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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
No sophomore slump for Uriah Heep, November 24, 2004
Salisbury redirects the band's style in the prog direction, at least the title song does. Containing only six songs dominated by the lengthy and elaborate epic-length title track composition. On Salisbury, Uriah Heep moderates the heavy, gloomy rock sound of their debut and works toward perfecting a new sound, a confluence of heavy metal power and progressive rock complexity.
At 16-minutes, I would be surprised if the title track, Salisbury, ever received any radio play. It features a 26-piece orchestra, which revealed the band's latent progressive tendencies. Highlights on the remaining songs side include "High Priestess," a soaring rocker that blends furious, power chord-fueled verses with spacey, keyboard-drenched instrumental breaks, and "The Park" is a light slow paced ballad sung falsetto by Byron and soaring harmonies by the band accompanied by a light blend of acoustic guitars and ethereal keyboards in a totally different style from the rest of the album. This song, which exudes a gentle, appealingly psychedelic feel, seems to recall a childish innocence as juxtaposition to the other more dreary themes. There is a nifty jazzy stop and go bridge in this song that reminds me in timbre, tempo and texture of Alice Cooper's "Steven".
In "Time to Live" we seem to return to the throbbing guitar/keyboard style of their debut album, while telling a story about a guy in prison for killing someone who hurt a little girl. Next, "Lady in Black", is one of the better known songs by Heep. A stylishly arranged and very catchy tune that escalates from a folksy styled acoustic tune into a pulsating rocker with ambient harmonies and crunching guitar riffs.
The fifth track, "Simon the Bullet Freak", is a bluesy tune that again reverts to the style of their debut with a throbbing beat led by the bass player and additional emphasis on piano and guitar. Byron sounds like he's singing through a megaphone and there don't seem to be any of their trademark background vocals.
The climax, "Salisbury" is truly a climax. I don't know how anybody could not appreciate this song since "Salisbury" is one of my all time favorite long songs, yet I have read some reviews that don't. As previously mentioned this 16:02 minute song utilizes a twenty-six piece orchestra which gives the song a huge sound and allows Heep to spread their progressive wings. This is a remarkable band playing a remarkable song in which they are totally in their element. "Salisbury" is bombastic, it's subtle, it's fast, it's quiet. It has horns and violins and organs and choirs and Byron has never sung better and oh those guitars of Mick Box. "Salisbury" is phenomenal, it is a classic.
You may have and like any of the twenty or so albums Uriah Heep has made and they have made some good ones but if you haven't heard "Salisbury" you haven't heard Uriah Heep.
I, being of the older persuasion, have seven or eight of Heep's albums on vinyl and I'm slowly replacing them with CDs. The first CD I went after was this one because if you don't have Salisbury you are missing an integral part of this rock/metal fixture.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Their first masterpiece, May 27, 2003
The band's second effort, and their first foray into the "progressive" arena, this disc shows incredible growth from their somewhat generic debut, mainly due to organist Ken Hensley taking over as the primary songwriter.The first side (of the original LP, hey it was 1970, OK?) ranges from the full-throttle guitar rave-up "High Priestess" (the US edition does, anyway; avoid the UK version which opens with a version of "Bird of Prey" inferior to the one included on their US debut), to the introspective and haunting "The Park" and "Lady in Black"; while "Time to Live" is a solid, if unspectacular blues-rocker. Side two is where the band really takes flight, though, with the ominous and menacing "Simon the Bullet Freak" leading into the epic 16-minute title track, which really has to be heard to be believed; backed with a 24-piece woodwind and brass section, Heep produces one of their most emotionally moving songs, powered by David Byron's heartfelt vocal, and supported by some of the most spectacular playing of their career; particularly impressive are the bass/organ duet between Paul Newton and Ken Hensley early on, and guitar wizard Mick Box's absolutely blistering lead near the end, which stands as one of the most impressive performances I've heard from anyone on any instument. Heep took a big chance with this track, and came up a winner; everything gels into 16 minutes of pure audio magic. Their first masterpiece, and a harbinger of greatness to come. A must for Heepsters, and highly recommended to anyone who appreciates dynamics in their music.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sailsbury, the best Heep album, April 6, 2001
Uriah Heep was my favorit band when I was a teeager but now I am forty years old. I have all the Heep albums on vinyl and also on CD and resently I bought all the remastered versions of the CD's. My favourit tracks on this album is "The Park, Lady in Black and Sailsbury. David Byron's falsetto vocals on "The Park" is fantastic. It is a shame that he is no longer with us. I played "The Park" to my daugther who is 20 years old about 3 years ago and it is still one of her favourite songs. "Lady in Black" is very poweful in it's simplicity, only 2 cords. "Sailsbury" is the most powerful and the most honest love song about a love gone wrong I have ever heard. Mick Box's guitar solos on this song are one of the best in rock history. "Sailsbury" is in my opinion Uriah Heep heavyest album and one of their best. This album is one of my all time favourites.
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