Search - Wishbone Ash :: Here To Hear

" Hear This " Here To Hear ! !

Joan B. Montney | Glendale Az USA | 06/02/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Wishbone Ash,Here To Hear is not Argus or Pilgrimage.But it is none the less still Wishbone Ash and it is still very good!! Considered to be a top ten must have album on the bands personal website.And it includes original members Martin and Ted Turner,Andy Powell and drummer Steve Upton. Recorded in London and produced by Martin Turner who also did the Re-mastering for this 2003 release on cd. Here To Hear,speaks of a Wishbone Ash who is trying to capture the sounds and style of many 80's era groups. Even so,if you listen closely with an appreciative ear you can still hear the Whishbone Ash creativity shining through. And I for one Like It!! The first cut "Cosmic Jazz" is a fast rocker with solid Bass playing,snappy snare drum and vocals reminiscent of Billy Idol."Mental Radio" is another 80's style up tempo rocker.Featuring solo's by both guitarist,outstanding Bass playing and some nice creative Tom Tom work in the begining by Steve Upton.Check out the classic Ash ending also."Walk On The Water" is Duran Duran style Funk Rock with Gary Numan type keyboards and vocals similar to David Bowie."Witness To Wonder" a slow contrast song with ambient string sounds,guitars,keyboards and some various percussions that add texture and flavor."Lost Cause In Paradise" another keyboard induced Duran Duran influenced song.Interesting two part harmony lead vocal line.Solid snappy snare drum again!!"Why Dont We" Sting would be proud of this one. Awesome Bass playing including a short bass solo. Fast driving drums. A beautiful vocal chorus line that will have you singing along,followed by tasteful guitar solos. Tracks 8,9,10 are instrumentals which primarily focus on classic two part harmony guitars. Last up are the four bonus tracks. All of them Good!! "Man O Man"!!!! Martin Turner's Bass playing is out of this world!!!! If your a Bass guitarist? Buy this album!! My final thoughts: I really enjoyed listening to and reviewing this particular album which is the reason for the long review. I rated it four stars instead of five due to the rather simplistic drumming by Steve Upton who is usually the technical wizard of drumming. He does however play tight and precise. A very worthwhile effort by these guy's. Fast fact: Martin Turner is the founding member of Whishbone Ash and he began his musical career at the age of fourteen by playing guitar and later switched to the Bass. Lucky for us."

Step back and listen to the music presented "here to hear".

CU82 | Atlanta, GA | 09/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a long-time WA fan since the seventies I am shocked to find that this has become one of my favorite recordings from the Turner-Turner-Powell-Upton line up. It is true that the WA sound on "Here To Hear" is filtered through the contemporary sound of the late eighties which makes it even more remarkable that I like this as much as I do.

I will confess that it wasn't love at first listen. However, there was enough of that fabulous WA feel to the music on "Here To Hear" that I couldn't resist another listen. So how does that rate five stars, you may ask. It is simply that I find myself yearning to hear "Here To Hear" whether I'm in a Wishbone Ash mood or not. Therein lies the potential disappointment that some WA fans reading this review might find when they listen to "Here To Hear" for the first time. If so, my recommendation is to focus on the cuts that are most like the classic Ash tunes (for me it is "Keeper Of The Light", "Mental Radio", and "Why Don't We" on this disc)and the rest of the tunes can then be appreciated for what they do to add to the impressive legacy of this fine band.



Bottom Line: Don't expect the classic sound this line up produced in the seventies, just the high quality product that they are known for."

Pap Puff Smoke Hype

Otis Robb | Nashville Tn | 02/28/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Blame this period mostly on Martin Turner who wanted the direction to be more 'hip' with the times. Probably of the 3 reunion records, this one is the 'most tolerable' but its hardly on target! The fire and intensity is, for the most part, left out of the production. Instead we get 'chimey' new wave interludes through 'Cosmic Jazz" and yet we get a KAROKE version, too, egad! The only two songs that cut it to the bone are 'Walk on Water' and 'Keeper of the Light', which rekindles some of that magic and spirit from the early days. Outside of that, well this is quite a horizontal excursion-here to where?"