Description
While not exactly prog rock, for fans of Wishbone Ash Here To Hear is a must have. The Mk I line-up of Ash reunited in the late ’80s and did three albums: in 1987 Nouveau Calls, in 1989 Here To Hear, and in 1991 Strange Affair. Here To Hear is the best of the three; Nouveau Calls is all instrumental and a good album, but without vocals doesn’t have all the Ash elements, and the song writing on Strange Affair is weaker than Here To Hear. Classic Ash fans may not like the 1980s sound of the albums, but the playing, sound quality and production on all three albums are great.
Wishbone Ash – Here To Hear
Label: I.R.S. Records – EIRSAC 1006
Format: Cassette, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1989
Genre: Rock
Tracklist
A1 Cosmic Jazz
A2 Keeper Of The Light
A3 Mental Radio
A4 Walk On Water
A5 Witness To Wonder
B1 Lost Cause In Paradise
B2 Why Don’t We
B3 In The Case
B4 Hole In My Heart (Part One)
B5 Hole In My Heart (Part Two)
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – I.R.S. Records Ltd.
Copyright © – I.R.S. Records Ltd.
Bass, Vocals, Keyboards – Martin Turner
Drums – Steve Upton
Guitar – Andy Powell
Guitar, Vocals – Ted Turner
Barcode: 5015557002242
This is a pretty good Wishbone Ash album in the same style as No Fire Without Smoke from 1978. Just like on that album, several songs remind me a bit of Dire Straits, only much better. Both of these albums also end with a two-part composition. Don’t be fooled by this, however. This is not really progressive rock. Just very good and sophisticated hard rock music; well written, well performed, well recorded and well produced.
There are more keyboards on this album than on most Wishbone Ash albums, but only ever in the background – never as a lead instrument. The bass guitar is often loud and bottom. Especially on the Hole In My Heart (Parts 1), where the bass almost has that wonderful Chris Sqiure sound.
The electric guitars are very well played (as on most Wishbone Ash albums).
This is a composition by Wishbone Ash bass player Martin Turner, a “musical exorcism” related to his frame of mind at the time.
