Ode To John Law – STONE THE CROWS***

Sad Mary/Friend/Love 74/Mad Dogs & Englishmen/Things Are Getting Better/Ode To John Law/Danger Zone

Ode To John Law was the quick follow up album from the Glaswegian blues-rock group Stone The Crows fronted by the legendary vocalist Maggie Bell. She would go on to have a lengthy solo career, but without the kind of commercial success that might have been expected from her talent and energy.

“Ode To John Law has passed through the decades unscratched. Time was helpless against this album. High quality psychedelia and majestic vocals by Maggie Bell made this music invincible. Masterful guitars and moody Hammond organ accompanied by massive bass and drum attacks sound spick–and–span to this day.”

“They had a mystery and darkness to their sound which drew me with tracks such as Friend and Love which still do today, brimming with atmosphere they are just better than great, just mind blowing. They take me back to a time when one could feel music bursting into one’s young susceptible brain, when music could take you to another place.”

“With the terrific Maggie Bell as the band's front-woman, one might expect to hear thunderous and raspy Janis Joplin inspired vocals, loaded with angst and emotion, over hard-driving blues rock. Well, this is exactly what is on offer here. Stone The Crows are what The Faces might have sounded like with a female vocalist at the helm.”

“This continues on from where the debut left off, with more psychedelic tinged, bluesbased rock 'n' roll, along with a touch of funk and soul added to the mix, thicksounding Hammond, trippy electric piano, spirited and tasty guitar, and a solid and punchy rhythm section.”

“The first three tracks are not very promising. The band don't seem to know what to do with a singer like Maggie Bell. That is why the songs sound like they were made for a male psych blues vocalist. Overall, Ode To John Law is decent but not much more. The flipside is good, with Mad Dogs & Englishmen as a highlight. Unfortunately, this is not enough to make the album really good as a whole.”

“Quite a lot of soul here and the female vocals are tasty, and it's heavy and delicate. So it is good. What I actually value here is the delicacy. It's not just some smokey rock, it's introspective and dramatic blues prog.”