Search - Steamhammer :: Mountains

Good , but uneven effort

bruceski | FLA United States | 07/28/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have read numerous reviews that hail this as Steamhammer's finest effort. While I like Steamhammer, and thouroghly enjoy portions of this album, taken as a whole I find it to be somewhat disjointed and feeling as thought it was pieced together by a band that no longer knew which direction it was headed. Not surprisingly, two founding members, vocalist Kieran White and bassist Steve Davy, left after this album. Song by song description might help explain some of the pastiche feel of the album.Wouldn't Have Thought opens the session as a shuffle sounding blues number with comtemplative lyrics. In the middle, guitarist Martin Pugh slows the preceedings down for a clean and thoughtful solo. Overall, not a bad opener that perhaps goes on for a couple of minutes to long. Next comes Riding on the L & N/Hold that Train. This in a sixteen minute live track, the only one on the album, and is a somewhat poorly recorded (although well performed) blues jam, with fairly simple lyrics. On its own, not bad, in context of the first song- where did this live track come from? Mostly this one makes me wish a proper live CD had been released by Steamhammer at some point during their heyday. In the old days, it now would have been time to turn the album over. Side two would have revealed much more singer/songwriter based material. This starts with Levinia, an obvious ode to a girl with another shuffle influenced guitar riff, but this time the solo is done acoustically. Henry Lane starts as a slow lamenting song that is perfect for a cold wintery day. It then shifts to a country sounding rhythm complete with banjo. Leader of the Ring is another acoustic guitar number that sounds like it was written sitting around a campfire (with everything that is implied by that). The echoing guitar sound is wonderful and if your in a mellow mood, this song is perfect. Walking Down the Road interupts the calm with a bass driven riff and some Hawkwind sounding percussive guitar. The album closes with the title track, another slow contemplative number with an unusually effective repetitive chorus. Overall, Mountains has a number of wonderful moments that don't always feel as though they flow together. Even the album cover conveys this ambibalance as it looks like Van Gogh meets Tolkien (actually it is a very nicely designed sleeve). This probably should have been two separate albums, one a live album, and one completely of the slower/mature songwriting found on side two of the original album. Kieran White would release "Open Door," a very good solo album a couple of years later that was in the vein of the singer/songwriter category.Despite whatever hestitations I present, I would say, if you have any interest in the British blues scene of the 70s (especially the more acoustic material of Mayall, Peter Green and Chicken Shack) I would reccomend this, but I would start with the first two Steamhammer albums first."

A forgotten classic

B. E Jackson | Pennsylvania | 06/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I guess to most people, Steamhammer's "Mountains" album is probably fairly ordinary. Well, ordinary by 70s rock standards, which means, it's still pretty darn amazing and totally enjoyable blues rock/progressive rock. The guitars on the album are well-played and immediately enjoyable, and the overall sound is REALLY good. A highly detailed-sounding album. Really good music that's worth owning."