ENCORE: LIVE IN CONCERT

A bit overdue, but not exactly coming too late, this double live album came in handy to buy the band more time, as Ballard's departure to a good solo career was a handicap (this was the band's first and last line-up change) and they needed more time to replace him. In either case, this album comes as the band's definitive statement and their only real essential album.

Obviously as expected the bulk of the tracks played in concert came from the preceding three albums, ATN, ID and Nexus (3tracks each), and their live version being often superior to their studio ones. This is indeed the case for Spheres, Dance Of The Ages (which has now grown to a 9-minutes beauty), Thunder And Lightning and the rockin' Keep On Rollin'. While I found that some tracks had not been bettered (It's Only Money and Miracles), the extended version of Hold Your Head up is only partially successful, and comes with too many solos, but it doesn't disserve the cause either. And what a joy it is to hear the old Zombies track Time Of The Season, now reserved for the encore, while it used to be the bravado piece before.

All the more I could think of is that five more tracks could've made it on this record, and you'd have everything you need as far as their Ballard-era is concerned (those tracks being Candles On The River, Lothlorian, Sleep and Keeper Of The Flame and maybe Losing Hold). In either case, this album salutes the end of Ballard's tenure with Argent and it might just be Ballard's most definitive performance as far as vocals and guitar playing are concerned. This live album is the only thing I own still nowadays (Argent was an early fave of mine) and most likely I'll do a compilation CD-r from the studio albums for the few scattered tracks that are not better represented on this live album.

More! More!

"Encore" is a live album recorded at the peak of the band's creative and commercial being. Originally a budget priced double LP, it is now available as a single CD.

The songs, which are taken from the band's albums up to "Nexus", are all enhanced by the live performance, many being considerably longer. "Hold your head up" gains a wonderful synthesiser solo, which incorporates the Welsh anthem, "We'll keep a welcome in the hills". "I am the dance of ages" is even more powerful than the studio version on the "All together now" album, and the Zombies "Time of the season" makes for a great encore.

Inevitably, the focus is on the band's upbeat songs, but Russ Ballard's wonderful ballad "I don't believe in miracles"(written for Colin Blunstone who had been in the Zombies with Rod Argent)is also present.

The audience, many of who would have attended as a result of the enormous hit single "God gave rock and roll to you" play their part in creating a fine atmosphere throughout the performance, and there is little sign of subsequent overdubbing.

This could well be Argent's best album.

A live setting is where this band sounded its best!

"The Coming of Kohoutek" played live is positively chilling, it blows away the studio version by light-years! "It's Only Money" rocks the house in grand fashion, it was amazing how the band could be very cerebral one instance and be so much fun the next without batting an eyelid. "God Gave Rock & Roll To You" " Thunder and Lightning" and "Keep On Roillin" here are fine examples of the band's fun side.

"Time OF The Season" gets even more teeth and claws live as does the hypnotic "Music of the Spheres" and the even more chilling "I Am The Dance of Ages" (the 'Tron section in the middle will give you nightmares for days!).

If you like Rock 'n Roll mixed with your prog, this is a good way to experience it!

Argent's place on this site, and within the greater prog community, has come under some scrutiny. But I think they certainly belong, as do Queen, Styx, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Crack The Sky and 10cc. With 'In Deep', 'Nexus' and 'Circus', you have Argent at its proggy best. This live album was recorded during the 'Nexus' era, and despite some great songs, it cannot be recommended to anyone but a devoted Argent listener. (ie. Don't start here!)

I hear a conservative approach in many of these performances. Even within stand-out tracks like "Music From The Spheres" and "I Am The Dance Of Ages", there seems to be a lack of momentum. This isn't helped by the rickety, thin recording job. Not one of the tracks improves on the studio version (though Rod Argent does add greatly to "The Coming Of Kohoutek" with a delicious variety of keyboard-generated layers). "It's Only Money" and "Thunder And Lightning" do possess a good degree of impact. But, with the lack of overall punch and the patchy recording job, it fails to achieve that rare status as a mandatory live album. Also worth noting is the incredibly dull second half: "I Don't Believe In Miracles", "Keep On Rollin'", "Hold Your Head Up" and "Time Of The Season". Studio or live, these songs aren't the best of Argent's output (I don't care if the last two songs were big hits!), so 'Encore' isn't necessary listening. But if you like the band enough, as I do, it's fairly easy to justify giving it a place in your collection.

This is the last album with Ballard on the guitar. A nice farewell work actually.

This live set is a good balance between old and newer songs (at the time of recording). Three songs (but twenty-six minutes) from their latest album are the main body of this live album.

One of the highlight is "The Coming Of Kohoutek" which is much more extended than its studio counterpart. It is a real showcase for Rod Argent, even if one can reproach him to play his Emerson here. But even if he did so, he is forgiven. It is a great opener for a concert indeed.

The global tendency of this live recording is that the live renditions sound generally better. They all have a harder/heavier edge (even the funky "Thunder And Lightning" is more bearable).

The third song from "Nexus" is the more complex "Music From The Spheres" which is made of two distinctive parts: a first one which combines some fine melody and a jazzy section and the second one which is more in the prog vein (not too far from "Yes" actually).

From their album "In Deep", there are both parts of "It's Only Money". These are probably the weakest parts of this live album. But the originals were no big deal to tell the truth. Part II though is much better than the studio version. The instrumental part features another great organ solo. I really like these. would you believe?

Their smash hit "God Gave Rock And Roll To You" works miles better in this live set. It is more dynamic and vibrant, even if I have never been too enthusiast about this repetitive song. At least during the live version, there seems to more passion, more strengths.

Three songs as well are coming from their third album "All Together Now". An extended version of the very good "I Am The Dance Of The Ages": a heavy track with a repetitive beat. In those days, it was rather usual to get some long solo and extended versions of studio songs: "Made In Japan" and "Uriah Heep Live" are the references in that respect (but there are others).

The revival "Keep On Rolling" is just an appetizer for their best ever song as far as I am concerned: the fantastic "Hold Your Head Up". A brilliant interpretation, on the longer side again. But this aspect is not at all exaggerated and it is again a good occasion for Rod to have the main role. It is another highlight.

There are also two non "Argent" tracks available: the mellow "I Don't Believe In Miracles" (featured previously on Colin Blunstone's second album "Ennismore") and the excellent "Time Of The Season" from "The Zombies". This track is another highlight: a great and psychedelic number which is a very good way to close this album. I would say that it is just shy of the four star rating (seven out of ten).

This is one of those live albums where basically all the songs outshine their original studio versions. Encore is basically Argent's greatest hits, performed live with a bit more power and urgency - and with far more instrumental work out - than the original versions. Another example of such an album is Barclay James Harvest's Live.

There is a good balance here between Ballard and Argent compositions. For Prog fans the Argent compositions are probably the most interesting, being generally more progressive than Ballard's more straightforward rock 'n' roll numbers. But I feel that it is the counterpoint between the two elements that makes this album work so well.

As we all know Rod Argent used to be in The Zombies, and here we get a nice version of The Zombies' classic Time Of The Season. Good stuff!

The sound quality is generally quite good and the performance is properly recorded. Nothing annoying on that account.

Like Barclay James Harvest, Argent is not really an essential band for the Prog fan, but if you want anything by them in your collection, Encore is a very good choice. And this might well be all the Argent you'll ever need. Still, this album is hardly essential.