D I S C O G R A P H Y

 

 

Here to Hear (1989)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Released: September 1989

Label: IRS

 

Martin Turner's memories:

 

 

"There had been a very warm feeling surrounding the Nouveau Calls album and tour and as a band we were quite eager to take the rapport that we had re-established and move on from there as quickly as possible. Ted and I in particular had a lot of songs that we wanted to record and almost directly after the tour we went back in the studio to record Here To Hear.

 

Here To Hear was recorded at various London studios – Beethoven, Terminal and Beat Factory – during the Summer/Autumn of 1988. I produced the album, with co-producer/engineer Adam Fuest. I thought there were some really good things on Here to Hear. The band was working very efficiently at the time – it was a nice recording and everyone contributed positively. My personal life around this time, however, was in complete turmoil. I was an emotional mess as I tried desperately hard to cling on to everything, yet at the same time I knew I was going to have to confront the reality of divorce. I composed most of my songs on the Here To Hear album around the time that my marriage was crumbling, and for me the writing and recording of those tracks was a very emotional and cathartic experience.

 

The whole period surrounding Here To Hear was very creative and we actually ended up with more than enough material for the album. Quite often it’s easy to hear why certain tracks didn’t make the running order on a particular album but in the case of Here To Hear, I’m actually quite fond of the pieces that were left over – tracks that eventually surfaced either as single b-sides or bonus tracks on the CD reissue of the album."

 

adapted from the book "No Easy Road - My Life and Times With Wishbone Ash"

 

 

 

 

Fan reviews:

 

I absolutely love this album! I love the fact that the maturity that was lacking in Ted in the early days of Wishbone Ash has been developed and he has come back in great form (white suit and all) and to his rightful place in the band. There is hardly a song on the album I do not like. I think that Ted and Martin together made a fantastic team with nearly every song...no, I don't think they all sound like the original four albums, why should they? But they sound as good in their own way because they are the original members evolved into older, different, more diverse MEN and playing as perhaps they would have had they stayed together. I, too, LOVE, "Walk on Water", I wish Martin would do that song, and, of course, many people must enjoy most of the other songs as BOTH bands play the songs in their shows today! I consider it quite underrated. It is my fifth favourite, up with the original four albums!!!! 

Deborah Turner-Luck

 

 

This is a very tasty record which I'd put ahead of the first album sometimes. Certainly in my top five along with There's The Rub, Wishbone Four, New Englandand WA1. It has my second favourite reunion-era song, "Hole In My Heart", with Mart's best bassline and Ted's best solo (the favourite song being "Standing In The Rain", obviously). Not a bad moment on here.

Nizzy

 

 

I love this album. 
Certainly my favourite of the reunion years I think, though I perhaps haven't given them all fair coverage as of yet. But I think "Why Don't We" is one of my favourite WA songs ever! Has to be said I couldn't work out lots of the lyrics until I checked on the site! Very nice album - with the bonus of the original line up

 

Sarah Warren.

 

 

"Cosmic Jazz" – Pretty cool. Lyrics are interesting. Unique guitar interjections. 
"Keeper Of The Light" - Decent effort by Ted. He shows a nice flair for somewhat unusual melodic structure in the Reunion years. 
"Mental Radio" – less interesting effort by Ted. Standard rock. 
"Walk on Water" – unremarkable MT song. Sorry. 
"Witness To Wonder" - I call this island music…cuz it sounds like a day on a Caribbean beach. Which, to me, as a music listener means: Background music to non-intellectual activity. Therefore, scores no points with me. 
"Lost Cause In Paradise" – semi-pleasant melody, but doesn’t really go anywhere 
"Why Don't We" – Another Ted showcase, and the second best song on the album, though the intro always reminds me of Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer” (an unfortunate thing). What hooks me in (besides the tasty soloing) is the middle part of the vocal verse, starting with “Changes are vital.” Without that, I would find this not so memorable. 
"In the Case" - Not a bad little guitar instrumental, but I really don’t care for this kind of “white man’s funk.” (or anyone’s funk for that matter) 
"Hole In My Heart" - My favorite track. An attempt at one of those WA epics of yore – even split into two parts like "Way of the World" (though the dividing up seems even more unnecessary than in that song). One drawback - Part 1 reminds me of the Police – sounds like Martin is trying to do a Sting thing, which is no selling point for me. Part 2 is fantastic, good old-fashioned WA guitarmania with plenty of complexities to hold one’s interest. 

This album is probably the best of the reunion era, though ideally, I’d take a selection from it, Nouveau Calls, and Strange Affair, and assemble one really solid record.

 

Bindu