WISHBONE ASH

Argus MADFISH

Progressive blues rock landmark reissued as bells and whistles box.

Released in 1972, Argus was Wishbone Ash’s breakthrough album, going Top Three in the UK charts and voted album of the year by both Melody Maker and Sounds, no mean feat given the competition. Sitting somewhere between Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac and the harmony guitars of the Allman Brothers, Wishbone Ash in many ways epitomised the blues rock sound that dominated Britain’s live circuit at the turn of the 1970s.

So why is Prog reviewing this sumptuous, if belated 50th anniversary box set reissue of Argus? It’s because, far from being just purveyors of heads-down boogie, the album also had folk, jazz and progressive influences. Coming in a none-more-prog sleeve design by Hipgnosis didn’t hurt either.

In fact, what’s most striking about Argus is how thoughtful and restrained a lot of the music is. Instead of roaring into life, Time Was begins with an extended acoustic intro that’s wistful and delicate, while the harmony vocals of bassist Martin Turner and guitarist Andy Powell are strongly reminiscent of early Yes. The two-part Sometime World features a driving, tricksy bass run from Turner that’s worthy of Chris Squire, while the Hendrix-homaging The King Will Come boasts one of 70s rock’s greatest riffs and an apocalyptic lyric straight out of the Book Of Revelation. Even the dramatic, chest-beating Warrior has a misty-eyed stoicism at its heart and Throw Down The Sword is a genuinely moving rejoinder with some soul-stirring organ.

Spread over two LPs and three CDs, this box set features a vinyl remaster of the original album and Turner’s remix, plus previously unheard demos and two live shows. It also comes with a DVD of live footage and interviews from French and Swiss TV, a red vinyl 7-inch of contemporaneous single No Easy Road, and a very nicely put-together 48-page book of unseen pictures and exclusive interviews, which takes a proper deep dive into the album.

The Turner remix subtly brightens up what’s quite a flat production, though has already been available on 2002’s 30th anniversary reissue. So for hardcore fans, the live shows will perhaps be of most interest. Both recordings show their age, but are of acceptable quality. The first, a live-in-the-studio radio broadcast from Memphis in August ’72, features decent versions of early prog-friendly instrumentals Phoenix and

The Pilgrim alongside Argus material; the second, recorded over a year later at London’s Alexandra Palace, sees the band doubling down on their blues rock roots. For prog fans interested in progressive-minded bands outside of the main scene, Argus is well worth investigating.

WHAT’S STRIKING IS HOW THOUGHTFUL A LOT OF THE MUSIC IS.