April Wine

Artist: April Wine
Label: Aquarius Music
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 060271650229
EAN: 0060271650229
ASIN: B00003IQHR

Release Date: 1998-09-15

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General

| Pop | Styles | Music

General

| Rock | Styles | Music

General

| Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)

| Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Hard Rock

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Classic Rock

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Tracks:

Oceana
Can't Find the Town
Fast Train
Listen Mister
Page Five
Song for Mary
Wench
Time

Similar Items:

Electric Jewels
On Record
Harder...Faster
Stand Back
First Glance

Customer Reviews:

April Wine's debut album.......2005-03-21

April Wine (1971.) April Wine's first album.

Late in the seventies, April Wine would become a tremendously successful Canadian hard rock band. Although the band tends to go forgotten in the modern age, in their day, they were one of the most popular and successful rock groups. Their breed of rock and roll was one of a kind, and it showed on everything they did. The band's first album was released in 1971, featuring Myles Goodwyn (the band's one constant member), and the three Henman brothers. This was the band's only release to feature all three brothers as band regulars. Read on for my review of the album.

On this album, April Wine plays some damn good rock and roll, but at the same time, it's not what you'd expect from them. Rather than featuring the gritty, classic down-to-earth hard rock sound that made the band legends later in the decade, here the band uses a sixties-influenced, semi-psychedelic hard rock sound. That makes this one of the group's most unique releases of all; the band would never sound this way again. The band's first single, Fast Train, came from this album. The song is one of the few commercial-sounding pieces on the album, which was a great contributor to its success, and to the band's later sound. There really aren't any weak songs here, but if you're looking for a debut that resembles the sound of the band's classic sound from later in the decade, or for a plethora of hit singles, you won't find them here. There are underrated masterpieces aplenty on this album, and it's die-hard fans of the group that will be able to enjoy them the most.

April Wine's entire discography has pretty much vanished from store shelves, which is a huge disappointment since the band is one of Canada's finest. I am really hoping that the record company chooses to reissue this album and the others in the band's catalogue, because the band rarely fails to please, and more classic rock fans must be exposed to it.

April Wine was one of the greatest classic rock bands of the seventies, and their debut is where it all began for them. While not necessarily a good starting point for a new fan, the band's debut album is an underrated gem that stands the test of time. If you've gotten the band's better-known albums and become somewhat of a fan, go back and check out their debut. What you overlooked may surprise you. But if you're new to the band altogether, start elsewhere.

Okay, not their finest moment, but..........2005-03-07

Here we see the Wine as a democratic unit, before Myles' good sense took over and the Henmans eventually all left. Although one could easily dismiss most this album as fodder (as the All-Music Guide reviewer states above), there is a little bit more than meets the eye. Recorded soon after the band's move to Montreal, the album seems to be influenced a great deal from Montreal's music scene at that time. "Listen Mister" comes across as a non-classical prog number that remains a very entertaining listen, mixing fast-rock sections with laid-back, shimmering moments, with samba-rock a la Santana and some 3/4 rock thrown in for the extended solo section. That said, however, "Fast Train" and "Listen Mister" (coincidentally, Myles' two songs on the album, not counting the band-writted "Wench") are perhaps the best quarter of the album. "Oceana" only ceases to be embarrassing when one realizes April Wine were not the only group dabbling in post-psychedelia... and not necessarily succeeding in the process. "Can't Find the Town" and "Song for Mary" seem like a wandering folkie wandered into the studio during the band's lunch break and quickly recorded two numbers. "Page Five" may be the most progressive moment on the album, but not necessarily the best. (One notices at least half the album is plagued by weak vocals by the Henmans.) "Time" sees Myles regain lead vocal duties, albeit on a song not written by him. A blues-rock number similar to early Iron Butterfly (only more somber in its choice of chords), at least the band plays a better card walking out than it did walking it with "Oceana". Faced with this varied set, one wonders what would have become of the group had they chosen a different direction... say, the interesting prog leanings. Though later tracks such as "Electric Jewels" and "Child's Garden" still flirted with non-classical progressive notions, most Henman contributions were kept away from the albums. Though perhaps a wise move (in light of this album), this relegated enjoyable tracks such as "Teacher" (another prog-friendly number) and "I Get Bad" (a T-Rex pastiche) to single B-sides. I was able to enjoy April Wine live in concert Friday night, and I'm _not_ _complaining_ about any of the choices Myles made, all of which made April Wine a much better rock band. ("Electric Jewels" rocks!)

Rare issue - not great but very listenable.......2005-01-11

This record is perhaps worth getting simply because it has forgotten gem of "Can't Find The Town" on it. "Fast Train" is also a hit but it is available on some compilations while "Can't Find The Town" is absolutely beautiful song that disappeared from the face of the earth and was never heard of since. Some of the other songs mostly closer to the end of the album while not as stunning are still enjoyable.

I was impressed.......2000-07-17

The more I listen to these guys, the more I like them. Certainly they were overshadowed in their time by rocks greats, even in their home country Canada they were overshadowed perhaps by better bands. They got pretty heavy at times, and that is one of their appeals. Growing out of pyscahdelia, they seemd to go for the hook heavy riff rock. The album is solid throughout, with some heavy sets.

I love cranking this album...through all the well crafted songs and waiting till it kicks in. And it does. Production is decent.

A good purchase for the hard-rock collector.

It woulnt earn the fourth star in its day, but it hold up much of todays overall weaker music, earning it a 4th star.

April Wine had a few more good albums. On the Record was even better than this prehpas there heaviest. The whole worlds Going Crazy had its chunky moments was well, but also a few weak tracks. The band cheesed out and lost their edge somewhere in the 80s. I also think their record companies really screwed them. All you can really find is Greatest Hits and repackages of their tune. Please consider the original albums.

This is pretty good.

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