Preview: Elegant Stealth - Wishbone Ash

Artist: Wishbone Ash
Title: Elegant Stealth
Release Date: November 25, 2011
Label: ZXY Music
Format(s): CD, DD

Wishbone Ash return on November 25 with Elegant Stealth, their 23rd studio album and their first since 2007's Power of Eternity.

Elegant Stealth represents a benchmark in the evolution of Wishbone Ash, one of the most influential guitar bands in the history of rock. Signature twin-lead melodies and a powerhouse rhythm section frame 11 new tracks that reflect a diverse realm of styles and moods.

Formed in 1969, Wishbone Ash has more than 20 original studio recordings and several live albums to their credit. On Elegant Stealth, the group coalesces around strong songwriting and serious chops. Founding member Andy Powell handles lead vocals and trades licks with Finland’s guitar wizard Muddy Manninen. Bassist Bob Skeat, a 14-year veteran of the band and in-demand studio musician, sets the pace with Joe Crabtree, one of the best of Britain’s new breed of drummers, having played with Pendragon and David Cross of King Crimson.

The band demonstrates its versatility on Elegant Stealth, from the pop/rocker Reason to Believe to the gentler vibe of Give it Up to tunes like Warm Tears and Big Issues, where the band gets to stretch out and flex its musical muscles.

Guest artists appearing on the new CD include Deep Purple’s Don Airey, who played Hammond B3 organ on the instrumental Mud-slick, and Ireland’s Pat McManus played fiddle on Can’t Go It Alone, which he penned specially for Wishbone Ash.

Citing Wishbone Ash as an influence on their style, Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden, Southern Rock outfits like Lynyrd Skynyrd and, more recently, heavyweights like Opeth and some of the guitar-based Indie/Alternative bands, have all taken a little something from the legendary twin-guitar approach of Wishbone Ash. Truly, there is no other rock band on the planet that has done more with the twin guitar concept than the Ash.

The band’s recent dates in Japan and arena shows in South Africa were a prelude to a 6-week European tour to support Elegant Stealth starting in early January. The States will be visited in April with summer festival work there and in Europe in 2012.

Track List:

• Reason To Believe
• Warm Tears
• Man With No Name
• Can't Go It Alone
• Give It Up
• Searching For Satellites
• Heavy Weather
• Mud-slick
• Big Issues
• Migrant Worker
• Invisible Thread
• Reason To Believe (Remix - Hidden Track)