Argus
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Other music related lounges
Forum Name: Proto-Prog and Prog-Related Lounge
Forum Description: Discuss bands and albums classified as Proto-Prog and Prog-Related
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=105046
Printed Date: November 30 2024 at 17:36
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Topic: Argus
Posted By: octopus-4
Subject: Argus
Date Posted: December 01 2015 at 14:26
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I've just seen a review giving 1 star to one of my 5 stars albums. It's a legitimate opinion and I don't pretend to be right. I'd just like to start an "appreciation" or "disappreciation" thread about Wishbone Ash's Argus. What does people think is good or bad in that? This is my review. Surely not a great one, just to start the discussion if anybody is interested. http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=753082" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=753082 ------------- I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution |
Replies:
Posted By: RayRo
Date Posted: December 01 2015 at 14:36
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I'm more of an old school heavy metal fan as opposed to a prog fan, but this album is a killer along with the WA's first two albums. ------------- Vive Le France!! |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: December 01 2015 at 14:43
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Well...I like the first 3 the most and Argus the best of those. IMHo they never again achieved that blend of prog blues and rock like Argus. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: AEProgman
Date Posted: December 01 2015 at 15:30
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Saw that review as well. This was one of my favorite albums back in those days and I still listen to it from time to time along with the first two. Argus always had a concept feel to it, at least to me, or the track order went well into each other. ------------- 
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Posted By: GKR
Date Posted: December 01 2015 at 15:56
Wishbone Ash was one of those bands I hear in the transition between Heavy Metal to progressive rock... it has a special place in my heart and I also give 5 stars to it.  ------------- - From each according to his ability, to each according to his need. |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: December 01 2015 at 17:39
Aye.
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GKR wrote:Posted By: AlanB
Date Posted: December 02 2015 at 02:50
| My all time favourite album by ANY band. I like most of the Wishbone Ash albums up to 1980, but they never made anything else as great as this one. |
Posted By: Intruder
Date Posted: December 02 2015 at 07:19
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I like the Ash when they're jamming, especially side 2 of the first album. Argus is a groovy record - again, great jamming, but I hate it when they sing....and those lyrics - oy! ------------- I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there..... |
Posted By: SquonkHunter
Date Posted: December 03 2015 at 03:52
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My favorite WA album. ------------- "You never had the things you thought you should have had and you'll not get them now..." |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: December 03 2015 at 08:46
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With Argus is the proof that there was magic in the air in those days; a very, very special record that the band has never equaled since. The atmosphere and vibe are unique and endearing! |
Posted By: addictedtoprog
Date Posted: December 03 2015 at 09:25
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Argus is a Masterpiece. Haven't heard anything else from them. |
Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: December 03 2015 at 11:57
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Argus is great, as are the first two albums. Haven't been able to really get into anything from Wishbone Ash after Argus.
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Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: December 04 2015 at 01:10
You could waste a lot of time looking for similar gems in the rest of their catalogue. There aren't any. Having said that the live albums Live Dates and Live Dates II are very nice, and the first two studio albums also have some excellent parts and are at least worth investigating. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: December 04 2015 at 01:59
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I couldn't believe it when I saw the 1 star rating / review that appeared on the front page that day - still find it difficult to fathom. Argus is superb - still obsessing over the debut though, and Pilgrimage. |
Posted By: AlanB
Date Posted: December 04 2015 at 02:43
| The biggest mystery to me is why Argus never appears in any of those "1000 albums you need to hear before you die" type books. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: December 04 2015 at 03:26
the debut is my favorite from them  |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: December 04 2015 at 03:33
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^
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Posted By: dr prog
Date Posted: December 08 2015 at 02:38
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It's ok. Pretty straight forward though ------------- All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock. |
Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: December 24 2015 at 03:58
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A 1 star review of Argus. Well that has a novelty value in and of itself I suppose. Clearly not listened to Sometime World and that killer bass riff in it. The only negative thing I can say about Argus is that the 2 expanded versions really needed to be just one. Yep, the first two, Argus and Live Dates as well for that double live album completion backwards principle sake of it. Argus. 1 star. Hahahahahahaha. Try as hard as you can, come up with a stone classic and someone says... well whatever next? P.S. It was NOT an opinion i.e. I like versus dislike which is; but is a judgement or assessment / evaluation and requires evidence. Thus it's ok to call someone on this sort of thing. Especially when they get the two concepts mixed up. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: January 01 2016 at 18:47
| Not quite Argus, but I spun There's The Rub yesterday and it's a bloody excellent album start to finish. Easy 4 star - No Smoke Without Fire is close in quality. |
Posted By: BarryGlibb
Date Posted: January 02 2016 at 00:11
Tom...you've finally found a few more Ash albums other than their first! I have followed WA for almost 40 years. Yes, Argus is a great album, no doubt about it.....it's everyone's favourite but for some reason, which I really cannot pinpoint, is the fact that I love There's The Rub more. The musicianship, the songs and the production on There's The Rub are all extraordinary.....and especially for 1974. Blown away I was when I first heard it (on a good hi-fi system) ......you cannot appreciate it from a Youtube clip. If you can get the Japanese SHMCD edition of There's the Rub, then do; as it's exceptional. I wonder whether the individual master tapes exist for a 5.1 mix? Probably not. Tom keep listening to There's The Rub ....it will soon be your 5 star masterpiece. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: January 02 2016 at 02:38
^  I've had TTR for a couple of years (well, almost 2) and got NSWF several months back. I think we discussed it. The debut is still my favourite, even my sister digs it. But, yes, Rub is pretty wicked, the lead solos are mightily impressive and quite 'shredding' - Turner's bass on the opening cut has some overdrive or distortion, again awesome. The more I listen, it could get that 5th star yet.
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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: January 02 2016 at 02:39
| Can't have the same post appearing one after the other..... |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: January 02 2016 at 02:39
.....something dodge just happened with my post........ 
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Posted By: Ian Stuart
Date Posted: January 15 2017 at 23:08
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In my view, not only is Argus the finest Wishbone Ash album but it's one of the 10 or 12 "perfect" albums of my entire Prog life: 1965 to present. Truly a gem which I spin at least once a quarter ... |
Posted By: npjnpj
Date Posted: January 16 2017 at 02:10
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Argus and There's the Rub are both 5 star albums for me. Their other albums do nothing for me (including the first two) and are all somewhere between 1 and 3 stars. Most, to be honest, are pretty much dreck. |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: January 16 2017 at 02:36
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I have a special feeling for Pilgrimage and Front Page News, too. Honestly I wouldn't recommend Front Page News to any progger,but Surface to Air is a great song and the rest of the album is not special but not bad at all. ------------- I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution |
Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: January 16 2017 at 07:19
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Based on the comments here, i'm going to check out There's The Rub. Tried Wishbone 4 and found it a let down after Argus.
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Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: January 16 2017 at 07:59
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Wishbone 4 is just a rock album. I like "No Easy Road but the live version on Hot Ash is better. Yes, Wishbone 4 is an album one an give up to. ------------- I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: January 16 2017 at 12:38
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Just happened to find an unwrapped, remastered Argus CD the other week for around $7 at my favorite used record/CD store down the way and asked one of its clerk for any knowledge of it. He said it was their best, so the purchase was made. Having never heard anything by the band before, I found it to be quite good, musicianship-wise, but I didn't see any prog connection to it, and I generally wasn't crazy about it. Perhaps 10 more listens ... ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: January 16 2017 at 22:37
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Argus is a great album. I enjoy it a lot, but I still prefer the debut (soz Barry !!.......still can't steer me away from this brilliant slab of wax......) though I have yet to hear a weak WA album (70's era, I guess). I did get New England a couple months ago and it, too, is a very strong album - lots to enjoy for sure. I'm just kicking myself that I snobbed them off back in the late-80's when I was initially discovering lots of great Prog bands (my dumb attitude ; no keyboards, not Prog.....). And now Anthrax. Such a great Thrash band I missed all this time.....but I digress. I do think Argus has its progressive traits for sure, without being full-blown Prog-Rock. Nevertheless, should appeal to a large percentage of Proggers out there. |
Posted By: Big Ears
Date Posted: January 17 2017 at 04:10
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I like all of the 'classic' albums, the reunion albums with Martin Turner and Martin Turner's solo material. |
Posted By: Replayer
Date Posted: January 20 2017 at 13:59
| I discovered the band due to PA about two years ago and I've gotten their first three albums so far. My current preference is Argus, followed by Wishbone Ash, followed by Pilgrimage. Based on the comments on this thread, I've added There's the Rub and New England to my future musical purchases list. |
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: January 20 2017 at 17:21
| ^ Just my 2c, but after the first three studio albums I'd say the best things to have are Live Dates and Live Dates 2. Between those you have killer versions of almost all the highlights of their repertoire and miss the uninspired pap that featured to some extent on basically all of their post-Argus albums. |
Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: January 21 2017 at 17:48
I agree with this. I recently tried There's The Rub and other than the song F.U.B.B. I was completely unimpressed with that album. Wishbone 4 bores me to tears. I've sample bits and pieces of later works but none of it is on par with their early output, imo.
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Posted By: maryes
Date Posted: January 22 2017 at 08:32
| I don't write a review about Wishboone Ash "Argus" but ... my rate probably is between 3 or 4 stars !!! |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: February 01 2017 at 02:44
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I need to try this album again. I have it on CD somewhere. I've heard it maybe three times in my life and it does nothing for me at all, but seems to be broadly regarded as an absolute classic and must have album. I need to understand why. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: BarryGlibb
Date Posted: February 04 2017 at 03:04
Keep playing it i.e. There's The Rub. It's brilliant IMHO. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: February 04 2017 at 03:07
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^...............New England is no slouch, either...............but then again, depends what you're looking for within certain genres. Some folks love 'the music' some bands produce. Others love 'bands', whatever they produce, good or bad...... |
Posted By: npjnpj
Date Posted: February 04 2017 at 23:14
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Laurie Wisefield should never have been let anywhere near a microphone. Every album on which he sings, he drags my personal rating down by at least two stars. Talk about tuneless warbling! He's an excellent guitarist though. |
Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: February 17 2017 at 08:08
For me, I like a lot of Wishbone Ash's first three albums. After that, I just can't seem to get into what they were doing. Stuff like The Pilgrim, Vas Dis, Handy, Phoenix, a couple others, and pretty much all of Argus scratches the itch for me.
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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: February 17 2017 at 15:57
| ^ I do think the first 3 albums are hard to beat, but there's always plenty to enjoy on subsequent albums. |