LP URSA MAJOR Ursa Major (Re) BLUE VINYL Hifly Sound HIFLY 8014 STILL SEALED
Sold Date:
January 10, 2016
Start Date:
June 10, 2015
Final Price:
€19.99
(EUR)
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LP URSA MAJOR
Ursa Major
Limited Edition In Blue Vinyl
Country of release: Liechtenstein, 2015
Original released: 1972
Label: Hifly Sound
Catalogue number: Hifly 8014
Barcode: 6501203913554
Klappcover/Gatefold Sleeve: Nein/No
Condition Record: MINT
Condition Cover: MINT
LP ist noch verschweißt / LP IS STILL SEALED !!!
(Photo von meiner eigenen LP / Photo taken from my own copy)
Tracks Side 1:
1. Sinner (7:29)
2. In My Darkest Hour (5:26)
3.
Silverspoon (6:14)
Tracks Side 2:
1. Stage Door Queen (5:26)
2. Back To The Land
(6:47)
3. Lay Me Down (4:35)
4. Liberty And Justice
(5:51)
With 'My Darkest Hour' we found them mixing *Led Zeppelin* with a southern twang, they seemed to have spent time making music in wooden huts in deepest North Wales without electricity nor running water - with the result being a quite controlled ballad. But don't be fooled when the violin appears as this is just a warning because by this stage they have relocated premises mid song to a steaming thundering electric attack, blasting through the barriers with another onslaught. There's a real live feel to this one, a clever catchy riff is used to hypnotise your senses and you begin to get dragged into the song faster than competitors of the TT Isle of Man races, ridden by a machine built on early *Triumph* and *Trapeze*. For some godforsaken reason the opening reminds me more of AOR super group, *Sheriff*!
The *Trapeze* connection neatly leads into my favourite track 'Silverspoon', especially with the flamboyant nature of the vocal delivery, which sometimes reminds me of *Glenn Hughes*. Also this may have been the sound if *Marc Bolan* had gone more metal, rather than glam. All you potential guitarists throw away those guitar tabs for 'Enter Sandman' and listen to this one, I dare you. BTW, does that riff at the end, sound similar to the acoustic driven part in *Warrant*'s 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'?
'Stage Door Queen', this isn't just a song, but a great exhibition of how a trio of musicians can perform individually and as a team, each of the guys have the chance to shine. Ricky Mangone using the full drum kit, spinning around more times than Tommy Lee has had video appearance downloads requests. Ricky has done this without the technology of modern times. The song portrays not only the use of horsepower but a couple of heavy horses', last seen on the cover of a *Jethro Tull* album. Vocals, well the vocalist has got pipes that are bigger than the Victorian sewage system under the streets of London and cleaner too! This is slap bang in the middle of a *Black Country Communion*!
'Back To The Land' shows Ursa Major's more gentle side and quite capable of mixing it up a bit, with some gentle keyboard accompanied by yet another fine vocal display. A possible breeding ground for *Blackfoot* without the rattlesnake, hard rock entrenched quality, but sometimes they spray just enough melody on the tunes to broaden up the listening experience to a wider spectrum. This becomes an AOR version of 'Planet Caravan', the *Black Sabbath* tune. A dash of violin to arrive at *Triumph* again plus early *Styx* in terms of the song structure. Excellent, this is not a short journey but a tour around all parts of North America.
Again the pace varies with 'Lay Me Down' as they never seem contented to play the easy game, of verse, chorus, verse etc, just seem to add another melody, another change when the song hints of becoming pedestrian. Here they seem to have entered into a disintegrator-integrator chamber that they have borrowed from the film 'The Fly' and out come as a hybrid of poppy *Blue Oyster Cult* and *Boston*.
We finish up with 'Liberty and Justice', which sounds like a *Molly Hatchet* album title doesn't it? It's an acoustic led slice of storytelling.. melodic bliss. With a style not a lot different from what *Company Of Wolves* and *Beggars And Thieves* produced decades later. Vocals strong as ever, fall easy into the song, no over competing here, no hysterical screaming, just a melodic forming success story.
Just as Rock Candy are gaining new ground on releasing new recordings on their new label, maybe it's time also to take a step backwards and look at early 70's hard rock and issue this along with other gems, as this genre has already been highlighted in a recent Record Collector as becoming more appreciated and collectable.
*In Summary*
It's easy to see such older albums with rose tinted glasses when in the cold light of day they often sound too raw, even basic and are disadvantaged with old technology and lose out to the clean lines of the modern recording studio. Many groups like the aforementioned *Black Country Communion*, *The Answer*, *Black Stone Cherry* look to re-invent the 70's by trying to achieve that 'raw' feeling. Some manage it amazingly well and some don't. To me, this 'raw' sound that took place in the 70's, like *The Stooges*, suggested to me a certain lack of melody and lack of musicianship. Just some young bucks with minimal talent banging away, speakers and feedback buzzing and distorting and we are expected to appreciate these effects and call it classic rock? Well with this release in 1972, I was expecting more of the same. Well gladly to say, despite the many years since passed, this need not be an excuse, because this album sounds as fresh today as if it was recorded minutes ago. It's professionally written, contains a high level of musicianship, excellent vocals, and there is melody in abundance. The songs are polished and vary across the album, never getting boring. This album is nearly approaching its 40th year, it's well worth investigating today so don't leave it any longer, because believe me from my experience life doesn't always start at 40.It's easy to see such older albums with rose tinted glasses when in the cold light of day they often sound too raw, even basic and are disadvantaged with old technology and lose out to the clean lines of the modern recording studio. Many groups like the aforementioned *Black Country Communion*, *The Answer*, *Black Stone Cherry* look to re-invent the 70's by trying to achieve that 'raw' feeling. Some manage it amazingly well and some don't. To me, this 'raw' sound that took place in the 70's, like *The Stooges*, suggested to me a certain lack of melody and lack of musicianship. Just some young bucks with minimal talent banging away, speakers and feedback buzzing and distorting and we are expected to appreciate these effects and call it classic rock? Well with this release in 1972, I was expecting more of the same. Well gladly to say, despite the many years since passed, this need not be an excuse, because this album sounds as fresh today as if it was recorded minutes ago. It's professionally written, contains a high level of musicianship, excellent vocals, and there is melody in abundance. The songs are polished and vary across the album, never getting boring. This album is nearly approaching its 40th year, it's well worth investigating today so don't leave it any longer, because believe me from my experience life doesn't always start at 40. (englandashes/gdm.glorydazemusic.com)
Greg Arama - Bass, Vocals
Dick Wagner - Guitar, Lead Vocals
Ricky Mangone - Percussion, Vocals
Versand innerhalb Deutschland (versichert mit GLS - generell innerhalb von 24 Stunden) 5,00 Euro
Egal wieviele LPs gekauft werden, Versand immer 5,00 Euro. Keine weiteren Versandkosten ab der zweiten LP!!
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