Wishbone Ash - Argus

2007 digitally remastered and expanded two CD edition of this classic album, originally released in April 1972. This deluxe edition features the original album mix, newly remastered from the original tapes, plus rare BBC Radio sessions, live recordings from 1972 and a bonus disc featuring the band's memorable 1972 BBC Radio One In Concert appearance which launched Argus and remains one of the best concerts recorded for radio by Wishbone Ash. Argus is perhaps the crowning moment of the recording career of Wishbone Ash. The album would become regarded by fans and critics as the definitive Wishbone Ash album, with every track becoming a requested favorite at concerts by the band to this day. Universal. Album Description

Possibly my favorite album ever

This album won awards in the UK for it's production when it was originally released on vinyl. The sound is great and the playing even greater!
Not only was it WA's finest, but possibly won of the best rock albums of all time!
August 3, 2008

Wishbone Ash - A Twin Guitar Classic

"Argus" was and still is Wishbone Ash's ultimate statement. Part progressive rock, part blues / boogie rock and a bit of fok rock thrown in, this album really put all of the band's strengths together to form what is in my mind one of the classic guitar albums of the early 70's. The band actually had a hit single from this one with what is in my opinion the weakest track "Blowin Free". Even though it is my least favorite it is still a good song. The move towards more progressive material with "Warrior" and "Throw Down The Sword" was a great move and both tracks provide some of the best twin harmony guitar jams of the 70's. Tracks like "Time Was" and "Leaf And Stream" retain a folk consciousness and "The King Will" come remains a cool mini-epic song. If you have never explored Wishbone Ash this is the album to start with. Some of their other discs are very good, but this is the band at their high water mark. July 14, 2008

Missing a few eyes

Argus was a Greek mythological character who had a hundred eyes, any one of which would have seen the problems in this namesake. I'm not a fan of art by committee, but the opinion of a collector or two might have corrected the compiler's vision.

I'm very curious why Mark Powell, who did such a fine job compiling and producing other reissues (Camel, Nektar, Man), would allow such a frustrating compilation to grace the Wishbone Ash market. This 2CD set sounds wonderful, thanks to Paschal Byrne, who performed similar duties for the first two of the just-mentioned reissues. It was remastered from the original mix and the original master tapes. Powell's liner notes continue to be excellent. But, unlike in the other reissues, the proofreading is bad--a first sign of something out of focus, something missed.

Proofreading? Who cares? Well, sometimes bad proofreading suggests other problems (cf. Budgie). In this case, random punctuation seems connected to questionable compiling judgments.

The "Argus Deluxe Edition" comprises "Argus," "Live in Memphis" (minus one track, 'Jailbait'), a stereo version of the previously released "BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert" (minus two tracks, 'Jailbait' and 'The Pilgrim'), the B-side of a single ('No Easy Road' from 9/72), and two mono tracks previously released on "Wishbone Ash Live at the BBC" ('Blowin' Free' from the BBC Radio 1 Bob Harris show 5/31/1972 and 'Throw Down the Sword' from the Pete Drummond show 5/10/1972).

The expanded edition of "Argus" was nearly perfect. Remixed by an original and highly important band member (Martin Turner), remastered by a pro (Erick Labson)--all of which supervised by an expert in the reissue business (Andy McKaie) and someone well-versed in Wishbone Ash (Leon Tsilis)--its only flaw was its somewhat hagiographic liner notes by Tsilis.

This deluxe edition, however, makes little sense. The B-side, 'No Easy Road,' for example, was recorded in between "Argus" and "Wishbone Four" and has a lot more in common with the latter. It actually appears on "Wishbone Four" but with a brass section; otherwise, the single and the album version are the same. Why include it on "Argus," especially when a remastered version of "Wishbone Four" is sorely needed? (In my experience, "Wishbone Four" shares the title of Worst Major Label CD Issue with Bruce Springsteen's "Darkness on the Edge of Town.")

And that's perhaps the best news. An incomplete "Live in Memphis"? "BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert" is in stereo, to be sure, but what about the missing tracks?

Powell could have made the "Live in Memphis" addition complete by adding 'Jailbait' to Disc One and either eliminating the unnecessary 'No Easy Road' or putting it on the second disc. Disc One would then have repeated the track listing of McKaie and Tsilis's edition, but so what--why mess with perfection?

Powell could have included the two missing tracks ('Jailbait,' 'The Pilgrim') from the original "BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert" CD on the second disc, ignored the other two BBC tracks, and added 'No Easy Road' at the end of the second disc to indicate the new direction Ash was taking.

Or, for the second disc, Powell could have avoided previously issued material altogether and focused solely on something unissued, such as a live concert.

Instead he decided to cut songs that were originally on "Pilgrimage" ('Jailbait,' 'The Pilgrim') because, I think, of CD time constraints and because he might be using them on a possibly forthcoming deluxe edition of "Pilgrimage." Yet, if so, the second rationale seems strange to me because it ignores context and concert-set-list thinking. I'd rather have a live performance presented "as is" instead of cut and parceled out according to the original studio album sources. I'd rather recognize history and the musicians' decision making than a shoehorned, Procrustean fit.

Collectors will have to ask themselves if an original mix remastering, the B-side 'No Easy Road,' and a stereo version of a truncated "BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert" are worth the price of this new edition. Non-collectors would do best, I think, to stick to the previously released CDs.

I just hope that problematic sales of "Argus Deluxe Edition" aren't in a position to compromise the remastering and reissuing of other Wishbone Ash albums, such as "There's the Rub" and "Pilgrimage" as well as "Wishbone Four"--not to mention "Live Dates Volume Two." February 29, 2008

an album of brilliance

Argus is a classic *must own* rock album released in 1972. It's a flawless record, with some of the greatest guitar playing ever put on tape. Yes, I've heard all the legendary greats- Eric Clapton, Santana, John McLaughlin, Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, etc. Ted Turner and Andy Powell from Wishbone Ash are JUST as good as all the ones I mention above.

Argus is an album that was popular for a very brief time in the early 70's (in America) before eventually slipping away from peoples memories. That is, until now. *I* don't forget about classic rock albums no matter HOW many years go by.

The best way to describe the sound would be picturing Crosby, Stills and Nash joining the Allman Brothers Band and releasing an album together. You have the extraordinary vocals of the former, and the brilliant guitar playing of the latter. Now, I am NOT calling the members of Wishbone Ash ripoffs of those bands. NO WAY would I say that. They are simply able to take the sound and style of two extraordinary bands, mix them together, and make it work perfectly. Seriously, the word "perfect" gets tossed around a lot, but in this case, I honestly can't find a single flaw with this record.

You know one thing that's a personal memory for me about the album is how it reminds me of when I was a child and would constantly play this one old Nintendo game over and over called "Wizards and Warriors". Take the theme of that game and match it with the music from this Wishbone Ash album, and you will find the two connect together REALLY well. I love the memories of that video game, and years from now, I will hold on to the memories of this album.

I can't imagine a more spectacular sound and style than the ones these guys had for "Argus". It's just... amazing to me!

"Time Was" starts off slowly and quietly with *very* soft vocals that gradually build into a very likeable 70's rock song. I love it. Overlong? Nah, not really. It's 10 minutes that seem to go by in a hurry because of its easy-to-please style. Really, it's a great song. "Sometime World" is the first track that reveals just how talented the two guitarists for Wishbone Ash are. Their ability to switch between mellow and memorable notes and go directly into fast and exciting is unbelievable!

The guitar playing always seems to flow beautifully with the vocal melodies, on every single occasion, and that's just flat out *awesome* if you ask me. It's *not* guitar work taking place just for the sake of having a guitar player at the right moment- it's like those two guitarists BELONG with the band, and without them, the other band members would feel like they're missing something. Oh sure, the singing and songwriting would still be quite strong, but the guitar playing is too extraordinary to overlook.

"Blowin' Free" reminds me of the Crosby, Stills and Nash classic "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" with the vocal melodies, and the main verse melody in particular sounds like "Woman", the Sugarloaf song (the same band that did "Green-Eyed Lady" a couple years earlier). The guitar playing that you hear in the introduction is truly magnificent, and in fact, the entire track is just as memorable and exciting.

"The King Will Come" has a marching feel in the beginning that leads into some more very satisfying guitar work. I can't say enough about that guitar playing. It's just perfect. "Leaf and Stream" is mellow in a Dire Straits kinda way. This time we find out the guitarists have a talent for soft and quiet tunes, because their guitar work here is pleasant, emotional, and yes, nearly as perfect as a man (men) can possibly play an instrument. It *will* move you.

"Warrior" and "Throw Down the Sword" both sound a good 10 years ahead of their time. The demanding and catchy guitar style in the beginning of "Throw Down the Sword" is especially incredible. Once again, the memories of that old NES game "Wizards and Warriors" comes into play here. I love both of these songs a lot, but I can honestly see someone complaining about the chorus in "Warrior" sounding cheesy. Maybe it does, but I don't care- these guys are WAY too talented for me to complain about one minute of awkwardness.

If your version comes with a song called "No Easy Road", it's just a glammy rock song with lots of energy, similar to something Mott the Hoople would do a couple years later. I love it, but it's probably the weakest point on the album.

Overall, yes, a brilliant, brilliant masterpiece. Argus is truly a fantastic rock album. If you're not blown away by that guitar playing, you're not human!! February 21, 2008

Great Album

This is simply a great CD - cool songs, great guitar work (some of the best harmony leads this side of Derek and the Dominos), and great singing, well worth buying. February 17, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...