FRONT PAGE NEWS

With Laurie Wisefield now firmly installed as the second lead guitarist and sometime vocalist, Wishbone Ash continued to develop the sound and style they had introduced on "New England". For this album, they retained the production services of Ron and Howard Albert, but returned to their original record label, MCA.

The opening title track sets the scene for the album in a slightly laid back, mid-paced song. Apart from the delightful vocals, the song features some excellent integral guitar work, which complements the composition rather than dominating it. That laid back atmosphere is repeated in songs such as "Midnight dancer" which changes pace mid- way, the slow wah-wah guitar giving way to an all to rare burst of faster lead guitar duelling. Wisefield assumes lead vocal duty on the Crosby Stills and Nash like "Goodbye baby, hello friend", another relaxed song with more of a pop basis. The CSN influences appear elsewhere from time to time, perhaps emanating in part from the style of Wisefield's previous band Home. On the relaxed instrumental "714", we even have orchestration by Mike Lewis, surely a first for Wishbone Ash.

And so it is that a succession of slightly melancholy mid-paced songs with strong harmonies flows seamlessly on. All the while, bursts of great but all too brief guitar work intrude, but usually they simply serve as a solid basis for the tracks.

The second side is slightly harder, but rarely does the pace reach anything like what might be described as energetic. Songs such as "Right or wrong" have a stronger blues influence, with hints of LED ZEPPELIN or DEEP PURPLE.

There are no feature tracks on "Front page news". This is a straightforward album of ten 4-5 minute songs, consummately performed but with little development. For that reason, the album will never be Front page news in terms of Wishbone Ash's catalogue. Seen for what it is though, this is a proficient offering packed with pleasant melodies, while undoubtedly standing as the band's least aggressive release.

The gatefold sleeve has a rather strange collage of images which appear to bear no relation to the album title or the songs it contains.

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