THE HENRY COW LEGEND [AKA: LEGEND OR LEG END]

I still remember the first time I listened to Henry Cow's Leg End. I was blown away by the off-the-wall nature of the music, yet at the time also very impressed by how much musical merit and beauty the compositions themselves have.

Much of what you will hear on this album is very Avant-Garde and Jazzy, yet it's also a great starting place for new Henry Cow listeners, because so much of the album is actually pretty accessible. The content is rich and varied, featuring a wide range of varied instruments from clarinets and saxophones, to guitars, basses and pianos, to even Whistles and Toys. All of those elements combine to create a very unique, yet surprisingly listenable treat!

At times the music will flow into very peaceful, melodic passages that give breaks between the more rough sections, and it creates a nice balance, I think. Clearly the musicians featured in this band are more than capable musically, yet they choose to write music is an unconventional way that nobody before them quite did, and that makes for some killer moments that are unique only to this album. I think that's why a lot of people enjoy this type of music so much; it's much harder to replicate or recycle when the melodies and riffs are breaking every rule all the time.

Again, I cannot stress just how amazing it is to me that such original, off-the-wall music could also be so much fun to listen to right from the beginning. A lot of music I won't appreciate until I've listened to it several times, but right from the first time I listened to Leg End all the way through, I loved it. I think plenty of others will have the same reaction, so I recommend this album as a starting place foe getting into the band. There is just so much substance here that makes it worth listening to, even for people who may not be naturally drawn to avant-garde style music.

I still don't think every Prog fan will appreciate this, though most will, in time, and if they allow themselves to. However, for most of us who enjoy different types of sounds anyway, I think you may be surprised as to just how much you enjoy Leg End, and how fast. That's why I think it deserves a very, very high 4.5 out of five. It's original, vast and essential for those who wish to find out what this style of music is all about. It is truly one of the more remarkable albums I own. You just have to hear it to understand what I'm talking about. Almost nothing album this album is familiar, yet somehow, it pleases the ear much quicker than many of its peers. A perfect springboard for newcomers, and an all-time classic for the veteran fans. In my opinion, you simply can't be a true fan of this style of music without first hearing Leg End. It's quite an experience.

Very happy listening.