Digitally remastered reissue of their 1972 album for A&M with the original cover art intact & two bonus tracks added:'Here It Comes' & 'I'm Going Home'. 14 tracks total. 1998 A&M release.
Album Type: Extra tracks, Import, Original recording remastered
Album Description
Digitally remastered reissue of their 1972 album for A&M with the original cover art intact & two bonus tracks added:'Here It Comes' & 'I'm Going Home'. 14 tracks total. 1998 A&M release.
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(5 out of 5 stars)
"This excellent 1972 release by the Strawbs is much proggier/rockier sounding than From the Witchwood (1971), with electric instruments outweighing acoustic instruments. The lineup at this point no longer included Rick Wakeman, who had (rather abruptly) joined Yes. Apparently Dave Cousins was very upset by the way Rick left the band, which was expressed in the angry-sounding track Tomorrow. In addition to Dave Cousins (vocals acoustic/electric guitars, dulcimer) the other players on the album include the superb keyboardist Blue Weaver (mellotron, Hammond organ, harmonium, clavioline); John Ford (bass, vocals); Tony Hooper (guitars, vocals); and Richard Hudson (drums). The overall sound of the album is dark and features plenty of brooding mellotron parts and a few delicate, folk-flavored acoustic pieces (Hey Little Man...Wednesday's Child). The track Grave New World is the best example of gloom and doom on the album and is simply loaded with mellotron (w/string setting) - it is my favorite piece on the album in fact. On the other side of the equation is some brisk Hammond organ work - Blue Weaver certainly gives Wakeman a run for his money on the track Tomorrow; aggressive bass parts played on a very trebly Rickenbacker bass; rocking electric guitar work; and some heavy drumming. In general though, the heaviness is not overbearing in any way. Although Dave Cousins certainly has an unusual voice, I actually find it very listenable. The three and four part vocal harmonies are also very nice - the folk inflected vocal harmonies on The Flower and the Young Man are especially good. Although prog, folk and rock styles predominate, there are Indian influences as well (Is It Today, Lord?), along with a bit of silliness. Specifically, the track Ah Me, Ah My is silly in a Monty Python, barbershop quartet way and really does not fit with the heavy gloom that characterizes most of the material. This is a minor complaint however, and does not affect the quality of the listening experience. The remastering of the album is generally pretty good and features improved sound quality (although the bass is screaming), along with detailed liner notes and restored cover art. The bonus tracks Here it Comes and I'm Going Home are not especially good. Overall, this is a wonderful Strawbs album and is recommended along with From the Witchwood (1971); Hero and Heroine (1974); and Ghosts (1975)."