Wishbone Ash were one of a number of rock bands from the 1970s, obviously popular, frequently mentioned in the music press yet neither I nor any of my friends listened to them. Until picking this up (yes, quid in a charity shop), I'd never heard a Wishbone Ash album.
Time Was, a long opening song, starts with an acoustic guitar for a few minutes before the band pile in and it's all cute harmonies and guitar solos until the band run out of steam. Well constructed, finely executed, but really not to my taste. Sometime World follows a similar formula, but with a little more restraint, at only half the length. Blowing Free (I'd heard this before, on a tape from a John Peel show. Well, what did you think he played before punk?) is probably the most accessible and listenable song on this first half, a pleasant seven minutes, but still all harmonies and guitar solos.
And the 'much of a muchness' feel continues into the second half. The King Will Come is bright enough, the same sound but lyrically a medieval theme, while Leaf And Stream and Warrior are slower and duller, the original album ending with Throw Down The Sword, a turgid march to the end.
This CD release has three added live tracks. Firstly the problematic Jail Bait, a bit more lively than the album's songs, The Pilgrim, not unpleasant and finally Phoenix, whose 17 minutes of guitar noodling were more than I could tolerate.
This leaden rock feels very much of its time, not my thing, but well done and one or two catchy tracks which save it from the dreaded one-star ignominy.
2* - for my ears, there's too much of a 'sound', well done, but little substance.
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