strawbs hero & heroine – in ascencia                                          

Released: 18 July 2011 Label: Witchwood

With their 2010 tour of the classic album Hero & Heroine carried close to their hearts, the British progressive rock group Strawbs have re-organised, recharged their batteries, marched back into their studio and have given birth to Hero & Heroine – In Ascencia; the modern interpretation of the international bestseller Hero & Heroine.

Now, this is a tricky album to do; it’s a case of ‘like it or love it’. The three stage Prologue is a classic example. Is there any need for the opening song to be so ‘bitty’? There’s doing a modern interpretation and then there’s going futuristic! You’ll either shun your nose up at it or give it a chance, I must admit, it does grow on you!

After finding their feet in the album and parking their backsides in a simpler spot, Sad Young Man flashes their musical creativity to extent. This time the song is much ‘neater’ rather than showing all their cards at once. They have taken the ‘less is more’ approach and it has paid of big time!

Speaking of cutting the complex, for track three out folds Just Love. Now this song scrapes every ounce of the bands ability, screws it up into a ball and rolls it out into a red carpet. It simply works! If you want a ‘get off your backside’ song, this is by far your number!

Delving into different waters (again), we get the operatic and dramatic Hero and Heroine. It shouts from a whole new angle and is more of a ‘Grande theatre’ song; something you’d find in the pocket of Andrew Lloyd Webber! Picture Phantom of the Opera colliding with River Dance in a mass war and you get this song. With Cousins’ charismatic vocals rambling over the top, the song is intoxicated with character! Put it this way, it’s not for the faint hearted. Ironically, they’ve still pulled it off!

Just to throw another flavour to the assortment, out drifts the stunning Midnight Sun. Even though it’s a drastic way to put this, it’s very much a ‘lost person gazing longingly out of their window’ song. Again, Strawbs have shown their ability to paint a picture with their music; without playing the same type of song over and over again. Hats off to them for that!

The final goodbye is handed to Lay a Little Light On Me with Hero’s Theme and Round and Round: Reprise. Yes, I looked at the title too and wondered what the heck is that about? As soon as you’ve played the song though, it fits into place. It has exited like it entered; it has that many different movements to it it’s more like an end paragraph than a final sentence. Perhaps like ‘the end credits to a play; cast members saying goodbye one at a time’! I must admit, it’s err…different!

At the end of the day, Hero & Heroine - In Ascencia is more like an operatic overture! The songs are like characters in a play; they each play a different role but are all part of the same story! It is a little hard to ‘get the hang of’ at first because it doesn’t have a basic structure. However, once you’ve listened to it a few times you grasp the ‘concept’ of it, making it a much more palatable album!

by Kathryn Longbottom