Bonafide

Artist: Wishbone Ash
Label: Talking Elephant
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1
EAN: 5028479004027
ASIN: B000062X8O

Release Date: 2002-05-05

Bonafide

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Tracks:

Almighty Blues
Enigma
Faith, Hope and Love
Ancient Remedy
Changing Tracks
Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda
Bona Fide
Difference in Time
Come Rain, Come Shine
Peace

Similar Items:

Clan Destiny
Illuminations
Strange Affair

Album Description

2002 album for the long-running British progressive rock act. 10 tracks including 'Almighty Blues', 'Enigma' & 'Ancient Remedy'.

Album Details

They're Back in 2002, Still Crazy after all These Years, Touring and Recording. Focusing around Original Members Andy Powell and Ted Turner.

Customer Reviews:

Very Disappointing.......2002-08-24

I was extremely disappointed after listening to what Wisbone ash has withered down to in this CD. After hearing comments as to how the 'old' Wisbone Ash sound was back on Bona Fide, I couldn't wait to get it, but it just isn't so.

Most of the songs on this CD have a generic cookie-cutter soft-rock sound to them that will leave you wanting to skip to the next one hoping it will get better. The only cut that comes across sounding anything like 'Pilgrimage' or 'Argus' era Wishbone Ash is "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda" but even then only until you get to the chorus verse with the annoying un-characteristic keyboard chords.

The instrumental title track "Bona Fide" sounds more like a Joe Satriani piece, and the twin lead guitars lack the energetic dueling feel of yore, playing only an anemic harmony off of each other. The only stand-out cut on the CD is "Come Rain, Come Shine," due mainly to the fact that it is a World Trade Center tribute. It is inspired but comes across sounding more like 'Yes' than Wishbone Ash.

Overall, Andy Powell is making a valiant effort trying to keep the old Ash sound alive, but this is one CD that comes up very short of achieving that goal.

Gone are the days when I would turn down the lights, turn up the volume and sit and absorb the energy of "Phoenix" or the goose-bump-inducing thrill from the dueling leads on "Throw Down the Sword." This CD is more suited to un-distracting fill-in background music, if that's your preference.

Andy Powell still at the "top of his game".......2002-07-08

When Wishbone Ash basically broke up in 1991, Andy Powell (guitar) continued on with the Wishbone Ash name, but it has been basically Andy Powell solo albums, teaming up with other talented players who come and go. This is perhaps Andy's finest effort ever. The production quality & playing is excellent. The other players are great. The songs are good. There is much here that 1970's Wishbone Ash fans might enjoy. I was tempted to give it 4 stars.

Great -- but not quite Argus.......2002-06-17

Let me start by saying that Wishbone Ash has been my favorite band since the mid-70s. Their unique ability to blend hauntingly beautiful melodies and virtuoso musicianship with hard, driving guitars has actually brought tears to my eyes. With the passage of time and several lineup changes, however, the quality of WA's music has changed -- and generally (IMHO) not for the better. After the debacles otherwise known as Twin Barrels Burning and Number the Brave, I resigned myself to the loss of an old friend. Despite a few diamonds in the rough (Nouveau Calls, Bare Bones), overall the picture has been fairly bleak. I almost cried when I heard Trance Visionary and Illuminations -- what happened to the Ash?

I am happy to say that Bona Fide... is a great album. It is not Argus or Pilgrimmage, but it is a great album. Some of the songs (Come Rain Come Shine; Peace) are as good as anything they've ever done. Several more (Almighty Blues; Faith, Hope and Love; Bona Fide) are at least as good as anything since There's the Rub, and that's saying something. There are double leads galore (although I wish the solos were longer), some straight-ahead rockers, some semi-medieval nuances (vaguely reminiscent of Lady Jay), and two instrumentals -- in short, an excellent cd. Ben Granfelt shares several writing credits with Andy and I think this lineup has some real potential. The bass lines in the middle of Come Rain Come Shine grab your gut, the drumming is crisp, the sound quality is excellent, and even Andy's vocals sound fresh. And their take on September 11 (Come Rain Come Shine) gave me goose bumps, not just for the music (which is awesome) but also in the way the lyrics and extra effects made me re-examine how (and even if) the whole thing will end.

So why not 5 stars? I guess I'm still just a little spoiled by their earlier classics. Virtuosity is great, but I miss the 4-minute high-energy guitar lessons (a la Sometime World), the long double lead trade-offs (Throw Down the Sword), the hard and recklessly intense axwork (Vas Dis/Errors of My Ways). Bona Fide contains some of everything that made WA great, it's just that there's not quite as much of it, and it doesn't last quite as long.

That being said, this is a great cd, certainly better than anything they've done in many years...

Wishbone Ash's best album in a dozen years!!!.......2002-06-15

This is a great CD! The old Wishbone Ash sound is back with this album. Their album Illuminations had some of the elements of the classic Wishbone Ash sound but this album definitely has it right. This is the studio album that should have followed Strange Affair. Andy Powell and the new members have done an excellent job with this opus. Buy this CD. You won't be disappointed. More albums like this Andy!

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