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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume. 33, Number 7. 27 May, 1970

Taste-On the Boards, Polydor

Taste-On the Boards, Polydor

If you want some heavy blues-rock that doesn't sound like two steam-rollers mating (Led Zeppelin) or background music to a clip on The End of the World (Vanilla Fudge) try (better still, buy) Taste and their second album On the Boards. An Irish trio, their main strength is in Rory Gallagher (lead vocals, alto-sax and harmonica, as well as composer of all ten tracks on the album) and also in an ability to keep away from dirge-like, ponderous 4-chord blues.

The LP then is not monotonous, and each track is distinctive. From the solid driving sound of What's Going On with a tremendous screeching lead break, to Railway and Gun with its delicate guitar opening and then a sudden switch into a gutsy blues break reminiscent of the old Yardbirds styles. It's Happened Before, It'll Happen Again is a long jazz influenced track in which Richard McCracken (bass) and John Wilson (drums) vie with each other for free-flow interpretation. If The Day Was Any Longer and Morning Sun are both examples of the group's ability to break the beat in the middle of a number and turn on to something quite different—then switch back. On Side 2 Eat My Words featuring superb sliding guitar, is the high spot.

The group is relatively unknown out here but like a few others (Smokestack Lightnin', Mad River, Youngbloods, for example) illustrate how a group playing blues or heavy rock can produce fine rock musicians and yet remain pretty unnoticed by both commercial and progressive buyers.

Dennis O'Brien