Uriah Heep
Very eavy, very umble
Tracks: 1. Gypsy / 2. Walking in Your Shadow / 3. Come Away Melinda / 4. Lucy Blues / 5. Dreammare / 6. Real Turned On / 7. I'll Keep on Trying / 8. Wake Up / 9. Bird of Prey [US Vers.]/ 10. Born in a Trunk / 11. Come Away Melinda / 12. Gypsy [Extended Vers.]/ 13. Wake Up / 14. Born in a Trunk [Instrum.] 15. Dreammare [BBC] / 16. Gypsy [BBC)
Comments:
This debut album from Uriah Heep, shows the group trying their hand at different genres, and although some tracks already have the distinctive Uriah Heep sound; not least by virtue of David Byron's vocals and Ken Hensley's keyboards, there are also tracks where you may think, “Is this really Uriah Heep?” A couple tracks were actually recorded before Hensley joined the group.
The opening number "Gypsy", was chosen as a single and here you easily recognize the group's sound. The number itself, however, is quite monotonous and in my eyes no obvious single topic. The number did not make any big impression, either.
"Walking in the Shadow" is a relatively melodic blues; a bit monotonous riff, but with a good guitar solo. "Come Away Melinda" is an almost folkish number with i.a. flute and acoustic guitar; a nice build-up. "Dreammare" is a heavy and somewhat boring rock number. "Real Turned on" is a pretty wild blues rocker - not very memorable either. "I'll Keep on Trying" is better - also a blues-rocker, with with i.a. a whimsical intro.
“Wake Up” is an ambitious song where several genres come into play. At some point, one might come to think of Scott Walker, or M.O.R. pop ballads.
The album is often considered stylistic and landmark, but apart from "Walking in the Shadow" and "Come Away Melinda", it appears to me quite ordinary and at times almost boring.
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