Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Phoenix: Henrit - Rodford - Verity
Company: Columbia
Catalog: 34476
Year: 1976
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: minor ring, edge and corner wear
Available: 1
Price: $25.00
This English outfit is not to be confused by an early-'70s American outfit built around Chuck McCabe ...
Following the 1976 breakup of Argent (see separate entry), drummer Robert Henrit, bassist/guitarist Jim Rodford and singer/guitarist John Verity hooked up to form the criminally overlooked Phoenix.
Quickly signed by Columbia Records, the trio made their debut with 1977's cleverly titled
"Phoenix: Henrit - Rodford - Verity". Self-produced, you couldn't blame folks for expecting the set to be rather lame. Personally, we were hesitant to buy the LP expecting more of the overblown art-rock that ruined so many of Argent's latter albums. Guess what? The album's actually pretty good. Overlooking an occasional Whitesnake fixation (the power ballads "A Woman Like You" and "I'll Be Back for More"), and brushes with Rush-styled falsettos ("Drowning In Tears"), most of the ten selections offered up the kind of quality AOR most big hair bands only wished for. Sure, neither Rodford nor Verity were most versatile vocalists (hum, where's Russ Ballard when you need him), but they both made the most of their talents, turning in a set that was never less than enjoyable. Personal favorites, the hysterical "Winnebago" (know of any other band that's recorded an
ode to touring the USA in an RV?) and the weirdly funky "Mississippi Neckbone". Not that it mattered since an audience interested in punk aggression and disco madness wanted nothing to do with these guys, Within a matter of weeks the LP was out of print ...
"Phoenix: Henrit - Rodford - Verity" track listing:
1.) Easy
2.) Drowning In Tears
3.) From the Ashes
4.) Winnebago
5.) Try a Little Rock 'n' Roll
6.) A Woman Like You
7.) Mississippi Neckbone
8.) I'll Be Back for More
9.) Honey
10.) I'll Be Gone
