Audio CD review:
Ten Years After - Positive Vibrations

Ten Years After - Positive Vibrations

Band: Ten Years After Title: Positive Vibrations Rating: Release Date: 15 March, 2004 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Nowhere to Run 2: Positive Vibrations 3: Stone Me 4: Without You 5: Going Back to Birmingham 6: It's Getting Harder 7: You're Driving Me Crazy 8: Look into My Life 9: Look Me Straight into the Eyes 10: I Wanted to Boogie

Customer Reviews TYA, the generic version The band had an incredible run of eleven excellent albums. 'Positive Vibrations' was released in 1974 as the last studio album from Ten Years After. In the same year that 'P. V. ' appeared on the shelves, Alvin Lee released a double vinyl disc with a collection of musicians known to him affectionately as "and company". That album lacked the classic Ten Years After sound that Lee's fan base had grown accustomed to, yet revealed Lee's composing prowess was anything but exhausted. In contrast, 'P. V. ' possesses the superficial sound of TYA, but absent the composing genius that had continued into their previous studio album, 'Rock and Roll Music To The World', and the fire of their 'Recorded Live' 1973 release. The title track from 'P. V. ' is one of only two highlights on the disc, and even that song gives one the feeling that you've checked into a psychiatric hospital and the staff is trying to calm you down. The track does possess some interesting ponderings, such as Lee's complaint about "too many wonderers, ponderers and squanderers are wondering, pondering and squandering". Images like that may in themselves drive you crazy, if the rest of the disc doesn't. While Alvin and his fellows work hard to recreate the TYA formula for success, throwing in good-time rock & roll ('Going Down To Birmingham', complete with lyrics like "boom, boom, boom, boom", and "say hey, hey, hey, baby"), a lengthy, thoughtful epic ('Look Me Straight Into the Eyes', at 6:18 the longest excursion on the disc), a laid-back acoustic love ballad ('Without You', even with its dubious lyrics, such as, "I'm just like a grave without the flowers. . . "), a nod to the band's nodding off, drug enthused chapter ('Stone Me', which announces, to no one's surprise "I can't deny. . . I'm high"), and a Bob Seger 'Katmandu' redeux, 'You're Driving Me Crazy'. 'It's Getting Harder' brings in some horns to spice up the night, and a couple funky rock tracks with decent riffs (no surprise there) can be found in the opener, 'Nowhere To Run' and 'Look Into My Life', with lyrics harkening to '50,000 Miles Beneath My Brain'. The best song on the disc turns out to be the closer, however. . . which gives us something positive besides the previous vibrations to remember the band by. While 'I Wanted To Boogie' may seem like faux-boogie at first glance, there's some sweet pickin' and interestin' lyrical work going on here. It's the one song on the disc where Alvin really churns convincingly on his e-lectric geetar. And with each verse beginning with "Well I wanted to boogie. . . ", and finishing with entertaining mantra's such as ". . . but I wasn't sure if I wanted what you wanted me for", the song gets your foot to tappin' and you're brain cells firin'. Really too bad the rest of the album can't cook like that. I guess 'P. V. ' retired the band in the same way all too many of our favorite entertainers, sports stars, and generals exit our lives. . . they just fade away. This one is for hard-core fans and completists only. I considered giving the disc two stars, but let's add one as a "thanks for the memories" to Alvin Lee, Chick Churchill, Ric Lee, and Leo Lyons. Thanks for the positive vibrations, men!. Underrated...to me My Dad gave me all his old records and I was in hog heaven. When I was a kid (this was in the early 90s) I was something of a classic rock junkie. I'd spend my $5 allowance per week on 50 cent albums at thrift stores and used book stores. I loved the Beatles especially but would even buy albums by Journey, Bob Seger, The Eagles, and others if they were cheap enough. I liked them well enough but they were cheap and, more importantly, MUSIC, so I loved it. My Dad had Positive Vibrations in his library and I found it when I was young. This is not their most popular release, but I'm very glad my Dad had it (he became a fan of the band after their awesome performance at Woodstock and their hit A Space In Time album). I used to pretend that I had a radio station back then and I'd pick a few choice cuts to put in regular rotation. My favorite on this one was the title cut. The lyrics, in retrospect, are kind of lame, but the chord progression and melody are classic, just totally fantastic. I wonder if Positive Vibrations is a play on Good Vibrations. . . My other favorite cut on this album was Look Into My Life, which features better lyrics and a great riff that is expounded upon very well by the insanely well done drums. Another good melody on this one, as well. Look Me Straight Into The Eyes is another highlight, featuring the band in very tight form and another driving melody. The rest of the album is pretty good as well, comprised of 50s rock throwback sounding songs (even a great Little Richard cover) and pretty straightforward Ten Years After sounding 70s blues/rock. I could see how some would say that TYA had run out of steam by this album, as certain parts sound like they're coasting. But that is the view of the jaded music critic; the less cynical music fan will most likely find it enjoyable and worth the money - especially if you can find it in the 50 cent bin at the thrift store!. BGO remastering for Positive Vibrations Great hearing these classic TYA tracks come alive. Definitely a superior sound. Hit 'I Wanted to Boogie' and crank up the volume. You'll hear keyboards & cowbell percussion not noticeable on the American Chrysalis release. Enjoy. . You can see a complete list of all Ten Years After discography, or go back to the Ten Years After tabs