Comus

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Comus

The Album starts of with a bang, a sharp repetitive and overall memorable riff kicks it off, reminiscent of Black Sabbath's debut sped up a few measures. Freelance Fiend set the album up to be a true great. The solos cut a harsh rift through the music that perfectly complements Peter French's vocals that rock, roll and soar throughout the album while still remaining gritty and unpolished. This grittyness is reflected throughout the album with the exception of the drums that place a nice juxtaposition to the rest of the album. The twin guitar work of Mick Halls and Derek Brooks can sometimes be reminiscent of Wishbone Ash, if a bit more edgy and quite a bit less technical. Nevertheless the guitars lack no soul and this truly makes the album a must have for any aspiring guitarist.

The albums first three songs reflect a Zeppelin-esque hard to soft rock transitions with Sad Road to the Sea being far more reflective and sombre, without losing any of it's harsh guitar solos providing a huge basis for the whole album. Growers of Mushroom starts to reach it's full potential as it approaches an early climax with the incredible psychedelic/stoner track Work My Body which lends a very progressive feel to the album. The eight minute epic is short in comparison to a lot of epic tracks from other albums, but it nevertheless has all the hallmarks of a progressive great. Work My Body builds on a guitar solo that progresses throughout the song increasing and decreasing the tempo, sending even the sober mind into a mild stupor. Paralells can be drawn between this and Dazed and Confused but that can be misinterpreted so it's worth only a small mention. The lyrics are some of the strongest on the album while cliche heavy it still works incredibly well with the song. The guitar work simply can't be overlooked and neither can the recurring themes and psychedelic riffs throughout. The song quickly changes in a very progressive manner, synths/hammond taking over from the guitars as they blister through a solo that's simply faded out.

As the fift track Stray begins some of the weaknesses of the album become apparent, all the songs do tend to sound very similar, harsh critics would see this as a huge let down, however there is some variation and as they say, why fix something that aint broken. As an album it does have a very distinctive sound that can be quite easily identified however it is very of its time, of course that's not to say it hasn't aged well, I wouldn't be reviewing it if it hadn't. However, an album like this would simply not be made today, not even by a band of the era, the sound is unmistakably 70's and everything about it is set in the era. What Leaf Hound has done is take something done before, alter it with great effect and perfect it; the result is something entirely different but still very similar.

The ballad With a Minute to Go is an obvious attempt at commercialism however I find it well recieved and quite effective with it's placement in the album, set quite rightfully in between two climaxes. The solo seems the most appropriate to the song, being a lot more in tune with the song, again very Zeppelin-esque vocal style (not pitch), the song draws huge paralells with Ramble On at times. This brings the album to what I believe is the finest moment in the 48 minute long journey, with very spaced out lyrics, the title track simply embodies the drug addled imagry the album conveys. With lyrics such as "nothing was out of places except the floor" and "my life was a beetle that ran down the wall". The song can become uncomfortably intense if listened to twice in a row within the album setting, yet it's not very musically intense. Stagnant pool provides some more excelent guitar passages and a return to the harsh hard rock vocals absent in the title track, providing a highly effective contrast. As the album progresses towards the end four songs we get the reissue songs, with the exception of Hip shaker which was on the original album, however appears nearer the end here.

This is not to say the final few songs are no brilliant, however they may seem a bit out of place in the album setting, the same principle sound is apparant however there are some slight changes in production and guitar work. Sawdust Ceasar provides one of the most psychedelic pieces with a very simple short recurring riff mesmerizing the listener while a drawn out guitar solo distracts you from your slipping mental state. If you truly listen to this album you'll find it as unsettling as music can get without building huge soundscapes and haunting lyrics. The psychedelia is achieved in an incredibly simple way, and that underlines the effectiveness of it. It's Going to Get Better is the second song of the album to feature a far more clean style of vocals in a ballad setting. The song has a sad yet uplifting undertone, it's very layered and ambient which provides yet another contrast to the harsh style of the rest of the songs, if there ever was one for the girls, this is it.

Hip Shaker is unmistakenly from the original recordings, and would fit in better earlier in the album, however poor production really does harm this song and probably led to it's placement at the back. I'm very pleased it's not the last song of the album, because an album of such quality should end on a high, and if there ever was a high, Too Many Rock'n'Roll Times perfectly embodies it. An incredibly sharp 70's riff suprisingly released in 2005 provides a hard rocking, brilliant end to the album.

Unmistakenly set in the 70's this album has aged incredibly well throughout the years and interest in the album throughout reflects this. Noted as one of the most collectible Vinyl LP's ever, it's no wonder considering the quality and excelence of musicianship throughout and newer tracks certainly don't fail to shine either.

If this was a perfect world and I could rate based on pure personal preference I would give this a 10/10 however it's not, and some obvious weaknesses means I can't give this anything more than 8.5/10, nevertheless a brilliant score for a brilliant album. This is a must have for any hard rock/70's fan or guitar player. Fans of Led Zeppelin, Captain Beyond, Free, Foghat, Atomic Rooster and Iron Butterfly will love this.

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Comus

A little note to start the review, I will not include the reissue track No Easy Road in the review while considering score, however I list it here and will mention it. This is because most versions of the album available to the savvy internet user do include this track. This album should need no introduction, it was named 1972 album of the year by Sounds Magazine and can be traced forward to being perhaps one of the most underlooked and influential albums of all time, especially and surprisingly within Metal.

The first track Time Was starts with a soft acoustic passage, slowly building and setting the mood creatively. The vocals have never been the strong point of Wishbone Ash, but I feel on this album they are so masterfully used within their limits, and provide a very strong backing to the music. The overall serenity of parts of this album are as much because the vocals are used in a very expert way as the instrumental work itself. The change from the serene to the first burst of energy comes and the transition feels natural, but unexpected to a first time listener. While it doesn't particularly rock hard, the whole scene is supported by seemingly random guitar licks which are very common within the album. The guitar work on all songs are absolutely exquisite and Time Was is no exception.

The duelling guitars are Wishbone Ash's lasting legacy. While it might have been common to have a rhythm guitarist on stage while providing support and rhythm to lead this new concept would change the whole way rock was viewed. The two different guitarists views on the songs flourish in the soloing and it's breathtaking to watch the eventual duel unfold. That being said, non-guitarists can appreciate the beautiful melodies that arise from such improvisation expression. The solos are indeed full of soul and very heartfelt. The two masters here are Andy Powell and Ted Turner who both put in stunning work. The equally important Rhythm Section comprised of Martin Turner (no relation) on bass and Steve Upton on drums both provide some brilliant work, even if their finest moments in the sun are on other albums.

Sometime World starts softly just as Time Was, but the guitar work is already present with a lazy solo complemented with some strumming deep in the mix. This eventually comes to the forefront and puts forward what is some of the finest subtle guitar work of the era. This song is stunningly simple and beautiful, yet there are certain flashes of extreme complexity that will cause a more intent listener to come offguard. The intricate way in which Ted and Andy form the passages under the strict rhythm of Martin and Steve is brilliant and works in almost every instant.

While the vocals may grate on someone not used to the less vocally focused prog bands it's important to note that while Wishbone Ash never had a distinctive vocalist their vocals have always been well handled. And at the end of the day, it's the guitars that sing the most, Sometime World contains myriad of solos that are briefly interrupted by the vocals and at the end of the day play a much bigger part. Near the end of the song, the final solo can for brief moments tug at your emotions, and for something this early into the albums context and ambience that is quite powerful indeed.

Blowin' Free contains one of the better songs to sing along to, and provides a brilliant contrast between the two different "voices" with lines of lyrics seperated by small bluesy guitar licks. The guitar work continues to stun and there is nothing finer to simply sit back, close your eyes and bask in the beauty that is this album. For once I'm at a lack of words, and that is something rather hard to achieve, no matter how many times I listen to this album each new time floors me. Each time leaves me wondering why I have been neglecting it, even bothering to listen to other music. But each time I also have to remind myself of the brilliant catalogue of other artists and it all seems worth it in the end. Blowin' Free ends on an appropriate sonic climax build up and reinforced by the vocals and especially the rhythm section.

What can only be described as, along with Phoenix on the first album, as one of Wishbone Ash's crowning achievements The King Will Come springs to life with a military style drumming and a brilliant wah-wah intro. The following licks build upon and provide one of the most epic, relatively short songs within progressive rock. Compelling lyrics and beautiful vocal harmonies continue to build on the brilliance of the songs, and the whole affair is a roller-coaster ride of emotions. Every successive variation on the main theme leaves you hanging for a solo. And when it finally comes it is a joy to behold, every bit as funky and sounding every bit as fresh now as it did back in 1972 it is amazing to consider what the musical landscape was like back then.

But the song isn't over yet, leaving a passage for live improvisation as was the style of the time they continue on with the main themes and once again give in to the beautiful vocal harmonies. As pretentious as the playing is on this song it never shines a negative light onto it, infact it makes it seem all the more organic as if the whole band are doing exactly what they want to and feel incredibly comfortable in doing so.

Leaf and Streme is densely layered and incredibly beautiful, a tranquil intermisson between the King Will Come and Warrior. The Vocal performance is once again very nice and complimentary to the music. Everything is just done to uttermost perfection here, and it shows. Warrior is very high in energy, providing a rusty jangling riff and some more beautiful lead guitar work to introduce the song. Warrior deals with a very basic concept, infact many of the songs skate around the same themes but not enough for it to be considered a proper concept album.

Warrior is about someone going off to fight, finding the concept of slavery to be far less favourable than victory or death in combat. The enduring melodies work so well here with the concept, an enduring feeling of what is going on is indeed reflected within the guitar work. And the chorus is definitely the most fun to sing along to within the whole album. The way the solos flow here is something which puts Wishbone Ash in a league of their own when it comes to melodic guitar work and the broad genres of the guitar work prove a beautiful contrast to the quite standard rhythm and themes.

Throw Down the Sword continues the concept of the Warrior, now that the war is over in a stalemate they have to return to their every day lives, to throw down their swords, or so to say. The introduction builds up intensity brilliantly with some more military style drumming from Steve Upton until he eventually settles into a regular beat. It will have your head bobbing and the way the song is restrained here at the start can be frustrating, but in a way that very much adds to the music. There are some brilliant bits of lyric in this album and Throw Down the Sword contains a lot of them. It proves that even the most common, often puerile themes can be conveyed in a confident and competent manner.

What I consider the climax of the album is all brought together here, a huge solo with dense layering and brilliant backing finishes this song, and what I consider the classic album. No Easy Road has been featured on re-issues as bonus tracks and doesn't really fit in with the rest of the album. It's by no means a bad song, but it's very much more down to earth than the seemingly huge songs on the rest of the album.

This will be, along with Lizard the second 10 I will give out, very few albums can deserve such accolade, and very few will get it I can say for certainty that some other albums border on 10, but will most certainly fall short. This may change on review and relistening, only time will tell.


This album, while largely unknown today has influenced the face of modern rock and metal music immensely, having influenced bands such as Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden. Maiden would prove to be an especially important influence as it fronted the whole New Wave of British Heavy metal, and provided the basis of Power Metal as a whole (for better or worse). And many modern bands such as the Kings of Leon cite Thin Lizzy as influences, so there's even further secondary influence proven by Wishbone Ash and Argus. This album is essential for those wanting to further discover some of the roots of the less riffy side of metal, those who just love classic rock, and those who want to see what all the fuss is about within the prog community about a band who is only just considered to be within it.

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Comus

Despite a slow introduction Kill The Poor sets the mood for this album in it's entirety, acidic lyrical content with a fast beat all tempered by a rather epic scale of experimentation. The whole political tone of the album is set here, entirely tongue in cheek it was a huge shock to the music scene at the time. Of all American punk bands that ever "made it" Dead Kennedys were the only one to truly embody punk in a way that no one else could. This album is in its entirety a huge protest about anything and everything, you truly feel the anger and sense of dissillusion.

Here the song titles say it all, delivered in short explosions of anger and raw speed the whole album plays like a huge tantrum, and that's exactly what it is and should be. Guitarist East Bay Ray here plays his part to perfection, with subtle experimentation there for the true listener but it can be easily missed. The songs tend to meld together yet there is no attempt at a general flow in the album. Here all the songs are just as good, just as raw and explosive without the albums context. Such a huge contrast to the more progressive side of rock it's exactly as it should be for a punk album.

Hailed as one of the forebearers of the generally awful Hardcore punk scene Dead Kennedys were incredibly influential, however none of the bands that came after it ever managed to create this sense of brilliance. Jello Biafra's voice and lyrics here play so well to the era, and the whole feel of rebellion. At a time when "new wave" was the in-thing slower tempo overproduced songs claiming punk status were the new thing, this album came as a shock. Each song is as cutting as the next, but the three sonjgs starting with Chemical Warfare and finishing with I Kill Children each try to outstrip each other when it comes to shock factor.

But you get the feeling that they're not simply creating these songs to sell, there is a huge sense of message. Chemical Warfare speaks of someone stealing mustard gas to release it at a golf course and watch the ensuing mayhem. It can be taken many ways, either how easy it would be to cause such pandemonium, or comparing the use of chemical warfare by the government as that of a deranged mass-murderer. There are a lot of messages within the music, in such a way that no other band has truly been able to emulate, or achieve before the release of the album.

California Über Alles is a scathing attack on the then governor of California Jerry Brown, not only comparing him to Hitler but also lining him up as the next president of the United States where he will lead a 1984 style regime. Such a personal and politically charged attack was pretty much unheard of before in music. I Kill Children would still be incredibly shocking released today, it follows the narrators ways in which he would murder children. Starting with "God told me to skin you alive". It suggests feeding them poison candy or strangling them with telephone wire amongs other things. The fact that its delivered in such an earnest way brings a true chill down your back.

The fact that this album dares to tread on such sensitive subjects is just another testament to how truly "punk" they are. Not even at the height of the british punk era did anyone act as this. The rhythm section throughout the whole album actually plays quite well for a punk band and I feel they hold the whole album together musically. Biafra's voice and East Bay Ray's guitar are constantly trying to outdo and break free of rhythm, experimenting in ways which most punk bands wouldn't dare. This experimentation means this album has aged extremely well and doesn't become tired after many listens.

There is a feeling that they're fast simply because it suits them, instead of just being fast as is expected of a punk band. There are often changes in tempo for various reasons which help to bring a nice feel of individualism in the album, this is especially felt by the often wandering guitar tending to slip away and do something completely different.

Often regarded as their flagship song, Holiday in Cambodia can be seen as a scathing acerbic view of American culture. Comparing it to a "Holiday in Cambodia" the subject matter is without a doubt the US detailing how close the current situation is to the oppression of Cambodia a current hotspot after the Vietnam war. The song is a good starting point for what Dead Kennedys are, severly left wing to a point of fault with more opinions than a presidential election. The "cover" of Viva Las Vegas is a perfect end to the album.

The whole album plays like a political and social satire, leaving no rock unturned and no subject sacred it is the perfect punk album. Despite this, it doesn't feel like a 10/10 album, and no punk album ever will, because it is purely reactionary, no matter how well it does it, it can never reach true brilliance. And, once again, my score will reflect this.


Incredibly influential album, but for all the wrong reasons, the countless imitators that have spawned from the genre that the Dead Kennedys helped create have never been able to live up to the brilliance of the creators. Hardcore and the subsequent genres that came from it, all the way up to emo have produced countless albums of utter tripe and as such Dead Kennedys hold a grave responsibility. How this album SHOULD have influenced music was to bring back the true face of punk, cutting, charged commentary, taking no prisoners and bringing the true feeling of punk back. They failed in doing so, however you can still enjoy the brilliance of this album, and the other Dead Kennedys albums.

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Jason Rivers

A most excellent review, one that Andy Powell would be very impressed with, I say this with some authority, he's my cousin!

sleepy jack

Even I loved this album and I hate Led Zeppelin.

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Molecules

Brilliant, I have heard alot about this stoner-rock classic, will check it out
They ****ing knew how to entice you with the artwork back then aswell, you'd buy this stuff from a record fair just on the basis of a cool name and a trippy cover

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[SIZE="1"]Eff em
tumble her

jackhammer

Excellent review. All I have to do is hear it now!

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Comus

This is a truly epic and sad tale of a bastard, Job Senior. Starting generally with a narration of story followed by a song expanding the tale, a myriad of musicians and vocalists contribute to the album. Birth sets the scene for a poor bastard however it starts off quite promising for young Joeb. Before I start fully reviewing it, some things have to be said about the album, the sound quality is quite poor for 1975 since the only surfaced rip is from an early Vinyl pressing. Also this album can only be enjoyed truly as a single package, to which you must devote your full attention to the music and lyrics, it's a very lyrically heavy album considering the strong concept of this hermit's life.

Starting quite upbeat, Birth sets the scene for a promising new life, the instruments complement the song well. During the narration there is a nice instrumental passages running in the background. Journey's narration tells of a lonely childhood, and an eventuall descent into the bottle, the song continues the quite upbeat theme as the vocalist sets off on his journey with hope for fortune, honour and fame. The vocals at times can be grating if you're not wanting to commit to the album and the theme may seem corny, so this is definitely not something for a casual listener, which unfortunately may have to count against it. However the instrumentals are enough to keep the background music listeners. And the whole concept theme would of course be very popular with proggers.

Journey gives an interesting insight into Joebs descent to alcoholism featuring a long fiddle passage from Geoff Bowen, after the passage the vocals seem disheartened as Job has realised what he has become. This is incredibly powerful in how it's done, some male/female "harmonies" that bring a very intense ending to the song, I find this to be the first truly strong point of the album. The narration aspects are a truly great bit of the album, it provides a great base onto which the songs can be performed and have a truly great impact. Stone on Stone is a new life for Job, who lists his jobs and then eventually as a dry stone waller. Stone on Stone beams of pride and the performance is truly great, however it is instrumentally a weak point in the albym, providing not atmosphere for the vocals.

A Long Winter has Job becoming an old man of 60, sick and losing his strength, he marries an 80 year old widow, this is an incredibly touching bit of the album as it chronicles the final years of his wife, and the love that they share. This is what firstly sets this album above all other folk albums of the era, obscure or not, the atmospheric potential of the acoustic instruments is finally realised, as is the vocal talent. This album is hard to listen to all the way through for the unusual reason that you might have to get tissues to help your crying. The tale is told in a truly passionate and real way and that has to be the biggest upside.

As a whole the album has very few drawbacks for someone expecting a good folk album that they won't have heard. However, on a lyrical/story point of the album it is practically flawless. Who Knows tells of Job's final descent into a true hermit, with his estate possessions illegaly taken off him after his wife's death. This continues the sad and emotional themes of the latter parts of the album.

As far as the concept of the album is concerned it is more a choice selection of the most important parts of Job's life, yet these highlights still manage to paint an incredibly good picture of the subject. The final true chapter of the story is I'll Sing For My Supper, this provides a final closure on Job's last years as an entertainer, who can sing in perfect pitch in four voices. I'll Sing provides a lovely upbeat final ending song to the story before the final narration the Outcast.

The final three songs provide closure for the rest of the album, an a sombre lush ending.

The Hermit is a true forgotten gem, however that is a bit of an understatement, Mountain Ash Band never got much reckognition for the album at all and it's a small miracle that the album surived so many years before finally emerging on the internet. The album has some drawbacks relating to accessibility and it can be very hard to get into for the casual listener. Overall there is no true spectacular instrumental passages, nothing will make you go "wow" here, however each instrument contributes effectively to the song and some incredible passages and atmospheres can be found throughout the album. It is by all rights the telling of a story and the score should reflect that.

The story is powerful and the vocals play their part well. This has been an incredibly hard album to review because of the manner of how it plays out and how the combined effort is just so much more important than the single bits. For an imperfect album it does a lot, and for that reason it deserves a strong 8/10.

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4ZZZ

I have just read through all the reviews. I thoroughly enjoyed the Obscuro.
I am absolutely intrigued as to Mountain Ash Band. The Hermit. Any links?

I have to make a confession in that I have 6 King Crimson albums but not Lizard. I have not even listened to it. Amazing really as I consider the albums that I have at times to be sublime.