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It will be later before God gives rock and roll to you

A good first album, if now sounding somewhat dated. The closing track on side one, "Dance in the smoke" was included on the CBS sampler "Fill your head with rock". It's not really representative of the album, but the sampler sold well, and many people discovered Argent as a result.

The combination of Rod Argent and Russ Ballard works well from the start, with both contributing to the song-writing. The songs on this album however are pretty straight forward, leaning more towards Rod's previous band (the Zombies) than Argent's later, more prog focused output.

Having had the album since the early 70's, I enjoy it as much now as I did then, but those looking for the Argent which made "Hold your head up" and "God gave rock'n'roll to you" can safely give this one a miss.

2.5 stars really!!!

Once the Zombies broke up after their groundbreaking masterpiece album Odessey And Oracle, Rod Argent to ex-bassist Chris White with him and formed his new band named after himself. Enrolling his cousin Rodfort on drums, he also found Russ Ballard that was too become the other stalwart of the group on guitar and vocals, but also a good songwriter. However White was only to contribute to lyrics and in came Henrit on bass. Graced with a futurist neon artwork (for the era), the eponymous debut came out when The Zombies' Time Of The Season became a huge hit over one year after its release. So the group jumped on the occasion, justly appropriating it to themselves and the song would become a live attraction.

Musically the album doesn't offer very much for the proghead, as this is very much a band looking for its landmarks and limits, still trying to un-zombi themselves. So obviously this album might appear as a transition album, but I'd even say that it might even appear as a step backwards to The Zombies' epitaph album. Mostly pop songs, with the highlight being Dance In The Smoke, but this album is certainly nothing to write home about.

An honest debut that holds promise, but not much more. Hardly essential.

I remember being quite surprised when I first heard this debut. The disc had the copyright year 1969 (not 1970) but the music sounded very much like mid-seventies rock'n'roll with an emphasis on keyboards; catchy rock, both arty and straight-forward. Something like Manfred Mann's Earth Band at its best.

I haven't heard Rod Argent's former r&b band Zombies, and the only other Argent album (All Together Now from 1972) that I've listened to disappointed me strongly after this one. So I'm not any connoisseur of the band, nor is straight-forward rock my field particularly, but anyway this is pretty good and extremely well produced rock without any 60's feel. It can be said that they were ahead of their time. Russ Ballard is just the right man to sing this music. Some little irritations here and there, like the "lonely hard road" repetition of background vocals in 'Lonely Hard Road', but otherwise a strong and nicely flowing album.

If you are into old psychedelia and heavy sounds, this might well be an album to watch out.

The great duo (Rod Argent and Russ Ballard) are there for the trip. Hesitating between Floyd and Purple. But who cares? These are landmarks in music and "Argent" did have his own place in those old days...

Pre-Heep moments, but at times so close and premonitory ("Be Free"). Song writing is clever, but it lacks of grandeur and the album suffered this an awful lot. Good songs overall, but no real outstanding number. Do not expect a chef d'oeuvre, just above average album for the time.

When you listen to this album, a song as "Schoolgirl" is going to sound as rather outdated; but it is so typical of an era. You have to be in the mood, as I am, to fully appreciate this album.

Remember, we are talking about the early days of prog music (1970), even if "Argent" was not a high flyer. They certainly need respect for their work, and this debut is quite encouraging. Like during "Dance In The Smoke" during which some very fine vocal harmonies and subtle keys can be observed. The music might sound childish, but almost forty years ago, this was a different feeling.

A great song as "The Feeling's Inside" is really not shy from most of the grand psyche anthems of the time (or earlier). Only that "Argent" didn't have the same exposure, nor fame. But they are still a good band whose music definitely deserves your attention. This album in particular should please you if great organ play and some psychedelic patterns ("Freefall") are amongst your fave.

If ever you are keen to listen to this album (and I can only recommend you to do so), be prepared for a long trip back into the heavy and psyche roots. But isn't it a wonderful challenge?

Three stars.

Well, just how proggy can an album be if Three Dog Night covered one of the album's best songs? Obviously, we're not looking at nor listening to rocket science or brain (salad) surgery with Argent's first album.

I need to put on my wayback-machine ears here. A lot of this sounds like typical 70's rock -- great vocal harmonies, great melodies, powerful keyboards, chucka-chucka guitars, and in the end not much happening. But there's a big however: this album was recorded on the front-end of the 70's. In other words, it's a template for what many of us associate with the typical 70's rock sound, because it is one of the sources. You'll hear sounds here that were successfully appropriated by various 70's bands. So Lonely Hard Road engenders a Doobie Brothers sound. Liar, or at least its intention and invective, shows up on Fleetwood Mac's Rumours.

It's not surprising, really. Rod Argent came to the band via The Zombies, one of the more intelligent of the original British Invasion bands. Argent's keyboards are invariably perfect, and the rest of the band, while not exactly capable of causing one's jaw to drop, provide a perfectly competent background.

The prog tendencies are here: the guitar intro to Like Honey and the mid-song passages with swirling vocals and Hammond, the Hammond intro and subsequent second- and third-harmonics of The Feelings Inside. And Stepping Stone almost reaches velocity here and there.

This is a pretty decent first album for the band. There's a competent rock writer (Ballard) and an above- competent keyboardist trying to find their way. They hit some decent high points here and there, but never really pull it all together. It's a good listen if one's expectations are not too high, especially for those who appreciate keyboards.