Uriah Heep - Very 'Eavy...Very 'Umble / 1970 / 320kbps / 113 MB / 50:45
http://tinyurl.com/2qrcdmhttp://tinyurl.com/2pvt3c01. Gypsy (6:37)
02. Walking In Your Shadow (4:30)
03. Come Away Melinda (3:47)
04. Lucy Blues (5:08)
05. Dreammare (4:42)
06. Real Turned On (3:39)
07. I'll Keep On Trying (5:28)
08. Wake Up (Set Your Sites) (6:25)
09. Gypsy (single edit) (2:59)
10. Come Away Melinda (3:41)
11. Born In A Trunk (3:45)
This album was the debut of Uriah Heep, an English band that would become one of the Titans of the 1970s heavy metal sound. Despite their eventual hard-rocking reputation, Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble finds the band trying on different stylistic hats as they work towards finding their own sound. At this juncture, their music falls halfway between the crunch of heavy metal and the dramatic arrangements of prog rock. When this style jells, the results are quite powerful: "Dreammare" blends psychedelic lyrics and a complex vocal arrangement with a stomping beat from the rhythm section to create an effective slice of prog metal fusion while "I'll Keep On Trying" presents a head-spinning, complex tune with enough riffs, hooks, and tempo changes to fill three or four songs. However, the album's finest achievement is "Gypsy": this heavy metal gem nails the blend of swirling organ riffs, power chords, and leather-lunged vocal harmonies that would define the group's classic tunes and remains a staple of the band's live performances today. Unfortunately, the focus of the album is diluted by some unsuccessful experiments: "Lucy Blues" is a dull, unmemorable stab at a Led Zeppelin-style heavy blues tune and "Come Away Melinda" is an overproduced, melodramatic cover that tries to marry the band's full-throttle musical style to a message song. Despite these occasional moments of stylistic schizophrenia, Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble is a likable album that shows the promise that Uriah Heep would soon realize. Those unfamiliar with Uriah Heep may want to try out Demons and Wizards or a compilation first, but anyone with a serious interest in Uriah Heep or the roots of heavy metal will find plenty to like on Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble. Collector's note: the American edition of this album was retitled Uriah Heep and omits "Lucy Blues" in favor of the track "Bird of Prey" from Salisbury.Review by Donald A. Guarisco (allmusic.com)
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Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself / 1971 / 320kbps / 95 MB / 40:59
http://tinyurl.com/37hlyl01 Look At Yourself
02 I Wanna Be Free
03 July Morning
04 Tears In My Eyes
05 Shadows Of Grief
06 What Should Be Done
07 Love Machine
Line-up/Musicians
- Ken Hensley / organ, piano, guitar, acoustic guitar & vocal
- Mick Box / lead guitar & acoustic guitar
- David Byron / lead vocal- Paul Newton / bass guitar
- Ian Clarke / drums
Guest musicians:
- Teddy Osei, Mack Tontoh & Loughty Amao from "Osibisa" - percussion on "Look At Yourself"
- Manfred Mann / Moog on "July Morning"The third album from Uriah Heep sees them taking further giant steps forward. The rhythm section is still in a state of turmoil, but the nucleus of Box/Byron/Hensley have found a solid direction, and are approaching the pinnacle of their combined creativity.The title track has become one of the band’s most enduring pieces, a solid five minute chunk of loud, infectious rock, with a wall of sound, and a breathtaking pace. The instrumental breaks are quite stunning, with Box in particular in fine form. Towards the end of the track, Bronze label-mates Osibisa add additional percussion as it increases pace before reaching a climactic conclusion. I only discovered recently, that the lead vocals on the track are performed by Ken Hensley, not David Byron, although the latter always took the lead when the song was performed live. Quite why this happened is puzzling, as the overall sound is very much as if Byron himself was singing as usual.The album includes the epic “July Morning”, with its majestic prog sound, and superb structure. The track alternates between soft and loud passages, and includes a wonderful Hammond solo followed by Byron reaching ever higher with his piercing screams. The main instrumental theme which closes the track is basically simple, but transformed by a guest appearance from Manfred Mann on synthesiser. While Hensley would later master this instrument himself, they were still somewhat rare at the time, giving the track a very progressive feel in the early 70’s. A truly magnificent piece of music.
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Uriah Heep - Demons and Wizards / 1972 / 320kbps / 133 MB / 57:48
http://tinyurl.com/25obdfhttp://tinyurl.com/yrq8pf01. The Wizard (3:02)
02. Traveller In Time (3:27)
03. Easy Living (2:39)
04. Poet's Justice (4:17)
05. Circle Of Hands (6:25)
06. Rainbow Demon (4:28)
07. All My Life (2:47)
08. Paradise/The Spell (12:42)
Bonus
09. Why (4:57)
10. Why (Extended Version) (7:39)
11. Home Again To You (5:29)
This is the album that solidified Uriah Heep's reputation as a master of gothic-inflected heavy metal. From short, sharp rock songs to lengthy, musically dense epics, Demons and Wizards finds Uriah Heep covering all the bases with style and power. The album's approach is set with its lead-off track, "The Wizard": it starts as a simple acoustic tune but soon builds into a stately rocker that surges forth on a wall of sound built from thick guitar riffs, churchy organ, and operatic vocal harmonies. Other highlights include "Traveller in Time," a fantasy-themed rocker built on thick wah-wah guitar riffs, and "Circle of Hands," a stately power ballad with a gospel-meets-heavy metal feel to it. Demons and Wizards also produced a notable radio hit for the band in "Easy Livin'," a punchy little rocker whose raging blend of fuzz guitar and swirling organ made it feel like a 1970s update of classic 1960s garage rockers like the Electric Prunes or Paul Revere & the Raiders. However, the top highlight of the album is the closing medley of "Paradise" and "The Spell": the first part of the medley starts in an acoustic folk mode and slowly adds layers of organ and electric guitar until it becomes a forceful slow-tempo rocker, while the second half is a punchy, organ-led rocker that includes an instrumental midsection where choral-style harmonies fortify a killer, Pink Floyd-style guitar solo from Mick Box. All in all, Demons and Wizards works both as a showcase for Uriah Heep's instrumental firepower and an excellent display of their songwriting skills in a variety of hard rock styles. As a result, it is considered by many fans to be their finest hour and is definitely worth a spin for anyone with an interest in 1970s heavy metal. ~ Donald A. Guarisco, All Music Guide
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Uriah Heep - Wonderworld (4 Bonus Tracks) / 1974 / 320 kbps / 132 MB / 55:03
http://tinyurl.com/38dax4http://tinyurl.com/3ypfdd01. Wonderworld
02. Suicidal Man
03. The Shadows And The Wind
04. So Tired
05. The Easy Road
06. Something Or Nothing
07. I Won't Mind
08. We Got We
09. Dreams
10. Shout It Out (bonus)
11. The Time Will Come (bonus)
12. Beautiful Dream (bonus)
13. Return To Fantasy (bonus)
Wonderworld continues in the vein of Sweet Freedom, trying to bring Uriah Heep's appeal to a wider level while still retaining the grandiose trademark elements (the organ-guitar attack, David Byron's operatic shriek) that got them noticed. The result is an album that is solid but not as inspired as Look at Yourself or Demons and Wizards. The hard rock quotient is a little stronger on this album than it was on Sweet Freedom: "Something or Nothing" is a galloping stomp-rocker in the vein of past classics like "Love Machine" and "Suicidal Man" is an organ-fortified speed-rocker that is one of the band's finest hard rock tunes. On other tracks, the group continues in the experimental vein of Sweet Freedom: "The Shadows and the Wind" tacks a Queen-style round of a cappella harmonies onto its tag and "We Got We" marries one of the band's gothic melodies to a funky rhythm track that features some tasty clavinet jamming from Ken Hensley. However, the most successful experiment is "The Easy Road," an orchestrated romantic ballad that features a lovely, understated vocal performance from David Byron. Despite these highlights, the remainder of Wonderworld has trouble sustaining a similar level of inspiration: The title track is powerfully performed but feels like the band is going through the motions and "Dreams" lacks the strong melody necessary to prop up the song's interesting riffs. Ultimately, Wonderworld lacks the consistency and the high number of standout tunes that would help it win over new listeners but contains enough highlights to please the Uriah Heep fan base.Review by Donald A. Guarisco
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Uriah Heep - High And Mighty / 1976/2004 / (Expanded De-Luxe Edition) / 320kbps / 199 MB / 1:12:18
http://tinyurl.com/ypzdfuhttp://tinyurl.com/26mbfehttp://tinyurl.com/2yhoo2Side A
1. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER (Hensley) 4.37
2. WEEP IN SILENCE (Hensley/Wetton) 5.09
3. MISTY EYES (Hensley) 4.15
4. MIDNIGHT (Hensley) 5.40
Side B
1. CAN’T KEEP A GOOD BAND DOWN (Hensley) 3.40
2. WOMAN OF THE WORLD (Hensley) 3.10
3. FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW (Hensley/Wetton) 3.56
4. CAN’T STOP SINGING (Hensley) 3.15
5. MAKE A LITTLE LOVE (Hensley) 3.24
6. CONFESSION (Hensley) 2.16
Bonus Tracks
1. Name Of The Game - out-take
2. Sundown - out-take
3. Weep In Silence - extended version, previously unreleased
4. Name Of The Game - Ken Hensley demo version
5. Woman Of The World - Ken Hensley demo version
6. I Close My Eyes - Ken Hensley demo version, previously unreleased
7. Footprints In The Snow - Ken Hensley demo version
8. Can't Keep A Good Band Down - edit, previously unreleased
DAVID BYRON - Vocals
JOHN WETTON - Bass, Guitar, Mellotron, Electric Piano, Vocals
LEE KERSLAKE - Drums, Percussion, Vocals
MICK BOX - Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, 12 String Acoustic Guitar
KEN HENSLEY - Organ, Piano, Moog Synthesizer, Tubular Bells, Electric Piano, Guitar, Slide Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric 12 String Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar, Vocals
Produced and arranged by URIAH HEEP
Engineer ASHLEY HOWE, except "One Way Or Another" and "Footprints In The Snow" PETER GALLEN
Assistant Engineer JOHN GALLEN
Recorded at Roundhouse Recording Studios, London, December 1975 - March 1976
Mastered by ALAN CORBETT at RCA, LondonBy 1976, Uriah Heep was on shaky ground. Although they had scored a big success with Return to Fantasy, the group was suffering from personality conflicts (vocalist David Byron left after this album) and division over their musical direction. This tension is visibly apparent on High and Mighty, an album that shows flashes of the group's old firepower, but is ultimately sunk by a combination of unfocused experimentation and uneven songwriting. It starts promisingly with a solid first side: "One Way or Another" is a surging, dramatic hard rocker that features Ken Hensley trading verses with bassist John Wetton, and "Misty Eyes" is an engaging up-tempo tune that trades the group's hard rock thunder for a sound built on some tasty acoustic guitar riffs. It also contains one of the group's finest songs in "Midnight," a meditation on the price of success that neatly balances Mick Box's soaring guitar leads with an array of lush keyboard textures from Ken Hensley. This song is also notable for the dramatic, heart-wrenching vocal it is given by David Byron. However, High and Mighty fails to maintain this standard of quality on its second side. Several of the songs find the band flirting with pop elements in a way that doesn't compliment their hard rocking style: "Can't Stop Singing" starts curiously with "Monty Python"-style mock tribal chants before devolving into a silly keyboard pop tune, and the hard rock energy of "Woman of the World" is sunk by the ridiculously bouncy beat and English music hall-style piano it is saddled with. The second side also sports a surprisingly lame and derivative rocker in "Make a Little Love," a throwaway that sounds like an uninspired attempt to duplicate the sound of Bad Company. All in all, High and Mighty is far too uneven to win Uriah Heep any new fans, but it contains enough solid rockers to make it worth a listen for the group's devoted ones.Review by Donald A. Guarisco (allmusic.com)
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