Terry Reid "Superlungs" (Astralwerks)
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Thursday. Dec 15, 1:30 AM
Could've-been-Led-Zeppelin-frontman's bluesy, soulful highlights.

Terry Reid's story goes a little something like this:

1968: Reid is an already established guitarist and singer on the English circuit, with a steady solo career seemingly in progress. He is approached by Jimmy Page who is looking for musicians for a new version of The Yardbirds. Aware of Reid's reputation, Page asks Reid to join. Reid, contractually bound to his own solo career and about to go on tour with The Rolling Stones, has no choice but to pass. But he gives Page a tip: "You should check out The Band Of Joy. Their drummer, John Bonham, is incredible and their singer, Robert Plant, isn't too shabby, either."

Thus, Terry Reid is mainly known as a footnote in rock history as a sort of accidental architect of Led Zeppelin. After passing on Page's offer, Reid's career would prove to never take off thanks to a dazzling string of bad contracts, bad managers, and bad luck. 30 years later, few know his name.

Astralwerks is out to change that with the compilation Superlungs, showcasing the best of the recordings that made Reid so in-demand in England in the late 1960s. Listening to this collection, one doesn't get a remorseful feeling of what could have been had Reid been able to... well, essentially, join Led Zeppelin. On the contrary, you get a stronger feeling that it probably wouldn't have worked out. What's really striking about these recordings is how realized Reid's own style was. Mind you, he was all but 18 years-old and his sense of identity sure and strong… but his material doesn’t resemble the Zep catalog much. Reid's voice recalls a Traffic-era Steve Winwood. The blues influences are there in the guitar playing, but they don't present themselves in the form of mammoth riffs. Instead, the material is more soul-influenced and a lot of it shuffles more like "High Heels"-era Traffic (a lot of the guitar parts are doubled with organ). When you are as talented as Reid is, you are too much of your own man to be able to share songwriting duties. In other words, he deserved his own band. To play second fiddle to Jimmy Page would’ve been selling his talents short.

This is an insightful compilation for anyone who is compelled by Reid's story. Beyond that, it's also just an interesting listen to probably the most unsung guitarist of his era.

PS: Reid will be releasing a new album in 2006.
www.terryreid.com
www.astralwerks.com

Click here to buy this album on iTunes!

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Jason Smith

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