"...Space Is The Place..."
Sandwiched between late 60ts
GUN on CBS Records, the early 70ts solo years of PARRISH and GURVITZ on Regal
Zonophone and finally 1974's BAKER GURVITZ ARMY with GINGER BAKER on Vertigo is
the completely overlooked interim group THREE MAN ARMY featuring the musical
link between them all – the dynamic brother-duo of ADRIAN and PAUL CURTIS (or
GURVITZ as they became known).
Three Man Army's rather good
little debut album "A Third Of A Lifetime" from 1971 on B&C's
short-lived offshoot label Pegasus Records has built up a serious rep amongst
collectors – and was released in real style by England's Esoteric Recordings
(part of Cherry Red) in July 2016 (see separate review).
Lovers of Classic Seventies
Rock (especially hard-rocking bands like Montrose and Grand Funk Railroad) will
be glad to see their following two platters on Reprise Records on CD again –
the American issued "Three Man Army" [aka "Mahesha"] from
1973 and "Three Man Army Two" from 1974 - even if they aren't as
immediate as the debut. Let's get to those big chunky chords...
UK released September 2016
(October 2016 in the USA) - "Three Man Army/Three Man Army Two” by THREE MAN ARMY on Beat
Goes On BGOCD 1256 (Barcode 5017261212566) features 2 full albums Remastered
onto 1CD with an added Bonus Track and plays out as follows (76:18 minutes):
1. My Yiddishe Mama
2. Hold On
3. Come On Down To Earth
4. Take Me Down From The
Mountain
5. Woman
6. Mahesha [Side 2]
7. Take A Look At The Light
8. Can't Leave The Summer -
Part I & II
9. The Trip
Tracks 1 to 9 are their
second studio album "Three Man Army" - released October 1973 in the
USA on Reprise MS 2150 (No UK Issue). It was issued in Germany in 1974 on
Polydor 2310 241 as "Mahesha" with different artwork and has been
reissued under that title on LP and CD since then.
10. Polecat Woman
11. Today
12. Flying
13. Space Is The Place
14. Irving [Side 2]
15. I Can't Make The Blind
See
16. Burning Angel
17. In My Eyes
Tracks 10 to 17 are their
third studio album "Three Man Army Two" - released June 1974 in the
USA on Reprise MS 2182 and in the UK on Reprise K 54015.
BONUS TRACK:
18. Schoolgirl Queen -
non-album track and the B-side to "Polecat Woman" in certain European
territories (Portugal, Warner Brothers N-S-63-59). The 1973 UK 7" single
of "Polecat Woman" on Reprise K 14292 had "Take Me Down From The
Mountain" from the 1973 "Three Man Army" LP as its B-side.
THREE MAN ARMY was:
PAUL GURVITZ - Bass Guitar
and Vocals - TONY NEWMAN - Drums and Good Vibes - ADRIAN GURVITZ - Lead Guitar,
Organ and Vocals
The card slipcase adds a
touch of class to the reissue (as it does to all BGO releases) - the 12-page
booklet features new liner notes from noted writer NEIL DANIELS who gamely
tries to defend what some have described as sub Led Zeppelin Hard Rock while
ANDREW THOMPSON has remastered both albums into High Def from real tapes and
they sound huge and very powerful. Obvious comparisons like the no-prisoners
hard rocking Rock 'n' Roll of Grand Funk Railroad and Montrose jump to mind -
even early Blue Oyster Cult and Kansas.
Even if he has Jewish roots
- the guitar instrumental cover of "My Yiddishe Mama" fades in and
goes out again without any real impact. But things improve big time with the
hard-rocking "Hold On" and the Kansas melodic "Come On Down To
Earth" where Gurvitz lets rip on a hundred guitars like he's Ted Nugent on
acid (the Remaster is huge). "Take Me Down From The Mountain"
provides a rare moment of Three Dog Night Funk-Rock with a clever piano chug
while "Woman" sounds like TMA are trying to channel their inner FREE
and just about pulling it off. Side 2's "Mahehsa" has a lot going on
in it - but again feels tired and even plodding despite its best efforts. At
least "Take A Look At The Light" features great guitar work and a
half-decent 'bickering' set of lyrics and verse melody. "Can't Leave The
Summer - Part I & II" have nice melodic touches too amidst the huge
riffage...
"Polecat Woman"
reeks of Led Zeppelin circa "Houses Of The Holy" - a sort of cross
between "Immigrant Song" and "Over The HIlls And Far Away"
- all rapid guitars and slightly distant production. I can hear why someone thought
it a 7" single even with that Bonzo copycat drum solo. The power ballad
"Space Is The Place" even features strings in its 'ripe' six minutes
- coming on like an over-zealous ELO. "I Can't Make The Blind See" is
afflicted with the same syrup strings - and even though it has one of the
prettiest bluesy melodies on the album - it's ruined by the overdone
production. "In My Eyes" has a clever riff even when the wall of band
voices threaten to swamp everything.
Neither album is great and
despite the playing and the occasional moments of Hard Rock brilliance - these
will be an 'acquired taste'. But fans should not hesitate - the presentation
and audio is first rate...
