ARGUS

Every once in a while, you just have to rock out to some great guitar work. Sometimes, saxes, moogs, flutes, etc. are not necessary. For those times, I turn to Wishbone Ash.

Does having two guitars, a song greater than 9 minutes, and what could be considered a mini-epic (Warrior / Throw Down the Sword) make this album prog? Not really, yet it gives it something akin to the magic that progressive rock has, making this a great piece of classic rock for someone who enjoys progressive rock.

To be honest, I had never heard of Wishbone Ash until I started buying music on Amazon. It was recommended to me (because I had bought an ELP album, no less), and the album art looked really cool. The price wasn't too high, so out of curiosity, I ordered it.

I will openly admit to being swayed by nice packaging, and could not wait to get into the music behind the soldier on the cover. The opening track, Time Was, lead me in with it's sweet acoustic guitars, before it started rocking out. Perhaps not as anthemic as some classic rock can be, but definitely a nice listen.

Sometime World was similar in song structure to Time Was (quiet start that leads into a rocker), but I feel that it was somehow more successful. The final pass through the chorus truly feels epic, and the build up to it was quite excellent. Unfortunately, this was followed by what I consider the weakest track on the album, Blowin' Free, which still has not lodged itself in my memory.

Luckily, this is followed by some more excellent music. The King Will Come furthers the feel of this being a somewhat medieval themed album, although it was apparently not a concept album. Leaf and Stream is a nice piece that gives off the feel of being about among nature quite nicely.

The album ends with what I consider to be a mini-epic, even though it is really just two songs that flow nicely into each other. The first of these, A Warrior, is an excellent rocking piece, with a strong chorus that really builds up energy. It leads into 'Throw Down the Sword', where I often imagine a warrior after years of battle retiring to a life more peaceful. All in all, a most excellent way to close an already excellent album.

This album would make an excellent addition to any prog rock music collection, despite not being strictly prog. It is definitely a near-masterpiece, and was apparently considered the best album of '72 by some. Considering what other music came out in '72, it had a lot of competition, so even if I don't agree with that particular notion, it still speaks volumes about the quality of music contained herein.