Customer Reviews

Sob Stories

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ALEX HARVEY COULD AT THE SAME TIME BE DELIGHTFULLY BRILLIANT BUT ALSO INFURIATINGLY INCONSISTENT. I REGARD THIS AS HIS MOST CONSISTENT AND PLEASING PIECE OF WORK. HE SEEMED TO BE LESS THEATRICAL OR VAUDEVILLIAN ON THIS ALBUM AND HIS VOCAL WORK WAS MUCH EASIER ON THE EAR ALSO. THE CALIBRE OF THE MUSICIANSHIP WAS AT ITS MOST IMPRESSIVE WITH ZAL CLEMINSON'S FRETWORK TO THE FORE . I WOULD RANK "AMOS MOSES" AND "$25 FOR A MASSAGE " AMONGST THE BEST SONGS SAHB EVER SPENT STUDIO

TIME ON. LONG MAY HE REST IN PEACE WITH THIS ALBUM DEFINITELY MY FONDEST MEMORY OF A HIGHLY INDIVIDUAL,IDIOSYNCRATIC AND ONE-OFF TALENT

Easily the most straight-ahead rocker that this extraordinary band produced. From the thundering intro of "Dance to Your Daddy" to the equally thundering crashes that close "Dogs of War", "SAHB Stories" (the actual title) showcases this band at their bombastic best.

The cover of Jerry Reed's "Amos Moses" is extraordinary, supplying a warbly swamp feel suspiciously absent in the original, and "Sirocco", the album's chilling mellow cut, is a muffled, minimalist trip across a moonlit desert. "Boston Tea Party" is positively transcendent, as if Harvey were there himself and is reporting through time, and "$25 for a Massage" has the funkiest rock riff ever laid down by a clown-faced white boy.

Stripped of the costumes this band wore so well (vaudevillian theatrics and pre-punk sci-fi conceptualism) they still shine in this rock-and-roll storybook.

This album is (for me,anyway) the crowning achievement of this underrated band from the early to mid 70's. Their frontman Alex Harvey, was a tough little scrapper from the equally tough Gorbals area in Scotland. His earlier music from the Framed and Next albums had some wonderfully crafted songs that showcased his writng ability and ballsy delivery.Backed by a band that were consumate, theatrical showmen with a wealth of musical talent, a SAHB concert was an aural and visual feast.
Some of Alex's songs can tend to miss the mark on occasions, either lyrically or sonically, but there is not one bad cut on SAHB Stories. Alex and the band rip into these numbers with gusto(with the exception of the very middle eastern tinged 'Scirocco')
Amazing guitar intros and riffs, Alex's voice and lyrics captured at their very best. The recording and production is very slick for the era. This album deserves to be played LOUD and often!
Sadly Alex is with us no more, and I feel that anyone who might consider buying their first SAHB album, should also consider visiting the Alex Harvey websites and learning a bit about the man, his music, and the sad end fate had in store for him.
I recommend this timeless masterpiece to you all.
ROCK ON ALEX!!!