Strawbs - Hero And Heroine


Year of Release: 1973
Label: A&M
Catalog Number: 540 935-2
Format: LP
Total Time: 44:49:00

The Strawbs are probably best known to progressive rock fans due to the participation of a certain keyboardist by the name of Rick Wakeman. The band reached a wide audience in the UK during the 70?s and also charted here in the US. The band combined elements of English folk music and progressive rock on Hero And Heroine to create some excellent symphonic rock tracks, while never failing to forget their folk roots. The opening ?Autumn? is one of the discs outstanding tracks, with pastoral passages of mellotron and guitar, reminding one of early King Crimson. ?Just Love? has a really beautiful mid-section that unfortunately is too short to make this anything more than a straight ahead boring rock track. ?Shine on Silver Sun? is a short uplifting track with a nice vocal chorus.

The gem here is the title track ?Hero & Heroine." This track takes folk, mixes a little Charlie Daniels (you will hear what I mean) and a great riff dominated by keyboard to break up the sections. The organ and mellotron bridge is also quite dramatic. The track leads into the acoustic guitar track ?Midnight Sun?. Another subtle yet beautiful song from Cousins. ?Out In The Cold? continues to showcase the folk side of the band including harmonica and more acoustic guitar. Cousins was also said to be an influence on Fish?s (Marillion) vocal style. The mixture of styles works well, creating a balanced and enjoyable disc of varied music.


Tracklisting:
Autumn (8:29) / Sad Young Man (4:09) / Just Love (3:41) / Shine On Silver Sun (2:46) / Hero & Heroine (3:29) / Midnight Sun (3:06) / Out In The Cold (3:19) / Round and Round (4:44) / Lay A Little Light On Me (3:27) / Hero's Theme (2:28) / Bonus Tracks: Still Small Voice (2:28) / Lay A Little Light On Me (early version) (2:23)

Musicians:
Dave Cousins - vocals, guitars
Dave Lambert - vocals, guitars
John Hawken - piano, organ,mellotron, synthesizer
Chas Cronk - bass, synthesizer, vocals
Rod Coombes - drums, percussion, vocals

Discography:
Strawbs (1969)
Dragonfly (1970)
Just A Collection Of Antiques And Curios (1970)
From The Witchwood (1971)
Grave New World (1972)
Bursting At The Seems (1973)
Sandy And The Strawbs: All Our Own Work (1973)
Hero And Heroine (1974)
Ghosts (1974/1998)
Nomadness (1975)
Deep Cuts (1976)
Burning For You (1977)
Deadlines (1978)
Don't Say Goodbye (1987)
Preserves Uncanned (1991)
Sandy And The Strawbs (1991)
Ringing Down The Years (1991)
Greatest Hits Live (1993)
Heartbreak Hill (1995)
BBC In Concert (1995)
Concert Classics (1999)
The Complete Strawbs (Chiswick '98) (2000)
Acoustic Strawbs: Baroque & Roll (2001)
Blue Angel (2003)
Deja Fou (2004)
Acoustic Strawbs - Full Bloom (2004)
Live At NEARfest (2005)
Acoustic Strawbs - Painted Sky (2005)
Recollection (2006)
Heartbreak Hill - Platinum Edition (2006)
A Taste Of Strawbs (5CD box set) (2006)
NY '75 (2007)
Lay Down With The Strawbs (2008)
The Broken Hearted Bride (2008)
Dancing To The Devil's Beat (2009)
Sandy Denny & The Strawbs: The Complete Sessions (2010)
Strawbs At The BBC - Volume 1 - In Session (2010)
Strawbs At The BBC - Volume 2 - In Concert (2010)
Strawbs 40th Anniversary Celebration: Vol 1: Strawberry Fayre (2010)
Strawbs 40th Anniversary Celebration: Vol 2: Rick Wakeman and Dave Cousins (2010)
Hero And Heroine In Ascencia (2011)
Acoustic Strawbs - Acoustic Gold (2011)
Of A Time (2012)
Deadlines WML CD (2012)
Prognostic (2014)
Access All Areas (CD/DVD) (2015)
Live At Gettysburg (2017)
The Ferryman's Curse (2017)

Classic Rock Legends (2001)
The Complete Strawbs - Live At Chiswick House (2002)
Live In Tokyo '75/Grave New World - The Video (2003)
Acoustic Strawbs - Live At Hugh's Room, In Toronto (2004)
Lay Down With The Strawbs (2008)
Acoustic Strawbs - Live Hampton Court Palace, May 2009 (2009)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: September 22nd 2003
Reviewer: Eric Porter

Artist website: www.strawbsweb.co.uk
Hits: 1818
Language: english

  

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