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Album Retrospectives
NEW ENGLAND
1976
Following the musical and commercial disaster of “Locked In”, 1976 saw the band reviewing their musical direction in an attempt to win back the respect of both their fans and the music press, both of which they had lost with “Locked In”.
For the recording of “New England” - titled after the area of the US in which they were now living and working - Wishbone Ash decided, after their experience with “Locked In” producer Tom Dowd, not to use a professional recording studio, but to record most of the album in the basement of Martin Turner’s Connecticut home (Laurel Edge, which doubled as the band’s rehearsal base) using a mobile recording truck. Only for final overdubs would the band enter the studio - Criteria Sound in Miami.
The aim of this unorthadox approach to recording was to capture some of the band’s live energy while still incorporating some of the influences and advanced studio techniques they had picked up in the States. A new production team was enlisted - that of Americans Ron and Howie Albert.
“New England” was rush released in October 1976 to coincide with Wishbone Ash’s first UK tour in two years. The album was met with instant critical acclaim, while many of the band’s fan base thought the album to be their strongest since “Argus”. The album was a return to the band’s classic sound, mixing all out rock numbers with more subtle moments. Unlike the “Locked In” material, the songs were highly memorable.
“Mother of Pearl” opened the album in rocky style, contrasted by the following ballad “(In All of My Dreams) You Rescue Me”. Both were resplendant with twin guitar riffs aplenty, pleasing the band’s faithfull. Hard rock number “Runaway” would open shows on the tour which backed the album’s release while “Lorelei” represented the more mellow side of Wishbone Ash at its very best.
“Outward Bound” was one of the finest instrumental numbers the band would produce - though an odd choice for single release, perhaps? The trilogy of “Prelude”, “When You Know Love” and “Lonely Island” also contained some fine moments. The acoustic album closer “Candlelight” marked Ted Turner’s first songwriting appearance on a Wishbone Ash album since his departure in 1974. Although Ted did not appear on the recording, the track featured ideas on which he and Andy Powell had previously worked.
The almost unanimous reaction to “New England” - which peaked at 22 on the UK album chart - was that the album marked a true return to form for Wishbone Ash.
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