Review of Wishbone Ash's Argus

Released 1972

"In the fire, the king will come.
Thunder rolls, piper and drum.
Evil sons, overrun Count their sins - judgment comes.
The checkerboard of nights and days -
Man will die, man be saved
The sky will fall, the earth will pray
When judgment comes to claim its day."

I heard an interesting alleged fact recently regarding Argus. Apparently, thirty seven years after it's original release, Argus has a ubiquity in record shops worldwide on a par with mega sellers such as Thriller, Rumours and Bat Out Of Hell. However, whereas these three records and artists are known to all and sundry, regardless of musical predilections, Argus and Wishbone Ash are curiously unrecognised band, little more than a cult oddity.

I suggest this ubiquity is a combination of two things: firstly a simple, timeless sleeve, which has an undeniable undefinable presence with no obvious meaning. It has 'classic' woven through it. Secondly, this timelessness is also inherent in the music itself. In short, it is one of the most perfect marriages of sleeve and music I am aware of, thus, to my thinking, and as pretentious it sounds, elevating it's worth as a piece of art.

Argus was made at a time when the core record buying public felt the sleeve artwork which came with their long playing record was almost as important as the music it accompanied. It is no accident that some of the most commercially and artistically successful albums of this period exemplify 'packages' of superb music and iconic artwork. Would Sgt. Pepper have been as successful if it had a less memorable sleeve, for example? Or, on the flip side, would acknowledged unappreciated classics such as Godbluff or Rock Bottom have attained greater recognition if their artwork was as good as the music? Who knows.

Anyway, the point is, as a music fan, and like most other music fans, I just knew that Argus was a classic without ever having heard a note. The sleeve colouring, the typography, the mysterious Warrior and the band's name itself, shouted out ' seventies prog heaven'.

Ultimately though, I owe a great debt to man eight days younger than me, who first introduced me to the music itself. I was introduced to dozens of new bands in the common room in the halls of residence in Glasgow, the significant majority of which will appear (or have already appeared) in this blog. Yes, there were a large number of howlers played in that room, but in the main I was incredibly fortunate enough to have a group of friends whose influence on my musical taste is still evident on my shelves all these years on.

I had got used to concentrating hard to almost 'interpret' some of the more complex prog albums, often struggling for several plays or even many years before hearing the true value of an album. Therefore it was with huge relief when I first overheard Argus being played that it had an instant appeal. I remember clearly hearing the distinctive harmonies and twin guitars sharing solos and being instantly enamoured. It oozed quality. On learning it was Argus, I was delighted that it was at least as good as I had hoped it would be. I see that first airing as a form of initiation; that I had somehow graduated to a higher echelon of prog music appreciation.

I still consider Time Was as one of the greatest album tracks of the entire classic prog period. I dismiss the cynics view that it is, in fact two separate tracks sandwiched together. Even though the band have admitted since that this was the case, it is a beautifully realised device which combines a slow, largely acoustic section with a wonderful bluesy shared guitar solo and lively beat.

Throughout the entire album it is if the muse was with the band. There is rarely a wasted note, an unnecessary rhythm or out of place vocal. This is a remarkably disciplined album with an economy rarely seen in the prog genre.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the record is that it really beyond pigeonholing as purely prog. It has moments which could easily categorise alongside the Canterbury set, it is folkier enough to be a chosen album by fans of Fairport Convention et al, it is enough guitar solos to satisfy a classic rock fan, has strong blues elements and remains mainstream enough to appeal to the causal listener. This is no mean achievement.