WISHBONE ASH - Strange Affair

Metal Hammer, April 1991

Like warts Wishbone Ash never really go away, but, unlike warts, I often welcome their return - warts n’all. Wishbone Ash have been doing the twin guitar thing even before the guitar was invented and “Strange Affair” is another soaring duel between Turner and Powell. The album is a mix of numbers that roll along merrily, but it’s the slower ballady numbers that give me the creeps. Seventies bedsit melencholy at its worst is transcended by an air guitar freak’s dream on the songs that Ash do best - uptempo rock numbers with lotsa guitar rhythms hotly followed by the duo giving it some inspired breaks. “Hard Times” and “Standing in the Rain” and the title track are textbook classics of adultish rock - all bollocks and a little brains.

“Strange Affair” certainly hasn’t got that studioed sound that the 1979 “Just Testing” album had. Fine album though it was, 1991 has Wishbone Ash with a keener edge than I’ve heard from them for a long time. There are a couple of exceedingly naff songs on the album, but they’re outweighed by some really outstanding guitar work. I guess I’ll dust off the ol’ tennis racket and do what I used to do in front of the mirror once again.

Al Simpson

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