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Mogul Thrash - Mogul Thrash CD (album) cover

MOGUL THRASH

Mogul Thrash

 

Jazz Rock/Fusion

3.54 | 68 ratings

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Psychedelic Paul
4 stars The six-piece MOGUL THRASH were a short-lived, brassy and bluesy, heavy Jazz-Rock band from London. Who knows where they came up with the bizarre name, but maybe Mogul Thrash refers to the powerful drumming on the album. The band were originally known as James Litherland's Brotherhood, which sounds like an Easy Listening MOR group, so perhaps the change of bandname was no bad thing. Singer/guitarist James Litherland was previously a member of Colosseum. Mogul Thrash also features John Wetton on bass and vocals. Wetton is best-known as the frontman of Asia, as well as being a one-time member of Family, King Crimson, Roxy Music and Uriah Heep during his long and distinguished career. Sadly, John Wetton is no longer with us, having passed away in 2017 at the age of 67, but he'll be long-remembered for many years to come, gaining the musical equivalent of immortality. This one and only self-titled album by Mogul Thrash was produced by renowned Hammond organ maestro Brian Auger, who also played piano on Track 5: "St, Peter". The 1999 CD reissue also included the single "Sleeping in the Kitchen." Are you ready to Rock!?? Well, Let's Go!!

The album opens with the bright and brassy number "Something Sad", but something sad it definitely isn't! This music will invigorate you, exhilarate you, and maybe even rejuvenate you with its raw energy and power. It's brassy and bold, which is just what you'd expect from a Jazz-Rock band. The heartfelt plea contained in the lyrics tell a story of a relationship gone sour:- "Where is the love, That you said you would bring me today?, Nothing is left, Of the debt that I had to repay, 'Cause when you get to making your mind up, When you get to telling your lies, There's one thing that will always deceive you, The look of something sad in your eyes." ..... It's bluesy, it's brassy, it's gutsy, but above all, it's great music! Onwards now to Track 2, the 10-minute-long epic "Elegy". This is a re-working of the classic Colosseum song that originally appeared on the "Valentyne Suite" album. This song features a wild and extended psychedelic jam to stimulate and delight the senses. If you're in the mood for a hefty slice of Psychedelic Rock, then you'll be in seventh heaven with this song. As the song title implies , it's another moody blues number, but sounds nothing like THEE Moody Blues. No, this is bold and brassy blues with an attitude. It's another sad tale of lost love with these mournful lyrics:- "Baby don't you leave me in this world alone, We'll go and see somebody who won't shake his head and moan, Doctors can do anything, it is said today, I'll do anything, yeah I'll even pray, But don't you leave me alone like this, I couldn't stand it without your kiss, So don't go, Oh don't you go." ..... It's another good old-fashioned slice of British blues, spiced up with some loud and brassy horns. The intriguingly titled "Dreams of Glass and Sand" is up next. What's it all about, you may ask? Well, maybe the lyrics will enlighten you:- "Lost in the answers, Under the sea, Trapped, staring outwards, Waiting for me, You can stay with me, You hold the last scars of light in your hand, Stay with me, In the dreams of glass and sand." No, I'm STILL baffled, but who cares about the lyrics anyway when the music is this good!? It's another upbeat and lively Jazzy number with brassy horns in abundance, and who could ask for anything better than that when it comes to classic British Jazz-Rock!? We come now to the longest song on the album, "Going North, Going West", with a running time of 12 minutes. This is one long extended jam session without vocals. The brass section sound like they're having the time of their lives on this energetic number, not to mention the wild guitarist who goes off on one hell of an acid trip with some freaky psychedelic riffing. This is where the musicians really get to strut their stuff and show what they're made of. Prepare to be amazed! It's All That Jazz and a lot more besides. And now we come to the penultimate song on the album, "St. Peter", another energetic song that's as bold as brass with the spirited horn section sounding like they're having a blast. And "What's This I Hear?" Have we come to the final song already? Yes, indeed we have, because "What's This I Hear?" is the sixth and final song on the album. The singer gets down and dirty with this raw bluesy number, with lyrics that are too rude to be re-printed here, so I'd better leave them to your imagination. This is a powerful Jazz-Rock number to close the album in memorable style with the sonorous brass section in solid form again. This album Rocks!

If you're in the mood for a good old-fashioned dollop of classic British Jazz-Rock, then this might be just the album you're looking for. This one-off album is bound to appeal to fans of the bright and brassy sound of Colosseum and other bands of that ilk. It's very heavy, but not so very humble. Play it loud and proud, but try not to annoy the neighbours.

Psychedelic Paul | 4/5 |

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