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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Argent reaches a musical and commercial peak, December 29, 2003
With the 1972 release of "All Together Now," Argent achieved a wider degree of fame and commercial success, thanks in no small part to the hit "Hold Your Head Up." More than thirty years later, the song remains a FM radio classic, thanks to its catchy guitar riff, marching rhythm, a great organ solo by Rod Argent that ranks up there with anything Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman ever did, and a memorable, anthemic chorus that sticks in your head long after the song finishes.While not as musically consistent as the first two albums "Argent" and "Ring of Hands," "All Together Now" compensates for this flaw by displaying the stylistic diversity that made Argent an interesting progressive rock band. Tunes such as "Keep On Rollin'," "He's a Dynamo" and "Be My Lover, Be My Friend" reflect Rod Argent's and guitarist/vocalist Russ Ballard's ability to write, play and sing rock 'n' roll as energetic as anything that bands such as the Faces and Humble Pie were putting out then. Whatever is lost in authenticity is compensated for with verve and professionalism. Ballard, in particular, sings his heart out on his own compositions, "Tragedy" and "He's a Dynamo," injecting quite a dose of passion to them. For the most part, Argent's progressive rock excursions "I Am the Dance of Ages" and "Pure Love" are, if nothing else, listenable and enjoyable. The latter is an album highlight, providing (Rod) Argent the opportunity to write a cohesive multi-part suite ranging from a lengthy-but-engaging organ solo to a plodding waltz-style heavy rock section. "All Together Now" represents a high point of Argent's discography, an album that displays the stylistic diversity that made them one of the more interesting progressive rock groups of the '70s. Everything is here, from great songs to excellent musicianship.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Tuneful, commercially successful rock, February 26, 2001
By A Customer
"All Together Now" spawned Argent's biggest hit, "Hold Your Head Up." The combination of anthemic guitar riffing, explorative organ solos and a stomping rhythm section makes the song such an appealing hit.This album has been characterized as germinating the seeds of the split between Rod Argent and Russ Ballard, as Argent began leaning towards a prog-rock approach and Ballard emphazising concise, hard-rocking hit songs from this point on. But on "All Together Now," these two guys actually complement each other somewhat, as the overall feel of this album is of a professional roots-rock approach, thanks to songs like the boogie-woogie "Keep On Rollin'" and the boogie rockin' "He's a Dynamo." There are some prog-rock excursions on "I am the Dance of Ages" and the suite "Pure Love." Both tunes are, if nothing else, interesting and enjoyable. "All Together Now" may not be as stylistically consistent as the first two albums, "Argent and "Ring of Hands." But it's not bad enough to be passed on. A worthwile album to own.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great album, if rather uneven., February 15, 2001
By A Customer
"All Together Now" has some great moments, like the big hit "Hold Your Head Up" and "Tragedy." But this album doesn't have any sort of musical consistency in comparison to the first two Argent albums, "Argent" and "Ring of Hands." Nevertheless, the songs work due to the craft put into them by Rod Argent/Chris White and Russ Ballard, and this renders the album listenable for the most part. Sure, there are some overreaching prog-rock tendencies, such as parts of the "Pure Love" suite, but as a whole, "All Together Now" is another high point in Argent's discography.
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