Distillation - Wishbone Ash

Wishbone Ash Argus (Remastered)

Advantages: Technically very good, virtuoso performances, good prog
Disadvantages: A little dated, won't make you look trendy

Ash don't seem to have dated as well as other bands: they did the twin lead guitar thing and combined rock, folk and blues long before Thin Lizzy but while Lizzy are perennial favourites Ash are largely forgotten. The Allman Brothers are revered but say "Ted Turner and Andy Powell" and people would probably say: "Television guy? Radio One DJ?" Originally released in April 1972, "Argus" is said to be the crowning moment of the recording career of Wishbone Ash. Fans and critics see it as the definitive Ash album yet I bet it hardly ever figures in those "best 100 albums of all time polls" you get when magazines and newspapers need to fill space. If you've never heard of Ash, they're a bit like Jethro Tull or Yes: prog rock combined with jazz, blues and folk, with quite delicate vocals. In fact the whole sound is quite delicate ...

JeroBear 09.12.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Argus [Remastered] - Wishbone Ash

Rock of ages

Advantages: Brilliant early 70's rock music
Disadvantages: Some of the singing!

The first version of Wishbone Ash in the early 1970s were a London-based band fronted by the twin guitars of Andy Powell and Ted Turner, who had released two albums prior to this, their self-titled debut in 1970 and Pilgrimage in 1971. Although nominally a progressive rock act, the Ash were too varied to be pinned to any particular style, alternating between hard rock, folksy-leaning acoustic material and melodic rock with jazzy undertones. All in all, a good band with more than capable musicians, who were: Andy Powell and Ted Turner (guitars, occasional vocals), Martin Turner (bass, vocals) and Steve Upton (drums). Argus was first released in May 1972, it was a very sucessful album at the time, going gold, and over the years has become their most famous record. Something of a "concept" album this one, but I use ...

pinkmatchstick 29.07.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Argus - Wishbone Ash

Phoenix bird, raise your head to the sky

Advantages: Classic British rock music
Disadvantages: -

Wishbone Ash are stalwarts of the UK rock scene, having been around in one form or another since the mid 1960's. They are my dad's favourite ever group and I grew up listening to every record they ever made! In their early 70's peak, of which this is the first in a series of top-notch albums, they were very big, but never quite made it to arena status. A gig with Deep Purple led to their guitarist, "Smiling" Richie Blackmore recommending the band to the record company MCA, and recording commenced! This, their debut album, released in December 1970, showcased their then unique style - a twin lead guitar attack, courtesy of Andy Powell and Ted Turner. It seems the intention was to have just a classic vox-guitar-bass-drums line up but after honing the sound, the band decided to have two guitarists. Thus was ...

pinkmatchstick 23.03.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Wishbone Ash - Wishbone Ash