Stone The Crows - Ode To John Law (1970 scottish hard/blues rock, 1996 Repertoire reissue - MP3 320K and FLAC)

This is the second album by this unforgettable Scottish band of the early '70s. The music that the band performed is blues / soul laden heavy rock, distinguished by carefully arranged instrumental parts, a prominent guitar - played by the terrific Leslie!

In a way, you have to feel sorry for Stone the Crows. All the elements were there for them to have been one of the major bands, up there with Zeppelin — they even had the same management.

But even on this, their second and best album, they could never quite put everything together. Live, they were an incendiary act, with singer Maggie Bell and guitarist Les Harvey true stars.

Somehow, though, once they entered a recording studio, the magic seemed to come off with the overcoats.

That's not to say this isn't a good album. "Sad Mary," "Friend," and "Love 74" are all showcases for Harvey's excellent guitar skills, while "Things Are Getting Better" and a cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Danger Zone" let Maggie Bell shine in her best Janis Joplin style (although it's a shame bassist Jim Dewar has his considerable vocal talents muffled).

The good time, neo folk-rock of "Mad Dogs And Englishmen" offers some light relief. The biggest problem, really, was the songs — the original material simply wasn't strong enough to establish them as anything more than a cult act working the British college circuit.

A hit single, or even a huge album track, would have lifted them out of the more. On this disc, "Love 74" was as close as they came, but instrumentals in 7/4 time were never usually commercial blockbusters. The reissue on Repertoire appends the shorter single version of "Things Are Getting Better."

Stone The Crows - Sad Mary


Track list:
01. Sad Mary (McGinnis) – 6:50
02. Friend (Harvey, Dewar) – 6:26
03. Love (McGinnis) – 6:33
04. Mad Dogs And Englishmen (Harvey, Allen) – 3:32
05. Things Are Getting Better (McGinnis) – 6:09
06. Ode To John Law (Harvey, Allen) – 5:44
07. Danger Zone (Mayfield) – 6:18
08. Things Are Getting Better (Single version) – 4:04

Stone The Crows:
*Maggie Bell – vocals
*Les Harvey – guitar
*Jimmy Dewar – bass, vocals
*John McGinnis – piano, organ
*Colin Allen – drums

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