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Uriah Heep

Best of the Early Years

Review by Gary Hill

This set has its merits. It also has its issues. There is plenty of good music here. Some of it doesn't really sound like Uriah Heep. The set is rather short. In fact, I think it's maybe one song over what would have fit on a single CD. Secondly, there is no indication of where any of these recordings come from, when they were released or who plays on them. That's true of the live stuff that starts this along with the studio music that is heard later. A lot of these songs are much newer than the classic era of the band. Still, there is some intriguing stuff here. Just be warned that this set is not without its issues.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2024  Volume 3 More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2024.

Track by Track Review
CD 1
                                 
Easy Livin

Here we get a live recording of one of the pure classics from Heep. This rocks out and is pretty faithful to the studio version of the song.

So Tired

A lesser known tune, this is a high energy rocker with a lot of old-school rock music in the mix. It's still unmistakable as Uriah Heep. The instrumental break is positively on fire with some killer work from everyone involved.

Stealin

We're back into classic Heep territory with this one. The cut comes in more as a ballad with keyboards and vocals at its core for a time. They power it out further down the road and really rock out.

Love Machine

This high energy rocker isn't anything unusual, but it's an effective Heep stomper.

Rock'n'Roll Medley

This includes a number of old time rock and rollers done in Uriah Heep style. This is the final track in a run of live tracks that get this going.

One More Night

This sounds like a studio cut. The recording quality is better than the earlier tracks, even though they weren't better. It feels like a new tune. It has a lot of old-school rock and roll in the mix. Not sure how "early" this is, though. It's from Fallen Angel, which came out in 1976.

Come Back To Me

Definitely a studio recording, this doesn't feel all that much like Uriah Heep. It's another from Fallen Angel.

Falling In Love

Continuing on from the same album, this drives in feeling more like the kind of thing one expects from classic Heep. It's a cool tune with a great vocal arrangement and driving music.

CD 2
                    
Let It Ride

I'm not sure of the origins of this track. It rocks out like a pretty straight-ahead hard rocker. It doesn't feel that much like Heep, but it works pretty well.

Life Is A Dream

While this is a studio recording, the sound quality doesn't sound as good as that on the last few tracks. This has almost a doo wop rock and roll vibe to it. I'm not overly enthusiastic about this one.

Feelings

Again, I'm not sure about this track being "early." It was released in 1980, well past the classic early era. It's a solid rocker that's a bit generic. It works pretty well, though.

You & I

The sound quality on this isn't as good as on some of the rest. Strings make it a bit precious. It's a pretty mainstream rock kind of song. It's nothing all that special and is among the weakest material here. This gets very soulful. The bass gets pretty funky later in the songs. Some over-the-top strings really mar this. number for me.

That's How I Am

Now, this track rocks out a lot more. It is definitely a step up from where we were on the last track. This feels a little more like what one expects from the mighty Heep.

I'll Never Forget

Starting with a rather doo wop type thing, this works out to more of a generic pop rock sound. It's not bad, but it's also not up to what one expects from the band.

Your Love

Now, this is more like it. It's a serious hard rocking number that has more of a recognizable Heep sound to it.

Tonight

More of a pop rock song, this has an almost balladic groove to it. It's definitely not the kind of music I think of when I hear the name "Uriah Heep," and I don't mean that in a good way. I think the bass it too far up in the mix, and I'm a bass player. Other than the guitar solo, I think this is a throw-away song.

Fools

This is more like it. It still has some soulful angles, but it also rocks out more. It does feel more like The Heep. The sound quality on this isn't the best here, though.

Been Hurt

More of a soulful rocker, this is another that doesn't really feel like Heep. It's not a bad song. It's just nothing all that special.

I Won't Change

With pedal steel guitar, this feels like a mellow country rock tune. It definitely does not seem like Uriah Heep at all.

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