Search - Argent :: In Deep

Their heaviest and silliest album.

R. Recchia | blodgett mills, ny | 11/15/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Just in case you never heard of this group, ARGENT consisted of ROD ARGENT, who had played with the ZOMBIES, on keyboards and vocals..RUSS BALLARD, who would go on to have alot of his songs made popular by groups like RAINBOW, ACE FREHLEY and AMERICA, on vocals and guitar...and bassist JIM RODFORD and drummer BOB HENRIT, who would later become the rhythm section for THE KINKS.
ARGENT were a prog rock band that centered around the keyboard talents of ROD ARGENT and the strong songwriting of ROD and RUSS. RUSS wasn't much in the way of a lead guitarist, but he had a great, tenor singing voice and a love of power chords.
IN DEEP, their fourth album, was their heaviest album..but also their funniest. My favorite songs are IT'S ONLY MONEY, PARTS 1 and 2...and the try-to-be scary prog rocker BE GLAD. The first part of IT'S ONLY MONEY may be the best song BALLARD ever wrote..it's a very dangerous sounding and heavy prog rocker with some very solid drumming and a very catchy, cool guitar riff. In contrast, IT'S ONLY MONEY, PART 2 is an upbeat and rather funny song! The whole band sounds like they're having a party on this song...my favorite part may be BALLARD's little guitar jam before the vocal part that ends the song. BE GLAD has Rod Argent going back and forth between his piano and his organ and while this song tries too hard to be EVIL AND SINISTER, it's still an enjoyable song with some terrific keyboard solos and some nice guitar riffing. LOSING HOLD is another strong track, tho' it's a tad on the downbeat side..to say the very most!
The album ends with what I think is it's weakest track, the barroom rock-n-roller ROSIE, tho' JIM RODFORD was quite proud of his "GET ON WIV IT!"

SWIM BOY THUNDER...SWIM!"

Brilliant group - brilliant album!

Toddybrow | Ireland | 01/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great album with a very definitive sound."