Mountain – LESLIE WEST***

Blood Of The Sun/Long Red/Better Watch Out/Blind Man/Baby I’m Down/Dreams Of Milk & Honey/Storyteller Man/This Wheel’s On Fire/Look To The Wind/Southbound Train/Because You Are My Friend

Mountain was the debut album from the New York rock guitarist Leslie West. He was one of the co-founders of the successful early seventies hard rock group Mountain. (US:72)

“As a guitarist, West's calling card was chunky power chords, smooth distorted riffing, and precise, lyrical solos. As a singer, his rasping yelp was immediately recognizable and as Blind Man and (especially) Southbound Train revealed, he was a passable blues singer as well.”

“So while it is not Leslie West at his best, he had yet to hone his skills as a guitarist, this is some of his most freewheeling, let it hang-out there playing. A very good first record that would lead to much bigger and better things.”

“Leslie West was probably one of the most passionate guitarists to ever step into a recording room, and one of the select few to ever transfer the music he felt onto a record. Though this album has a few unmemorable tracks overall it is still very good.”

“Starting with the first track, Blood Of The Sun, I was hooked. Leslie West has been a vastly unnoticed guitarist treasure. His throaty singing and driving guitar place him on the list of great ones.”

“It's filled with a blend of semi-commercial and semi-hard rock, but without much of a hint of the heavy sound that would later characterize Mountain.”

“It's Mountain's debut. Call it whatever you want, it sounds like Mountain. It's heavy, guitar oriented and grand.” ,p> “This recording sets the footsteps of power rock, to be followed by the landmark recordings by Mountain. West's unique throaty voice and incredible guitar virtuosity, strongly based in the blues tradition, sets him apart from most of his contemporaries and this little known gem is a great piece of rock history. Not to be missed.”

“Pretty solid power trio sounds that would soon turn into Mountain. It seems to wear thin after a few listens. Still a pretty nice album though, with a good thumping sound.”