Thursday, February 09, 2006

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - The Faith Healer

ORIGINATION Next
LAST LISTENED TO october
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT low, low, low
RATING

I don't have time for this today, so it'll have to be quick.

Alex Harvey is one of the forgotten gems of not only Scottish music but rock in general. He was in from the start, playing skiffle in the '50s and RNB in the '60s, before moving on to his particular brand of theatrical rock that brought him modest fame in the 70s. After a few albums at the start of that decade nearly sank without trace, he finally scored chart success with a cover of Tom Jones' Delilah. He sadly passed away at the age of 47 from a heart attack whilst on tour in '82.

The Faith Healer is from Next one of his nearly forgotten (and best) albums, this one from '73. It is something of an minor epic. It begins with a bare synth pulsing, before the rest of the band slowly join in. The tension and sounds slowly build through the song's seven minutes to reach a satisfying crescendo. Note must be made of the fantastic guitar sounds and, of course, Harvey's Scots accent which is a joy to hear.

I could go on and i already have far more than i meant to. Time, however, conspires. Just go and get hold of a copy of this album. You won't regret it.

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