ARGUS

"Argus" is arguably the proggiest album Wishbone Ash ever released, a dreamy hodgepodge of prog, blues and hard rock. This album is so good that it even ranked first on a Melody Maker readers poll as the top album of 1972, and one listen is all that you need to discern its superb quality. Starting with the fantastic "Time Was" and rolling through to the stunning anti-war protest "Throw Down the Sword", "Argus" is definitely a recommended listen to any prog fan.

Side One opens with "Time Was", which starts out with an extended acoustic intro which seamlessly transitions into a delicious guitar showcase for Andy Powell. "Sometime World" is much the same, but with better harmonizing between Martin Turner and Andy Powell and the best guitar solo of the album from Powell, which fades out the song. In my opinion, "Sometime World" is the best song on the album, one that is guaranteed to be stuck in your head for a long time. Side One closes out with "Blowin' Free", probably the most folk-tinged song on the album, not nearly as classic as the first two tracks, but it still holds its own as a solid track.

Side Two opens with "The King Will Come", which starts "Argus"'s medieval-themed suite on Side Two. In my opinion, "The King Will Come" is the weakest track on "Argus". Not that it's a bad song, but it just never goes anywhere, and it seems more repetitive than the previous tracks. Next is "Leaf and Stream", the album's best ballad, though probably the least proggy song on the entire album. "Warrior" is a fantastic song with the catchiest chorus on the album, which segues into "Throw Down the Sword". On this track, you can definitely hear the Iron Maiden influence, as Steve Harris basically plagiarized the opening two minutes of "Throw Down the Sword" in at least a half-dozen Iron Maiden songs.

Overall, "Argus" is definitely the finest album Wishbone Ash ever recorded, and sadly, they'd never come close to replicating it again. "Argus" is the perfect blend of the bluesy sound of their first album, the progressive folk sound of their second album, and the hard rock they'd later be known for on subsequent releases. "Argus" was also a landmark album in terms of the twin-lead guitar sound, a style that would later be adopted by such bands as Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, all of whom credit Wishbone Ash as an influence on their music. If there is one Wishbone Ash album that I'd recommend to the prog listeners on this site, "Argus" would be that album. A true classic of the genre.