Blue Ash - No More No Less

Power-pop platter shows promise but peters out…

The problem with coming up with a classic opening album track is how to follow it up. Blue Ash’s Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her) was not only a superb power-pop number later covered by The Records, among others, but it overshadowed their whole career. The only original song among the dozen here to rival that opening blast was Smash My Guitar, replete with suitable sound effects. A straight cover of Anytime At All confirms the Fab Four as Blue Ash’s major influence but nothing threatens to rival that initial “hairs on back of neck” moment.

Dylanologists will note the presence of a cover of the obscure Dusty Old Fairgrounds, while bassist Frank Sechich tells the band’s story in the comprehensive sleevenotes. No More No Less came out in 1973, but the band survived six more years, cutting just one more album. Perhaps an identifiable Tom Petty-type frontman would have captured the public’s imagination more, as solid group efforts like this tend to fall by the wayside. Nevertheless, anyone who caught Not Lame’s 2004 collection of outtakes will applaud this first-ever digitisation of the debut from a band that, for three minutes at least, put Youngstown, Ohio on the musical map.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

Collectors’ Choice | CCM 963

Reviewed by Michael Heatley
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