Customer Reviews

Blue Horizon

I had to cancel the order with Amazon as they did NOT have it in stock. Got it somewhere else eventually. I think 5 stars is reserved for the best albums, classics, and that takes time to realise, but 4 is certainly a good album. It's a real mix of their styles from over the years. The first listening I was a BIT disappointed after the raving reviews as I thought it might rock-out a bit more, but now I am enjoying it for what it is which quite classy. Lots of fluid guitar playing though not extended enough. Elegant Stealth finally gave us some twin-guitar workouts, which the band MUST have known we wanted, so I thought that would have continued more on this one. Anyway, a nice CD, and certainly better than Clan Destiny and the one before. Both pleasant enough, but this is better. Worth noting that Andy Powell actually only gets MUSIC credit for ONE track on the whole album, which is a bit worrying....

After the disappointment of Elegant Stealth I wasn't in any rush to get Blue Horizon. I succumbed and was immediately impressed with the standard of the songs. Elegant Stealth wasn't a bad album, just uninspiring. This one is far superior and would get 5 stars if the guitars wailed a bit longer! Just like the Allmans, I prefer Ash live with their 15 minute pluse renditions, but as studio albums go, this is pretty damned good!

The album arrived on Monday and has been on continuous play in car ever since. It gets better with every repeat. I love the guitar playing which is at its usual high standard. Nice to hear Muddy taking lead vocals and Joe getting to play lead guitar! Ihve been following this band since 1973 and they get better and better! The Real Deal is what they are! Well done boys the album is brilliant!!!

With all the legal turmoil surrounding the battle for the band's right to it's identity you might expect an introspective and safe album from Andy and the band.

None of it! This album is full of optimism and propels the band into a bright future.

"Take It Back" written by Andy Powell's son Aynsley is the perfect opener for the album setting the mood as one of optimism and the theme as empowerment. The folksy tune with fiddle by guest Pat McManus gives a nod back to the first three Wishbone Ash but as right up to date with intelligent, adult lyrics.

"Deep Blues" is rocking number with a classic Ash riff. The words on the surface about a failed love affair could easily be interpreted as a reference to the battle surrounding the band's ownership of it's name. Andy and Muddy Mannenin as always don't hold back on the guitar solos.

"Strange How Things Come Round Around" is written by ex-guitarist Roger Filgate and is relaxed number. Lucy Underhill adds backing vocals. The only niggle is that the slow, dreamy sections jolt at first and break up the flow of song, but I'm getting used to it now.

"Being One" is proggy and jazzy with some really great guitar work in the extended solos. Like it more and more with every listen.

I wish I'd never heard "Way Down South" - I wake up in the morning with closing solo in my head and it's still there in the evening. The feel and tone of it reminds me a lot of Summer Lightening by Camel. The song with lyrics by Ian Harris is perhaps the poppiest moment on the album and it first the lyrics seem light-weight pop but again they fit perfectly with the theme of empowerment - if you're fed up then it's up to you to make a change. Should be a single.

"Tally Ho!! by Muddy and Ian is another call to arms - it's up to us to stand up to the fat cats if we want a better world. The folksy, slow blues is a perfect antidote to Way Down South, building up to an Argus-esque anthem.

"Mary Jane" is classic blues and is Muddy's lead singing debut. Muddy doesn't prang it. Great stuff!

"American Century" is a complex tune with many twists and turns to keep you guessing. Again Lucy Underhill adds backing vocals. Perhaps the slowest burner on the album - give it time to percolate through your mind.

"Blue Horizon" starts slow with a grandeur and anthemic sound and a wince-making couplet of "I've got my eyes on the blue hor-i-zon" - ouch! The fast guitar solos at the end are brilliant.

The final track "All There Is to Say" is Andy's heart-felt story of the battles that have beset him and the band now resolved in court. The sound is very "Throw Down the Sword". A great finish to the album

Just a quick mention for Bob Skeat and Joe Crabtree. Joe's drumming throughout is truly outstanding. Bob is probably one of the best bassists in the rock world right now and I would have liked to have Bob's bass a little higher in the mix but that's just being pernickety as the production by Tom Greenwood is truly brilliant.

Wishbone Ash just get better and better. Roll on the autumn UK tour

After the excellent Elegant Stealth from 2011 I wondered if Blue Horizon could come near it. Well this new album not only matches it, it surpasses it, which really is some achievement. It takes the DNA from Elegant Stealth and very importantly the true spirit and heritage from Wishbone's finest work and creates its own wonderful atmosphere.

By no means a "concept" album but the songs feel like they belong to each other. From the tingle down your spine intro to the opening track Take It Back right through to the final majestic song All There Is To Say, the musical journey is a very satisfying one indeed. As ever the guitar shapes conjured up by Andy & Muddy live and breath as one and they are very much underpinned by Bob Skeat's excellent melodic bass work and Joe Crabtree's distinctive and notable "playing the song" drumming.

Finally the production on Blue Horizon is breathtaking and special mention must go to the all the production team including young British Producer Tom Greenwood's input and skill in helping to achieve that.

Blue Horizon is truly fabulous and deserves the biggest audience possible.................spread the word!

Wow!!!!!! What an album, wasn't expecting this especially after the previous album Elegant Stealth!

10 Fabulous tracks all with a different feel and story, it takes you into another world of music, this album truly opens your eyes and ears to 4 outstanding musicians who work soo hard and still manage to create such a masterpiece! And while going through some tough times and battles going on in amongst the all the gigs Wishbone Ash have created 1 of the best albums yet in my opinion!

Some amazing lyrics, melodies and harmonies. Fab strong bass from Bob Skeat as usual along with Joe Crabtree's phenomenal drumming, some great vocals from Andy Powell, great guitar work from Muddy and Andy which include some very powerful spine tingling guitar solos.

It's fantastic to have Pat McManus on the album and to have his touch on some of the tracks along with Aynsley Powell's input on "Take it back".

My Favourite track has got to be the last track on the album "All there is to say" literally can't stop listening to it, 7.24 minutes of pure musical beauty!

Really pleased to hear Muddy taking the lead vocally on the track "Mary Jane" and hopefully we'll hear more of his vocals in the future!

I really am stunned as to how good this album is, after all these years they can still pull it out of the bag, proud to be a fan of this band who continue to inspire me! If you like good music, this is an album for you and what a great name "Blue Horizon" along with a very strong album cover!

Hats of to Andy, Bob, Muddy and Joe

Blimey. And we thought the last album marked a return to form.... well, this one knocks Elegant Stealth into a cocked hat.

Who'd have believed that some 45 years on Wishbone Ash would still be making music as vital as this? Of course there was only one Argus, but there's a compelling case here for suggesting that of all their subsequent output 'Blue Horizon' might just be the album that comes closest to the feel and atmosphere of those heady days of the early 1970s.

Bluesy, rocky, folky, jazzy, the soloing throughout is a joy. OK, you can quibble over some of the vocals which, let's face it, were never the band's strongest suit but when the songs, the playing and the production are this good it hardly seems to matter.

Particular highlights? Take your pick, but the opener "Take It Back" with an insistent riff that achieves lift-off courtesy of Pat McManus's empathetic violin, "Deep Blues", the funky "Strange (How Things Come Back Around)" and the elegant (there's that word again) "All There Is To Say" are immediate winners.

Repeated listening is likely to provide further rewards.

Do you like the early Wishbone Ash albums? Do you like duelling guitars? Do you like harmony guitars? If you answered yes to any of these questions you are on to a winner with Blue Horizon, the latest and 24th studio album from Wishbone Ash.

Whilst Blue Horizon tips its hat to the past, it is most definitely an album for today. The current line-up of Andy Powell, Jyrki "Muddy" Manninen, Bob Skeat and Joe Crabtree can and do play several musical styles with apparent consummate ease and yet they manage to hold it all together with an understated blues rock feel.

Pat McManus features on the opening track, ‘Take It Back’. He winds and weaves the sound of his violin around the twin guitars giving it a very welcome ‘folksy’ undertone. He also does the same for the closing track, All There Is To Say’, where he plays the violin and bouzouki.

The title song, ‘Blue Horizon’ has a more ‘progressive’ feel to it as the wizardry of the twin guitars floats along, at times underpinned by the warm and subtle organ tones of guest musician, Tom Greenwood who also helped with the production of the album.

Lucy Underhill features on ‘Strange How Things Come Back Around’ and ‘American Century’ adding yet another welcome dimension to the already very well established vocal harmonies of Wishbone Ash.

‘All There Is to Say’ closes the album. The progressive tones of the band are once again in evidence here with a very definite nod to the early Wishbone Ash and yet this is every inch, a new and vibrant track with an emotional undertone that I for one feel will endure, remaining in the hearts and minds of both Wishbone Ash fans and rock music fans in general.

I firmly believe this album will very quickly become one of the most recognised, loved and important albums in the Wishbone Ash history, that’s if it’s not already, and so I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this album to all fans of rock music.

a triumph of craftsmanship, melodic tuneful and executed with a high degree of musicality.

Elegant Stealth was always going to be a hard act to follow but this does the trick and for Wishbone addicts like me it was well worth the wait.
there are may stand out tracks and such a range of melodies, Joe Crabtree's drumming is awesome, driving, tuneful, the rythm combo with the excellent Bob Skeat lays a firm foundation to the classic twin guitar 'licks' from Andy Powell and Muddy Manninen.

initial listens favoured tracks like Tally Ho and American Century, but I just cant get Way Down South out of my mind, almost poppy in a rocky way, my current favourite is All there is to say- it starts like a homage to old days and Throw Down The Sword and becomes anthemic at times, it sounds really corny but it has a 'religious' quality to it, its a very special track to end the album with and compliments the opener Take it Back, those lovely guitars building on the repeated base line-luverly.Tally Ho has a real message of corporate greed veiled behind great vocals and some excelllent drum licks , very very nice indeed.

special mention to Andy Powell's vocal prowess, his voice just gets better and the vocal harmonies with Skeat and Manninen throughout are great.

I look forward to hearing some of these tracks live but meantime this CD is playing and playing......
Thanks Wishbone Ash - this album adds to your growing Canon of superbly mastered rock music.

So yet another album from W.A. For a fan of the band to give this very good album 1 star is bewildering to say the least. Can't really give it 5 stars as it isn't as good as Argus. However it is their best album for some time & a great guitar rock/folk/prog album. The tunes are better than Elegant Stealth & the opening track 'Take It Back' is a truly memorable song. If you like guitars & you aren't bothered about liking cool & trendy bands then this album is for you.