VINYL: Ex

LABEL: Ex

COVER: Ex

The album is in fantastic shape across the board.

Side 1

1. Superlungs my supergirl
2. Silver white light
3. July
4. Marking time
5. Stay with me baby

Side 2

1. Highway 61 revisited / friends
2. Mayfly
3. Speak now or forever hold your peace
4. Rich kid blues

It’s difficult to miss that this was produced by Mickie Most. Even then, way ahead of Suzi Quatro and other 70’s pop hits, his name featured almost as prominently as Reid’s on the credits. Was he also responsible for the LP title? I wouldn’t be surprised. But the star of the show here is surely Terry Reid. Most held him contractually for some time at the beginning of the 70’s, perhaps one reason why he didn’t take up one of the invitations, and Most should be ashamed of that, as he denied someone to fulfil his undoubted potential, described later by Robert Plant ‘as one of the best vocalists of that era’.

This is an excellent LP. It is full of driving, rhythm heavy, rock and blues. It will not disappoint anyone. Whilst you can pick any track from here, there are a few on Side 2 that stand out for me. Firstly, the piano led ‘Mayfly’ is absolutely terrific. Beautiful piano over loaded with Reid’s vocals stretching out for all to hear. You want this to be twice as long, as it is just stunning.

And to counter-balance, the final track, one played many years later in Marianne Faithful’s tour in the early part of this century, ‘Rich kid blues’, is a an organ led song which you can imagine went down well, when sung in Faithfull’s gritty, cigarette laden vocal style.

Sandwiched in between is ‘Speak now or forever hold your peace’ which is a stunning, hard driven, bluesy song that I am sure would bring reward to many a live show.

There are some real musical gems across both sides. Pick up this copy. There aren’t many around and this will be a little gold nugget in anyone’s record collection.