VERY 'EAVY...VERY 'UMBLE

Uriah Heep's debut album is like most heavy rock bands debut albums; features the blues-roots, some pretty solid heavy riffage, raw production, pretty amateur compositions, over-engaging vocals, and not a defined sound. Yes, that's how Very 'eavy Very 'umble sounds like.

The line-up would get better with time, still the musicians in here know how to make some productive engaging rock, pretty noticeable with the classic hammond-organ intro Gypsy delivers. Obviously features lots of flaws, mainly the endless and un-attractive organ solo in the middle, still it manages to make some few kicks every now and then. Mind you that Gyspy, I'll Keep on Trying and Dreammare are the foundations which Uriah Heep will grow from; the heavy organ/guitar riffs, wah-wah guitar solos, powerful, and sometimes even screeching, vocals/harmonies, and a reliable rhythm section, this is all what will make Uriah Heep a renowned heavy rock band in the following years.

However like I said at the beginning, on most debut albums the band is not sure what direction to go, so don't expect 100% guitar riffs that'll blow your ears off or vocals that will make you cringe. As for the blues-roots I stated, Lucy Blues is one simple organ-lead blues song, however it always makes me raise up the volume when I'm listening to it, waiting always for the 1minute spine-chilling hammond-organ solo.

Come Away Melinda is a soft mellotron-driven song featuring some of David Byron's softest vocals. It's not challenging at all, and no, it doesn't sound at all like the Uriah Heep we all know, yet it's a pretty moving song.

Walking in your Shadow and Real Turned On are cooled-down hard rock tunes, not much from the organ to be found, yet from the guitar you can expect some nice riffs and solos, in which the later of the two features Kevin Hensley on slide-guitar!

Finally the last song Wake Up (set your sight) seems like something by MK 1 Deep Purple did, soft, moving, yet pretty elaborated for a debut album.

My conclusion would be that it's far from being a ground-breaking debut album as Black Sabbath's or Ian Gillan's debut with Deep Purple, yet it is clearly trying to be in that style, however it would be a matter of time until they totally developed that style in albums like Look at Yourself and Demons & Wizards. Still, another solid half-heavy rock debut album worth checking out for knowing the beginning of Heavy Metal, Heavy Prog and well Uriah Heep of course.

Share this URIAH HEEP review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to The Quiet One
• Report this review (#239081)
• Buy URIAH HEEP music online with PA partners
• Show all URIAH HEEP MP3/Stream
• Go to URIAH HEEP page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Very 'Eavy...Very 'Umble page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for URIAH HEEP related discussions