You know the French saying: "The best soups are made in the old jars". Well, that's exactly what I said to myself when I listened to the last ‘Wishbone Ash’. Yes, you heard right, one of the formations which started its career almost fifty years ago already : it's sure, of the initial formation, there remains only 'Andy Powell', who, at 70 years, continues to maintain the tradition , the rest of the band having joined Andy much later ('Mark Abrahams' on the guitar replacing 'Muddy Manninen' in 2017, 'Bob Skeat' on bass being part of the adventure since 1997 and 'Joe Crabtree' at drums since 2007) but we can only salute this 23rd album of the English (the last 'Blue Horizon' dating from 2014) which, in these troubled times, brings us a little freshness of another time with festive and melodic rock compositions that do good.
From the start, with 'We Stand As One', we are already won over by this simple but super effective title which also includes a beautiful instrumental part in the second part of the title, then, with 'Coat of Arms', almost 8 minutes, we have an example of the progressive side of this formation (too little put forward for my taste at the time) which embarks us in a kind of blues/rock presenting different facets with instrumental sections which embroiders around the main theme. With 'Empty Man', the pop and country mix brings a lightness and 'Floreana' and 'It's Only You I See' are ballads like we don't do anymore but which smell good the 70s. As for titles like 'Drive', 'Too coll for AC', 'Back in the Day'or even 'When The Love Is Shared', we find the more rock side of the English with direct and effective compositions. The folk side returns in the ballad ‘Déjà-Vu’, and the album ends with the rhythmic ‘Personal Halloween’ in an atmosphere mixing blues, rock and funk.
In summary, like good wine, 'Wishbone Ash' improves with time and 'Coat of Arms' is, for me, one of the best albums of the English who continue their way without worrying about fashions and continue to do, for our greatest pleasure, what they have always done best : an effective and pleasant rock to listen to... | |
