershed is, well, let's just say...not entirely accurate.

Note to all: review corner postponed due to broken arm.

Since I'm now at uni, and doing reviews would be like slacking off doing nothing while not at uni. Reviews is the new lazy. I'm gonna start doing my "10 Albums that Have, Will and Should Influence the Progression of Music" reviews ASAP, expect one over the weekend.

Lizard has quite a spectacular start considering it's high point is the 23 minute epic title track. Cirkus has vocals that would fit in easily on any King Crimson album and parts which would fit perfectly into Red, yet I wouldn't have it anywhere but here. The total insanity of the construction is a beautiful preview of what is to come, you will be hit by a wall of sound and at the same time, not very much at all, it is never overwhelming but at all times changing. Trying to focus solely on the music will lead you dizzy, and that is a very real prelude to what is coming. However while this is a musically good song it is missing soul, that little bit extra that makes you care. It has atmosphere, intensity and beauty, but lacks that little bit extra, and that is the most dissapointing thing about this song that would be perfect... if only it was more memorable.

Indoor Games has very much the same feel to Cirkus however it adds something extra to what came before it, and because it already has the context of Cirkus to build upon, it is a much more enjoyable track. What Cirkus lacked in soul, Indoor Games very much makes up for it, infact the whole rest of the album does. The various effects use all add something meaningful to the song never seem to be there just so effects can be used. The song focuses blissfully on parts of simplicity that work so very well, eventually settling into a very nice, pallatable groove. It is very much jazzy but at the same time not, which is basically what the whole album is about. Sax improvisations are very aptly played by Mel Collins who also played on three other KC albums and other albums by popular artists of the time. The song ends wtih Gordon Haskell laughing about the lyrical subject matter, which he felt was ridiculous.

Along with Indoor Games, Happy Family borrows heavily from Dazed and Confused, but the humour on Happy Family is far more obvious. The lyrical aspect here is the most important on the album and focus heavily on the four members of The Beatles; "Judas, Rufus, Silas and Jonah". The vocals are laden with effects and adds a completely different tone the songs, while the jamming is all very much entrenched in what King Crimson have done before, but also there is a geniune attempt at jazz which will start to shine as we get to the title track.

Lady of the Dancing Water is a beautiful little piece put together to be very much like parts of their earlier work, where the focus was on calm melodies and intricate beauty. Mel Collins playing the flute here does a brilliant job defining the song, and very much complements the guitars and vocals. The vocal mix is curious and well coreographed and at times it makes it seem less natural than it should be, but it can be overlooked by the sheer beauty of the song. The calm ending is very much in contrast to the title track.

With Jon Anderson on guest vocals, the introduction (Prince Rupert Awakes) to the track features verses sung in two diferent styles, the first, calmer verses and the second more folky, harsh verses contrast each other. While the music contrasts the calmer style and complements the more folky harsh verses creates a very interesting set of changes. The song flows brilliantly here and the intro is definitely one of the highlights to the album. The verses eventually come to a huge, emotional climax which is absolutely stunning the first, second and fiftieth time around. The replay value of the album is absolutely cemented within the first four and a half minutes of the song. However there is so much more to come.

This is Mel Collins finest hour, and he deserves it the next 19 minutes or so is a musical journey into the deep, a journey which melds so many different melodies, styles and genres into one, all focusing towards a jazzy yet classical feel. This is especially felt by the "Bolero" which comes immediately after "Prince Rupert Awakes". Many more guests make their appearance here, and their jazzy improvisations around the general theme under very Bolery like drumming. There is much repetition between each artist, but all of these work to build the theme, the overall result is something which alters the way time is percieved. 10 minute in real time is turned into one minute Lizard time, and it is over far too soon. Each new solo brings a whole new set of emotions, and it runs the gambit of all of them. Hope, despair, joy, inspiration, happiness and an overwheling sensation that everything should remain.

That however is not to be, under a drumroll minor climax the whole nature of the composition changes and leaps into a repetitive section yearning to break free. Your heart will flutter and you will wish to be rid of this spell. And soon enough the vocals return and for a breif moment of serenity you are treated to relative calm. The overall experience is very draining as you're built up, only to be let down time and time again. This album is a master of emotion, suspense and time. More than anything Time in the album is handled in a way which will leave you hanging at the edge of your seat for a musical resolution! Such is the power of this composition that it becomes not only a musical experience, it becomes a visual and even sensual experience.

Many of the same raw emotions experience with metal styles can be found here, the whole atmosphere, and at times, lack of it, serve to create a whole new creation within the song itself. Yearning to break free, but I know it will never quite get there, the main themes return in a plethora of sounds and varying melodies all returning to the main theme revolving around the song. This proves to be incredibly powerful and moving.

The main risk King Crimson toom with this album was the fact that they decided to go with an excessively long title track. If they had not been able to make it entertaining it would have failed, spectacularly so, in the way in which many of the longer prog rock compositions have. However the one and only weak point to the song as a whole is that it's too overwhelming. It will take many listens to come to grips with, and while many will see this as an advantage, the fact that at times it can be so inaccessible due to the sheer length and power of the track will have to be considered a downfall.

Prince Ruperts Lament is the most beautiful piece of that King Crimson have created, it features a haunting rhythm supporting a guitar that seemingly comes closer and closer as it progresses. You march in the funeral train towards the guitar and that is the feeling you're left with, it evokes an incredible sense of sadness, but the same time there's a feeling of relief as the guitar fades further and further away to the same marching beat. The whole part is incredibly moving, and yet so simple, it is definitely one of the best context driven guitar solos.

The song ends very much like it started, it feels much like a Cirkus reprise, and it would have to be, because if it ended with the Lament you'd never want to listen to the album again, so much is the despair that is evoked from it.

On the whole Lizard is many things, beautiful, mindblowing, atmospheric to a fault and in complete control of your emotions, but it is also disjointed at times, especially in the first few songs. I will have to try hard to find flaw with the title track itself however I'm sure it is there, but it is the imperfections that make this... perfect.


How this album SHOULD have influenced music is painfully obvious to me, it should have shifted the direction of the prog scene. The jazzy style of the album is something which has been overlooked, much to the detriment of the genre as a whole. Yes certain albums have jazz undertones, but nothing as striking as this. The whole way that this album progresses and the way that it feels is breathtaking, and it should have aspired many more to try to be like this. Yet for some reason they didn't, Lizard is generally not held in very high regard, and I'm at a total loss to see why. To me it is one of the most perfect albums of all time, and it will always stay this way.

Nice review. BTW I finally got around to doing a Lizard review in my KC thread - someone with a Comus avatar commented on it when I posted it to Sputnik, but I'm not sure whether it was you.

Great review of Lizard! It baffles me how overlooked an album it is. The title track contains some of the most beautiful music ever put to record and you're right - when listening, the music has complete control. You've inspired me to to put this album on right now.

Another thing that adds to its perfection is the cover. I can't think of a better example of artwork representing sound. The best way to experience this album is to do nothing but sit, listen, and explore the cover art. My thoughts get so crazy between listening and looking, it adds that final layer of dimension to the experience.

Thanks for the good read. :)

Errrr, if it was me I don't remember, but my memory relating to certain things is very hazy due to extensive drug abuse as a teenager. What did he/me say?

Next review is going to fast forward a bit to a land of mystery and wonder, the recent years. I will review Kings of Leon's Because of the Times, and hopefully immediately afterwards their lacklustre newest album **** and Generic.

I have just read through all the reviews. I thoroughly enjoyed the Obscuro.
I am absolutely intrigued as to Mountain Ash Band. The Hermit. Any links?

I have to make a confession in that I have 6 King Crimson albums but not Lizard. I have not even listened to it. Amazing really as I consider the albums that I have at times to be sublime.

Knocked Up here represents what is good about Kings of Leon, they're not good musicians, they never will be, but they can put out a good groove. This for me in this type of music is more important, I'll make it clear but it's not something I'd listen to for a challenge. But when you just want to relax with a pint of beer or a ridiculous amount of alcohol and don't feel like a prog-fueled trip, this is what you want. The vocals are much like you'd come to expect, mixed high and pushing the point, the quiet-loud transition is very useful for live shows and I'm glad that they have incorporated this into their album. It gives the whole song a far more natural feel, the fact that it is just noise, which is all you're gonna hear live anyways. The beat is compelling and the bass and guitar work complement the vocals in such a way that they become one whole part on their own, instead of seperate entities, which is good for the casual listener.

The lyrics are not exactly groundbreaking, nor should they be. As a long song it leaves a lot of room for improvisation which I feel has been sadly neglected, every now and then there is a bit of guitar scratching but overall there's not much to it. Periods of silence here aren't used to great effect and the song does drag on a bit. The unchanging beat doesn't help, while refreshing at the start of the song it can start to grate. The groove is still good but in shorter doses please, and lets not forget this is from someone who considers a 7 minute song to be middle of the line in terms of length.

Charmer is a brilliant pop song with rock pretenses, from the girlish squeal to the powerful if oversimple riff. The riff is very memorable if you've ever focused on it, it's a pity it's underused in the song. It's an enjoyable energetic little song that will make you wonder why there isn't more like this in rock music today. It's powerful, hard rocking, not overly grating and generally 99% better than all other songs released by mainstream bands today. On Call is the albums lead single featuring some nice layering and, by mondern standards, a brilliant performance from vocals Caleb Followill. The riff is heavy without being properly heavy in the mix which will leave you hanging a bit.

The attempted guitar solo like all others in the album is well, just not right, Matthew Followill is not a great guitarist. His solos leave so much to desire after being used to the brilliance of their influences such as Thin Lizzy, and Wishbone Ash especially before them. However to the young listener today that knows nothing beyond what is on the charts, and has been since their teens, this will be mindblowing. So it's not all bad, the groove is there, the concept is there, just needs a bit of work on the soul and the true skill. And to clarify once more, I'm talking about being able to make the guitar sing, not just play if fast.

McFearless has what I can only call a very grating intro that grows on you as you go further and further into it, the riff afterwards however is unmistakably because of the times. Whereas the bands of old would have a riff that dominated and played with clear pauses between chords and notes. Today there is not much if any pause or silence and to me is one of the great downfalls in modern music. McFearless has some nice drum work though and that swagger which make Kings of Leon one of the best modern mainstream bands is very evident.

What you notice early into this album is that the tracklisting hasn't been taken into account when creating the album, it is very much about the songs themselves not the whole feel. This should detract from the score, but at the end of the day it's not something which is taken into account by non-prog bands. Black Thumbnail is wonderfully incomprehensible, brilliant live where the crowd will erupt during the chorus and that energy is transferred to record remarkably well once more. It will have your head bobbing despite yourself, and this is a good thing. The solo is made good only by the fact that you're so into the energy of the song that pretty much any form of wankery will sound good, but once you're halfway through it that feeling wears off and you're remind that yes, it's still Matthew playing. I'd like to make a note that Kings of Leon must have the best ever list of misheard lyrics ever.

That wonderful groove once again returns for My Party and my god it is wonderful. The vocal effects are too much I have to say, it becomes a bit too much pop-punk, but that wonderfull groove so very much makes up to it. Here a really nice simple riff has been created and why more bands can't just do this I don't understand. Bring back the guitar in modern music, it can never be a bad thing to have too many guitars. The best part of the guitars is that they can be played live by Caleb and Matthew, even if they have to stand and concentrate for most of the time when you watch them. I have to say their stage presence is absolutely ridiculously pathetic, even if they win over the crowd with the music and image, but that's really not part of the album so it can't really be taken into account, even if a lot of opinions towards an album includes live performances.

True Love Way continues the groove and the misheard lyrics but it works on so many levels. I'd never consider KoL to be a deep band in any way, but the way their music can connect to an audience is pretty impressive. Even with the non single songs that most modern rock bands would simply fill with... well filler it seems that they have made an effort with them, and it works, because the album holds up so much more strongly for it. The beat here is addictively simple and the silence is used brilliantly for once and I feel it adds a lot to the song. This is unfortunately offset by the fact that there is no fade, or even any consideration to what the next song is, and Ragoo very much upsets the rhythm of the album.

It's not a bad song by any means, just badly placed, that being said it's not great either, it's just there but it will stick with you. The chorus is painfully addictive, and while the album isn't very hooky I can feel some good pop sensibilities here, even if it's uninentional and not very obvious. The solo is one which is above average in the album, short and sweet and feels a bit more like a little lick. Fans introduces a nice contrast between an overdriven slowly played guitar clean strumming.

This is actually my favourite song on the album, it's the only one apart from On Call that actually manipulates emotions, the high energy beat, all the different aspects of the song all work together very well. And the vocal performance is beautifully fragile and it just works, here is the career highlight of Kings of Leon, and that has to be said, because based on their latest effort, they're never ever going to reach this level again, and that is a very sad prospect. Painfully short this is the whole reason Kings of Leon deserve to be reviewed here right now.

The Runner actually works well with the ending of Fans the retrospective song is brilliantly put together and features another good performance by Caleb. The song feels like it's coming from the heart, not just a session and that's what songs should be like. Uplifting while sad at the same time it makes you feel even more of a connection to the vocalist, and even empathise with him. However don't listen to it when tired, because you're almost guaranteed to fall asleep, whether this is a good thing or not is another matter.

Another bit of an experiment here as Kings of Leon try haunting, the atmosphere and echoes do work pretty well, and it shows a remarkable maturing from their other albums. It is a very powerful track, it will slow time down and make you think, it's hard to write even as I'm listening to it because of the energy needed to pay proper attention to it. Casuals won't like this song, but general fans might, it's a big departure from their other songs on the album, even with the eventual climax there's not much going on. For a band known for the energy in their songs this can seem a bit out of place, but I certainly think it fits perfectly here, because bands need to experiment, or music will simply stagnate.

Camaro feels very 80's whenever I listen to it I feel like I'm in a bad 80's American action movie not to say the song is bad, because some bad 80's action movies have very good songs, especially driving songs. This is the perfect driving song, high energy, topic specific and it rocks, it rocks pretty damn hard actually, and that's just what you want from the album at this point. It's the second last track and you want to wake up again after a few low energy songs.

REST OF REVIEW IN NEXT POST

END OF REVIEW

Arizona reminds me of something but I can't quite put my finger on it, I've heard the melodies before but that doesn't really detract from the song. This is a beautiful closing track, aptly placed, it will make you feel sad and that's exactly what makes you listen again, and I have to say it's pretty effective. The main guitar theme is incredibly reminiscent to a lot of the more polished end of 70's early 80's bands that had to give a good contrast to the punk scene in order to remain relevant. It's unexpected from KoL but in the end it works brilliantly, even if it feels awfully cheesy. The solo here does have some soul, if only given to it by the context of the song. When I hear a good solo I always feel a sense of warmth within me, Matthew captures this warmth, but only for a few seconds, which makes the relative shortness of their solos more of a strength than a weakness. The final fade leaves you with expectations of more good things to come, in retrospect it certainly didn't come from their next album.


How this album SHOULD have influenced music is once again painfully obvious to me, the swagger, the rhythm everything is just done so well here. It feels raw at times which is also very good. The fact that the band is willing to experiment, to expand on their formula is incredibly good. The true influence of the album is yet to be seen, but I hope some bands adopt and expand on this formula, because Kings of Leon certainly didn't much to their detriment musically albeit not financially, which simply highlights the problem with music today. This album proves that you don't need all that much talent to make good music.

A little note to start the review, I will not include the reissue track No Easy Road in the review while considering score, however I list it here and will mention it. This is because most versions of the album available to the savvy internet user do include this track. This album should need no introduction, it was named 1972 album of the year by Sounds Magazine and can be traced forward to being perhaps one of the most underlooked and influential albums of all time, especially and surprisingly within Metal.

The first track Time Was starts with a soft acoustic passage, slowly building and setting the mood creatively. The vocals have never been the strong point of Wishbone Ash, but I feel on this album they are so masterfully used within their limits, and provide a very strong backing to the music. The overall serenity of parts of this album are as much because the vocals are used in a very expert way as the instrumental work itself. The change from the serene to the first burst of energy comes and the transition feels natural, but unexpected to a first time listener. While it doesn't particularly rock hard, the whole scene is supported by seemingly random guitar licks which are very common within the album. The guitar work on all songs are absolutely exquisite and Time Was is no exception.

The duelling guitars are Wishbone Ash's lasting legacy. While it might have been common to have a rhythm guitarist on stage while providing support and rhythm to lead this new concept would change the whole way rock was viewed. The two different guitarists views on the songs flourish in the soloing and it's breathtaking to watch the eventual duel unfold. That being said, non-guitarists can appreciate the beautiful melodies that arise from such improvisation expression. The solos are indeed full of soul and very heartfelt. The two masters here are Andy Powell and Ted Turner who both put in stunning work. The equally important Rhythm Section comprised of Martin Turner (no relation) on bass and Steve Upton on drums both provide some brilliant work, even if their finest moments in the sun are on other albums.

Sometime World starts softly just as Time Was, but the guitar work is already present with a lazy solo complemented with some strumming deep in the mix. This eventually comes to the forefront and puts forward what is some of the finest subtle guitar work of the era. This song is stunningly simple and beautiful, yet there are certain flashes of extreme complexity that will cause a more intent listener to come offguard. The intricate way in which Ted and Andy form the passages under the strict rhythm of Martin and Steve is brilliant and works in almost every instant.

While the vocals may grate on someone not used to the less vocally focused prog bands it's important to note that while Wishbone Ash never had a distinctive vocalist their vocals have always been well handled. And at the end of the day, it's the guitars that sing the most, Sometime World contains myriad of solos that are briefly interrupted by the vocals and at the end of the day play a much bigger part. Near the end of the song, the final solo can for brief moments tug at your emotions, and for something this early into the albums context and ambience that is quite powerful indeed.

Blowin' Free contains one of the better songs to sing along to, and provides a brilliant contrast between the two different "voices" with lines of lyrics seperated by small bluesy guitar licks. The guitar work continues to stun and there is nothing finer to simply sit back, close your eyes and bask in the beauty that is this album. For once I'm at a lack of words, and that is something rather hard to achieve, no matter how many times I listen to this album each new time floors me. Each time leaves me wondering why I have been neglecting it, even bothering to listen to other music. But each time I also have to remind myself of the brilliant catalogue of other artists and it all seems worth it in the end. Blowin' Free ends on an appropriate sonic climax build up and reinforced by the vocals and especially the rhythm section.

What can only be described as, along with Phoenix on the first album, as one of Wishbone Ash's crowning achievements The King Will Come springs to life with a military style drumming and a brilliant wah-wah intro. The following licks build upon and provide one of the most epic, relatively short songs within progressive rock. Compelling lyrics and beautiful vocal harmonies continue to build on the brilliance of the songs, and the whole affair is a roller-coaster ride of emotions. Every successive variation on the main theme leaves you hanging for a solo. And when it finally comes it is a joy to behold, every bit as funky and sounding every bit as fresh now as it did back in 1972 it is amazing to consider what the musical landscape was like back then.

But the song isn't over yet, leaving a passage for live improvisation as was the style of the time they continue on with the main themes and once again give in to the beautiful vocal harmonies. As pretentious as the playing is on this song it never shines a negative light onto it, infact it makes it seem all the more organic as if the whole band are doing exactly what they want to and feel incredibly comfortable in doing so.

Leaf and Streme is densely layered and incredibly beautiful, a tranquil intermisson between the King Will Come and Warrior. The Vocal performance is once again very nice and complimentary to the music. Everything is just done to uttermost perfection here, and it shows. Warrior is very high in energy, providing a rusty jangling riff and some more beautiful lead guitar work to introduce the song. Warrior deals with a very basic concept, infact many of the songs skate around the same themes but not enough for it to be considered a proper concept album.

Warrior is about someone going off to fight, finding the concept of slavery to be far less favourable than victory or death in combat. The enduring melodies work so well here with the concept, an enduring feeling of what is going on is indeed reflected within the guitar work. And the chorus is definitely the most fun to sing along to within the whole album. The way the solos flow here is something which puts Wishbone Ash in a league of their own when it comes to melodic guitar work and the broad genres of the guitar work prove a beautiful contrast to the quite standard rhythm and themes.

Throw Down the Sword continues the concept of the Warrior, now that the war is over in a stalemate they have to return to their every day lives, to throw down their swords, or so to say. The introduction builds up intensity brilliantly with some more military style drumming from Steve Upton until he eventually settles into a regular beat. It will have your head bobbing and the way the song is restrained here at the start can be frustrating, but in a way that very much adds to the music. There are some brilliant bits of lyric in this album and Throw Down the Sword contains a lot of them. It proves that even the most common, often puerile themes can be conveyed in a confident and competent manner.

What I consider the climax of the album is all brought together here, a huge solo with dense layering and brilliant backing finishes this song, and what I consider the classic album. No Easy Road has been featured on re-issues as bonus tracks and doesn't really fit in with the rest of the album. It's by no means a bad song, but it's very much more down to earth than the seemingly huge songs on the rest of the album.

This will be, along with Lizard the second 10 I will give out, very few albums can deserve such accolade, and very few will get it I can say for certainty that some other albums border on 10, but will most certainly fall short. This may change on review and relistening, only time will tell.


This album, while largely unknown today has influenced the face of modern rock and metal music immensely, having influenced bands such as Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden. Maiden would prove to be an especially important influence as it fronted the whole New Wave of British Heavy metal, and provided the basis of Power Metal as a whole (for better or worse). And many modern bands such as the Kings of Leon cite Thin Lizzy as influences, so there's even further secondary influence proven by Wishbone Ash and Argus. This album is essential for those wanting to further discover some of the roots of the less riffy side of metal, those who just love classic rock, and those who want to see what all the fuss is about within the prog community about a band who is only just considered to be within it.

And some review stats:

By year:
1969: 1
1970: 2
1971: 2
1972: 2
1975: 1
2007: 1
2008: 4

Average Score:
Modern: 8.16
Classic: 8.89
Total: 8.61

The high average current average scores can be explained by the fact that so far I have reviewed a very small number of new releases and most of them have been very good, also considering the fact that the classic albums I so far have reviewed have been some of my favourites, with Lizard and Argus both increasing the average significantly within the past few days.

Nice review - I own the reissued version of Argus.

I agree that Argus is a complete prog classic, even if it isn't that proggy and more hard rockish. And yeah, the rhythm section is actually more prominent on other albums, although it's decent on Argus too. But overall, it's their best album.

My favourite bit of the album is the dual leads in the second half of Throw Down the Sword - absolutely musicgasmic.

Despite a slow introduction Kill The Poor sets the mood for this album in it's entirety, acidic lyrical content with a fast beat all tempered by a rather epic scale of experimentation. The whole political tone of the album is set here, entirely tongue in cheek it was a huge shock to the music scene at the time. Of all American punk bands that ever "made it" Dead Kennedys were the only one to truly embody punk in a way that no one else could. This album is in its entirety a huge protest about anything and everything, you truly feel the anger and sense of dissillusion.

Here the song titles say it all, delivered in short explosions of anger and raw speed the whole album plays like a huge tantrum, and that's exactly what it is and should be. Guitarist East Bay Ray here plays his part to perfection, with subtle experimentation there for the true listener but it can be easily missed. The songs tend to meld together yet there is no attempt at a general flow in the album. Here all the songs are just as good, just as raw and explosive without the albums context. Such a huge contrast to the more progressive side of rock it's exactly as it should be for a punk album.

Hailed as one of the forebearers of the generally awful Hardcore punk scene Dead Kennedys were incredibly influential, however none of the bands that came after it ever managed to create this sense of brilliance. Jello Biafra's voice and lyrics here play so well to the era, and the whole feel of rebellion. At a time when "new wave" was the in-thing slower tempo overproduced songs claiming punk status were the new thing, this album came as a shock. Each song is as cutting as the next, but the three sonjgs starting with Chemical Warfare and finishing with I Kill Children each try to outstrip each other when it comes to shock factor.

But you get the feeling that they're not simply creating these songs to sell, there is a huge sense of message. Chemical Warfare speaks of someone stealing mustard gas to release it at a golf course and watch the ensuing mayhem. It can be taken many ways, either how easy it would be to cause such pandemonium, or comparing the use of chemical warfare by the government as that of a deranged mass-murderer. There are a lot of messages within the music, in such a way that no other band has truly been able to emulate, or achieve before the release of the album.

California Über Alles is a scathing attack on the then governor of California Jerry Brown, not only comparing him to Hitler but also lining him up as the next president of the United States where he will lead a 1984 style regime. Such a personal and politically charged attack was pretty much unheard of before in music. I Kill Children would still be incredibly shocking released today, it follows the narrators ways in which he would murder children. Starting with "God told me to skin you alive". It suggests feeding them poison candy or strangling them with telephone wire amongs other things. The fact that its delivered in such an earnest way brings a true chill down your back.

The fact that this album dares to tread on such sensitive subjects is just another testament to how truly "punk" they are. Not even at the height of the british punk era did anyone act as this. The rhythm section throughout the whole album actually plays quite well for a punk band and I feel they hold the whole album together musically. Biafra's voice and East Bay Ray's guitar are constantly trying to outdo and break free of rhythm, experimenting in ways which most punk bands wouldn't dare. This experimentation means this album has aged extremely well and doesn't become tired after many listens.

There is a feeling that they're fast simply because it suits them, instead of just being fast as is expected of a punk band. There are often changes in tempo for various reasons which help to bring a nice feel of individualism in the album, this is especially felt by the often wandering guitar tending to slip away and do something completely different.

Often regarded as their flagship song, Holiday in Cambodia can be seen as a scathing acerbic view of American culture. Comparing it to a "Holiday in Cambodia" the subject matter is without a doubt the US detailing how close the current situation is to the oppression of Cambodia a current hotspot after the Vietnam war. The song is a good starting point for what Dead Kennedys are, severly left wing to a point of fault with more opinions than a presidential election. The "cover" of Viva Las Vegas is a perfect end to the album.

The whole album plays like a political and social satire, leaving no rock unturned and no subject sacred it is the perfect punk album. Despite this, it doesn't feel like a 10/10 album, and no punk album ever will, because it is purely reactionary, no matter how well it does it, it can never reach true brilliance. And, once again, my score will reflect this.


Incredibly influential album, but for all the wrong reasons, the countless imitators that have spawned from the genre that the Dead Kennedys helped create have never been able to live up to the brilliance of the creators. Hardcore and the subsequent genres that came from it, all the way up to emo have produced countless albums of utter tripe and as such Dead Kennedys hold a grave responsibility. How this album SHOULD have influenced music was to bring back the true face of punk, cutting, charged commentary, taking no prisoners and bringing the true feeling of punk back. They failed in doing so, however you can still enjoy the brilliance of this album, and the other Dead Kennedys albums.

I think your review is excellent. This for me is a gem of the obscure. Thanks for the heads up. I have enjoyed this long lost pastoral folk album immensely. This is a long and sad life tale that the Mountain Ash Band have told but they have done it with style, not only with wonderful lyricism but also with eclectic folk styles that are also very English. I have imagined that this collection of songs could have been told by travelling minstrels in the mid 1800 at inns up and down Yorkshire. Maybe I am being too romantic. Great stuff Comus and I look forward to more hidden gems that you recommend.

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.

I seriously would not have expected an album like this reviewed on here and in such detail. Very good review and it makes me wonder why you indulge in a spot of trolling on these boards every now and again. You are far too good for that. One of my favourite journals on here for sure.