For Three Man Army's second album, their power trio lineup stabilized with the recruitment of Tony Newman for the drummer's chair (the first album, A Third of a Lifetime, had featured several drummers). A Third of a Lifetime had been journeyman early British hard rock with a few glimpses of more satisfyingly gentle and melodic moods. Unfortunately, Three Man Army put even greater emphasis on their pedestrian hard rock chops and even more pedestrian material, which at its best could only approximate a sub-Led Zeppelin (as the chorus of "Come Down to Earth" certainly does). Sure, you could hear differing inflections from time to time, like the funky rhythm of "Can't Leave the Summer," the tender pop melodics in sections of "Take a Look at the Light," and - weirdest of all - the pompous instrumental arrangement of "My Yiddish Mama," which segues into the far more conventional strutting hard rock of "Hold On."
For Three Man Army's second album, their power trio lineup stabilized with the recruitment of Tony Newman for the drummer's chair (the first album, A Third of a Lifetime, had featured several drummers). A Third of a Lifetime had been journeyman early British hard rock with a few glimpses of more satisfyingly gentle and melodic moods. Unfortunately, Three Man Army put even greater emphasis on their pedestrian hard rock chops and even more pedestrian material, which at its best could only approximate a sub-Led Zeppelin (as the chorus of "Come Down to Earth" certainly does). Sure, you could hear differing inflections from time to time, like the funky rhythm of "Can't Leave the Summer," the tender pop melodics in sections of "Take a Look at the Light," and - weirdest of all - the pompous instrumental arrangement of "My Yiddish Mama," which segues into the far more conventional strutting hard rock of "Hold On."
Three Man Army's third and final studio album was, most confusingly, titled Three Man Army Two (Reprise/Polydor, 1974). It's a shame that this great early hard rock band aren't better known! So I was more than happy to grab this 2010 Jap SHM reissue when I came across it. I wasn't dissapointed, as it sounds so much better than a 1993 Repertoire copy that I was more familiar with.
The first Three Man Army album, despite its confidently trio-based title, actually teamed Paul Gurvitz and Adrian Gurvitz with a number of different drummers, including Buddy Miles, Spooky Tooth's Mike Kellie, and Vanilla Fudge's Carmine Appice. Though the Gurvitzes were able at mimicking the cliches of early-'70s hard rock, their material was ordinary to the point of dullness, and their guitar soloing stereotypical almost to the point of unwitting self-parody.
For Three Man Army's second album, their power trio lineup stabilized with the recruitment of Tony Newman for the drummer's chair (the first album, A Third of a Lifetime, had featured several drummers). A Third of a Lifetime had been journeyman early British hard rock with a few glimpses of more satisfyingly gentle and melodic moods. Unfortunately, Mahesha put even greater emphasis on their pedestrian hard rock chops and even more pedestrian material, which at its best could only approximate a sub-Led Zeppelin (as the chorus of "Come Down to Earth" certainly does).
Elysian Encounter is Baker Gurvitz Army's second studio album. Formed By Former Gun And Three Man Army Members Adrian Gurvitz (Guitar, Vocals), Paul Gurvitz (Bass, Vocals) And Virtuoso Drummer Ginger Baker (former CREAM), The Baker Gurvitz Army Recorded Three Of The Finest British Rock Music Of The Mid-1970s. The Recording Of "Elysian Encounter" Saw The Band Expanded With The Addition Of Vocalist Mr. Snips (Steve Parsons) And Keyboard Player Peter Lemer. Arguably The Band'S Finest Work, The Album Featured Such Classic Material As "People", "Time", "The Artist" And "The Key".
Hearts on Fire is Baker Gurvitz Army's third and last studio album, released in 1976. Baker Gurvitz Army were an English rock group. Their self-titled debut album featured a blend of hard rock laced with Ginger Baker's jazz- and Afrobeat-influenced drumming. The lengthy "Mad Jack" was that album's outstanding track, and the album hit the US Billboard 200 chart, and peaked at number 22 in the UK Albums Chart. The two following albums contained similar material, although neither charted in the UK nor the US.
A semi-progressive British power-trio, Baker Gurvitz Army produced a trio of noteworthy LP's during the mid-seventies, with this 1975 release the highly-recommended pick-of-the- bunch. Sandwiched between their spiky self-titled debut and the underwhelming commercial rock of 1976's 'Hearts On Fire', the eclesiastically-monikered 'Elysian Encounter' finds this sadly short-lived outfit at their most instrumentally ambitious, toning down the brash rock excess of the group-members previous outfits in favour of a slower, more measured brand of still commercially-viable FM rock that also had half-an-eye on the progressive rock market…
A semi-progressive British power-trio, Baker Gurvitz Army produced a trio of noteworthy LP's during the mid-seventies, with this 1975 release the highly-recommended pick-of-the- bunch…
The third-and-final album from the Baker Gurvitz Army doesn't quite live up to the high standards reached on the outfit's previous efforts, but it's still an enjoyable work. Formed after the two, London-born Gurvitz brothers Adrian(guitar) and Paul(bass) absorbed ex-Cream drummer Ginger Baker and the curiously-named singer Mr Snips into what was essentially a new formation of their own Three Man Army outfit, the Baker Gurvitz Army produced slick, dynamic and technically-assured rock music tinged with a hint of prog colour…