LP STEVIE WRIGHT Hard Road 1st 1974 EVIE Easybeats NM

	A$		22
	$		14

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This record has been cleaned and played through completely both sides on a Thorens Turntable as well as visually inspected under a bright halogen desk lamp to provide an accurate grading.
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1974 Australian issue
ALBERT label # APLP.005

CONDITION

SLEEVE : Quite tidy / some age-wear however no writing or splits / a hint of ring-wear however again only minimal as is the edge-wear along the spine …only a relatively thin cover for this issue and to find one in pristine condition is a tough ask at anytime.

DESCRIPTION

It features the full-length version of the classic “Evie” as well as a heap of other Vanda / Young penned tracks.

Former Easybeats cohorts Harry Vanda and George Young, in addition to producing this album, played on most of the collection and contributed about half of the material, with Wright responsible for the balance. Musically the set was quite diverse, showcasing Wright's raw and raspy voice on a collection that aptly demonstrated his pop and rock credentials. Sure, it wasn't the most original album you've ever heard, but depending on how you feel about the genre, the album was literally a precursor to the hard rock sound that would start to invade late-1970s/early-1980s airwaves.

In fact, for AC/DC fans, Angus and Malcolm Young have long been rumoured to have played on the set.

VERDICT : a great album !!

MORE NOTES

TRACK BY TRACK :
The biographical 'Hard Road' made it obvious why Wright was reportedly briefly considered by AC/DC as a replacement for Bon Scott. The two had very similar voices and deliveries. A howling slice of rock and roll anger and frustration, it was almost scary hearing Wright claw his way through this one. You literally couldn't help but wonder if the man's head was gonna explode. Killer chorus too boot.
'Life Gets Better' was a far more pop oriented song. The funny thing was that Wright's pop voice sounded completely different this time out. Yeah, he still had a dry, strangled delivery, but it was quite likeable here. The song was also near perfect for radio play. Should've been released as a single.
Propelled by a snarling Wright lead and some tasty horn charts 'The Other Side' was actually almost funky. Another track that was quite commercial.
'I Got You Good' was the first mild disappointment….not bad…but not great either
I've literally played 'Dancing in the Limelight' for friends and had them ask me which AC/DC album it was off of. The resemblance to Bon Scott's voice and delivery was truly remarkable on this one.
Another Vanda-Young composition, 'Didn't I Take You Higher' was one of the album's highlights. Great fuzz-propelled rocker with some cheesy synthesizers, a hysterical Wright spoken word segment and a killer chorus.
Side two kicks off with what was probably Wright's commercial and creative zenith. Penned by Vanda and Young, 'Evie' was a three part suite that managed to encapsulate the highs and lows in a relationship - lust, family joy, and heartbreak all in just over eleven minutes. Part 1 'Let Your Hair Down' was a take no prisoners rocker that was simply mesmerizing. The near perfect rocker. Imagine what AC/DC would sound like if they wrote a commercial track. Part 2 'Evie' shifted into a ballad. Pretty, but not nearly as impresses as Part 1. Part 3 'I'm Losing You' returned to rock with the break-up part of the plotline. With backing vocals from Vanda and Young the track actually had a likeable Motown edge. Very nice and easily the album's highpoint.
As a blues number, 'Movin' On Up' proved surprisingly likeable with some highly ironic lyrics.
'Commando Line' may have been the catchiest and most radio-friendly track on the album. It certainly served to showcase Wright's voice at it's most dynamic.

SONGS
Hard Road
Life Gets Better
The Other Side
I Got You Good
Dancing In The Limelight
Didn’t I Take You Higher
Evie Parts 1, 2 & 3
Movin’ On Up
Commando Line.

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