Album of the day (#3832): Argus by Wishbone Ash

[albummaster]

Today's album of the day

Argus by Wishbone Ash (View album | Buy this album)

Year: 1972.
Country:
Overall rank: 990
Average rating: 80/100 (from 222 votes).

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Tracks:
1. Time Was
2. Sometime World
3. Blowin' Free
4. The King Will Come
5. Leaf And Stream
6. Warrior
7. Throw Down The Sword

About album of the day: The BestEverAlbums.com album of the day is the album appearing most prominently in member charts in the previous 24 hours. If an album, or artist, has previously been selected within a x day period, the next highest album is picked instead (and so on) to ensure a bit of variety. A full history of album of the day can be viewed here.

[Mercury]

cool album
_________________
-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

[MetaKoopa99]

Wow! Glad to see this album is trending lately. It's become one of my all-time favorites in a short period of time. Hopefully this expanded visibility gets more people interested in Wishbone Ash, their guitar work and melody-writing are top notch and they deserve far more love than they get.

[EyeKanFly]

This is a rare AotD that I've straight up never heard of the album or artist. I'll have to check it out.
_________________
51 Washington, D.C. albums!

[Mercury]

I listened to this for my diary. Like the 10th post of
My diary back in may 2017. My gimmick then was anniversaries of albums would force me to listen to stuff I may otherwise never have listened to. This Wishbone ash 45th anniversary listen was a great example. I have since fallen in love with a lot of early 70s hard Prog bluesy rock stuff but at the time I was still a bit snooty and elitist and this album kinda helped me break out of that silly mindset toward early 70s Prog hard rock stuff.

Just to be a bit pretentious and to show off my horrible writing style, I’ll quote my post from may 8th 2017 (note: my writing hasn’t gotten any better I don’t think. But anyway, here are my thoughts then and still my thoughts today although I do need to revisit this gem)

—————

May 8th - Hello again, World. It's your friendly forum anniversary obsessive.

Today we are celebrating the 45th Anniversary of ...

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Argus by Wishbone Ash


I'm listening for the second time today, and ever, to this album. Ranked #40 in Prog Rock albums on RYM, and an album and band I've seen mentioned here and there. But I honestly had no interest until now when it's anniversary along with the arbitrary guidelines of this diary incentivized me to jump in and give a good listen.

The reason I had no interest was mostly my associations with Prog Rock. Of the albums I've heard of that genre tag I probably really dug 2 or 3. It seems like something I may enjoy more. I mean I like virtuosic musicianship here and there, I like concept albums once in a blue moon, I even like long mercurial tracks which wind through all sorts of sounds and time signatures. But something about how serious so much of it came across as just turned me off. Also, I don't like overdone wankery, I don't generally like songs which mention all trials and trevails of knights and dragons and sorcerers. Whether with a straight face or not, those subjects belong, I feel, in movies and books. Also, most of the vocals in albums by Yes or Genesis or even King Crimson at times came across as a bit on the overdramatic/cringey end of the spectrum.

Okay, all that button pushing and insults to many people's favorite genre of rock aside, and we come to this album. And, here's the surprising thing, I quite liked it. I'd almost say Loved it. I know, crazy right?

The opening track is stellar. The beautiful acoustic guitar sets up a nice, appropriately uncringey vocal which I quite loved. The whole first 2 or 3 quiet minutes is just so gorgeous. Then boy that rock guitar and drums come hitting! and I'm all in. It's not some complex wall of scales, just a beautifully composed bluesy hard rock jam...which grows and adds layers in a subtle and logical way. And the song maintains a sunniness and liveliness which was uplifting and beautiful. The lyrics I catch here and there aren't corny - they are actually quite touching. And damn the twin guitar solos are heavenly. Not mindboggling like when i hear Fripp or the Yes guitarist (forget the name), but not simple either. The solos and runs are emotive and they crackle with energy.

The opening track is like 10 minutes, and doesn't sound a second "too long".

And after that, the record stays strong, corny lyrics and bombastic, operatic vocals creep in with "Warrior" but are overshadowed by a brash LOUD guitar part and some cool high hat drum stuff. The silly lyrics/vocals crop up more with the last song "Throw Down The Sword", still, its a solid track.

Considering every minute, nay second, of the first 5 songs is nearly pitch perfect, engaging excellence, I don't bemoan the drop in quality in the last couple tracks. Hell, prog heads may consider the last 2 the best. I have no friggin clue.

The vocals stay in the usual, undistracting realm throughout. The solos on each track are sharp and crisp and truly beautiful. And the song structures are unique yet not overly showy and busy. It really comes across as a solid hard rock album through and through more than a faux-"cerebral" prog album.

Maybe this experience will open me up to more dips into Prog Rock.

Happy 45th, "Argus"!

------------

Any recommendations on next essential Prog rock albums maybe I should give a go with? I know there are some big fans of this stuff, this style, this era out there on BEA! If so, Throw down the sword, and help a feller out!

-------------------------------

EDIT: Oh and I have to say I fucking ADORE that album cover! It's got the perspective and color I just vibe with. And despite the fact that that is a grown ass man in 1970 something dressed up as some sort of helmeted warrior, it doesn't come across as silly. It comes across to me as introspective and epic all at once.”

————

And yeah this is 2021 me again. Gotta say I forgot until just now how much this album kind of ACTUALLY did open my eyes and heart (so corny I know) to Prog. Just a month or 2 later I had my weeping, euphoric, hallelujah, eureka moment with Close To The Edge. Not sure I would have had I not loved this bad boy.

Highly recommended
_________________
-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

[Fischman]

Wishbone Ash was one of the groups I missed back in the day. Years needlessly lost. This is a fantastic album, hitting me right in a sweet spot where hard rock and progressive influences collide.