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Album Retrospectives
FRONT PAGE NEWS
1977
Released in October 1977, Front Page News was Wishbone Ash’s fourth album to be recorded in the US, and their eighth studio album in all. It would mark the conclusion of a three year period of living and recording in the States.
Recording for Front Page News took place during the Summer of 1977 at Miami’s Criteria Sound Studios, where the band had previously recorded There’s the Rub, as well as parts of New England. Following the critical and commercial success of 1976’s New England, that albums production team of Ron and Howie Albert were retained for the recording of Front Page News.
The Miami sunshine certainly influenced the album. The music veered towards US soft rock in places, with strings and saxophone players being added to the recipe. Having said that, there were harder rock numbers thrown in for good measure throughout the album. The band’s trademark British sound, however, had by now almost disappeared, although in defence of Wishbone, the Front Page News album was perhaps their most musically diverse effort of all time, displaying their ability to perform in a wider range of musical styles, other than that for which they primarily known.
Group composition "Front Page News" opened the album, with its lyrics inspired by the band’s triumphant return to the UK’s concert stages in 1976. The track contained the classic Wishbone Ash twin guitars, as well as harmony vocals on its chorus. The version on the album has a fairly laid back feel - onstage the song gained power and was played at a slightly faster tempo.
"Midnight Dancer" followed, a mid paced Martin Turner penned track. Laurie Wisefield took lead vocal on "Goodbye Baby Hello Friend", a West Coast sounding soft rock anthem, which at the time sounded destined for hit single status - sadly this was not to be. "Surface to Air" was a fairly obtuse Martin Turner composition, hiting at the direction much of his future Wishbone Ash material would take, while the orchestrated instrumental "714" was the perfect showcase for Laurie Wisefield’s guitarwork.
"Come In From the Rain" and "Right or Wrong", both Martin Turner compositions, represented the albums hard rock element, although neither are especially memorable, possibly due to the laid back production feel of the album holding them back somewhat. "Heartbeat" and "The Day I Found Your Love" both have a laid back feel, the latter containing solo saxophone for the first time on a Wishbone Ash recording, as well as a particularly fine Martin Turner vocal. "Diamond Jack" closed the album in rocky style.
Front Page News would be met with mixed reactions from both fans and critics. Many felt frustrated by the continuing disintegration of the band’s British identity, others welcomed the diversity. Wishbone Ash’s subsequent album, however, would see the band returning to their native UK and the music reflecting this factor. Front Page News peaked at No.31 on the UK album chart.
GARY CARTER
Fan reviews:
Front Page News has never been one of my favourite Mark 2 albums - I tend to prefer the rockier There's The Rub, New England and No Smoke. But I played it a couple of days ago, and maybe I was in the right mood for something mellow, but it is a very good album. We all appreciate the title track, "Come In From The Rain" and "Diamond Jack", but songs like "Midnight Dancer", "Surface To Air" and "714" are very well-constructed too. I can't really get into "Right Or Wrong" though, and I'm not sure about "Heartbeat".
I think the beauty of Wishbone Ash is that they can follow up a rocker like New England with something completely different. Maybe that's a weakness too, 'cos sometimes it hasn't worked - Argus/Wishbone Four, for instance, or There's The Rub/Locked In.
Alan Bloor
Here is my take on Front Page News. The Cd is good. Yes i know it's not that heavy rocker we are all used too. But you can't go wrong with any Mk 1 or Mk2. My take on this is the lads were just to busy trying to save ass with the record deals to get that one song on the top 10 list which to me sounds very hookie because these guys had and still have very much talent when it come to singing. But in a sense that was not a bad idea because it had them go in a different direction and the end result was they actully had some very mellow and great ballads. OK here we go, "Diamond Jack" hot, "Right or Wrong", good rocking boogie, hot, very hot, "Heartbeat" very spacey, mellow, pull my heart stings, close my eyes and dream. Do I need to say any more. I've been an Ash fan sense blind eye.
David Hernandez
I’ve never warmed up to this album. For me, the cover reflects the music inside (or is it the other way round?) – sun-tanned & a bit superficial.
"Front Page News" – Didn't care for this song until I heard the live version. It’s not well-served by the studio gloss & polish - it needs the edge & the grit that come through in a live setting.
"Midnight Dancer" – some nice guitar work, that’s about all.
"Goodbye Baby Hello Friend" – too poppy. Lyrics are oh so bad.
"Surface to Air" - one of the better tracks. I like the quirky & dissonant guitar harmonies.
"714" - For me, as an American baseball fan, the title immediately translates to “Number of career homeruns hit by Babe Ruth.” That aside, this number (excuse the pun) is a snoozer all the way through. I’m still puzzled how this (and "Pay the Price") ever wound up on the Time Was collection. Skip button!
"Come In From The Rain" – best song on the album
"Right Or Wrong" – like "Pay the Price" on Just Testing – funky, bluesy rocker with little character.
"Heart Beat" – kind of like "714" with words
"The Day I Found Your Love" – Never really gets off the ground
"Diamond Jack" – not as big a fave with me as with many folks, and I gotta say that “Heard it Through the Grapevine” motif throws me every time. But it’s a good MT effort in a similar vein to "Come in from the Rain". The guitar breaks sparkle.
Bindu
Wonderful album for a sunny day- and what can be wrong with that? A bit slick perhaps - I prefer the band with a few ragged corners here and there -but I think the album has worn well. Maybe it's an album for middle aged old gits. I certainly like it more now...
Keith Stoddart
This album is a bit of a grower. I didn't take a lot of notice to this album on first hearing as it seemed laid back and not as "in yer face" as others. However, it has definitely grown on me the more I play it. That said there are a couple of numbers that I don't care for much but I do like "Front Page News", "Come In From The Rain" (my fave on the album), "Right Or Wrong", which I think is an underated rocker, "Diamond Jack", and I think "Surface To Air" is very underated and it's only recently that I took much notice of this track. Those solos in it are fantastic in my view and it's one I wish MTWA would bring into the set on odd occasion. "714" is an OK track but I still don't care for the rest much. Overall it's not a bad album but not as good as other MK 2 albums (apart from Locked In).
Tony Clark
There was a time in the eighties when Front Page News was my second or third favourite Ash album of all time (Argus and Pilgrimage have been and still are, constant as No 1 & 2). On reflection, of the Mk II albums, There's The Rub has stood the test of time better and New England has a rawer, more real edge. I still think that Front Page News is a good album though, even if it is a bit slick and polished. It always struck me as the most "American" of their albums.
Nigel G-S.
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