Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Trapeze
Label: Threshold
Released: 1970
Running time: 40:14
Rating: 4/5
»Medusa« was the second album from the cult British hard rockers Trapeze, who today are most often remembered as the first professional band of the legendary singer and bassist Glenn Hughes (Black Country Communion, ex-Deep Purple, Black Sabbath), as well as the sadly late guitarist Mel Galley (ex-Whitesnake) and the ‘notorious’ drummer Dave Holland (ex-Judas Priest). »Medusa« came out in the same year as their debut, yet it still marked an almost radical stylistic overhaul, steering toward much bluesier and funkier rock winds and nearly abandoning the folk, psychedelic and symphonic elements altogether. After keyboardist/flautist/guitarist Terry Rowley and singer/trumpeter John Jones were let go, Trapeze operated as the aforementioned trio until 1973, when Hughes ‘moved on’ to Deep Purple. Today that lineup would absolutely count as a full-on supergroup, but back then these were practically unknown names, since commercial success was nowhere to be found.
Despite still waiting for the masses of music fans to really notice them, they had strong backing from the Threshold label and The Moody Blues bassist/singer John Lodge, who once again took care of production. The incredible talent was undoubtedly there, it just needed polishing, and »Medusa« was a real step in that direction, as well as a huge leap forward in maturity and quality from the Trapeze debut, which had come out only a few months earlier. Hughes still plays a few songs from this album at his solo shows, led by »Black Cloud«, »Your Love Is Alright« and »Medusa«, which says he’s got fond memories of it.
The quality of the individual compositions on »Medusa« is beyond dispute, and it’s a remarkable historical gem, not just for Deep Purple fans and fans of Hughes’ solo career, but for anyone who loves heavy rock and blues rock. Hughes’ vocal approach, already brilliant back then and not short on American soul and r’n’b influences, grew even more authoritative on »Medusa«, now that the totally superfluous extra vocalist Johns from the previous album was no longer getting in his way. The album is also much darker and punchier overall compared to its predecessor, since Galley doesn’t hold back on crushing guitar riffs, while Holland, with his uncompromising approach to wrecking the drum kit, proves at every turn why he went on to become one of the most respected heavy metal drummers of all time. On top of that, Hughes made leaps and bounds as a superb, fairly innovative bassist who didn’t skimp on temperamental bass lines.
»Black Cloud« is a nostalgic-tinged hybrid of blues rock and hard rock where you can hear the influence of Free, the champions of that field at the time. A mighty guitar riff is accompanied by lively drum fills, cowbells and Hughes’ furious vocals. Galley also serves up a short but spicy blues solo on guitar along the way. Many of the songwriting finesses that distinguish this Trapeze classic stayed in Hughes’ songwriting vocabulary for a long time. Like most of the songs, not just on this album but across the entire Trapeze catalog, the lyrics are far from any intellectual high point, dealing with heartache over run-ins with femmes fatales.
The more than eight-minute »Jury« could conditionally be labeled progressive hard rock or, even better, proto metal, since besides its all-around punchiness it has quite a few interesting time shifts and sudden tempo changes. It starts with an acoustic-tinged intro, then a hard-hitting, almost ‘Sabbath-like’ guitar riff drops in like thunder from a cloudy sky and carries everything off into distinctly dark, ambient waters. Young Hughes shines again with an emotionally charged and technically very demanding vocal performance. The seemingly calm acoustic moment in the middle is merely the calm before the final ‘metal’ outburst of rage. »Your Love Is Alright« is a rather fun funk rock experiment where, backed by a mischievous guitar phrase and choppy rhythmic touches, Hughes pulls off the best possible imitation of his great childhood idol Stevie Wonder. The shorter bluesy improvisations fit nicely with the rather clichéd, sexually charged lyrics.
On »Touch My Life« Hughes tries to captivate the listener with bluesy charm, and he totally pulls it off, both as a bravura singer and an energetic bassist, while Galley accompanies him with fiery guitar finesses and Holland busies himself with wild drum rolls that were as fast as they came back in those days. The chaotic ending mainly serves Hughes’ effective reach for the high vocal registers. »Seafull« is a melancholic blues rock ballad with ‘weeping’ guitar passages that go perfectly with Hughes’ heart-wrenching vocal performance. Fiery drum fills cut in now and then, but most of the time the mood is distinctly sad.
On »Makes You Wanna Cry«, another punchy blues rocker with funky rhythmic touches, Galley takes the lead vocals, while Hughes, backed by fierce guitar passages and sturdy drum finesses, eagerly lays down thick bass lines. The closing title track, »Medusa«, is a classic and the best-known piece on the album, which can once again be described as proto metal or progressive hard rock, with a distinctly dark and melancholic atmosphere throughout. A calm, mysterious intro on acoustic guitar is followed by a gradual shift into a hard-hitting section, announced by a full-bodied guitar riff and Hughes’ enraged vocal snarling, as it becomes clear that his troubles with fickle women show no sign of ending. Holland wrecks everything in his path once more with fiery drum rolls. The sudden tempo changes and time shifts between the calm and punchy sections of this brilliant composition are very well executed, while Hughes once again, especially in the dramatic finale, wows as a master of vocal and emotional range.
»Medusa« was a top-notch document of Trapeze on the slow climb up, a band that made a remarkable leap in maturity in just a few months, going from an obscure outfit still searching for its style to an energetic hard rock band with heart. It’s interesting how differently fate treated this cult trio much later: Hughes still enjoys great success with his solo career and the ‘supergroup’ Black Country Communion, Galley has been dead for a few years now, while Holland, at the time of this review, is still waiting to be let out of prison, where he’s serving time for attempted sexual assault on his music student.
Lineup
Glenn Hughes – vocals, bass, piano
Mel Galley – guitar, backing vocals
Dave Holland – drums
Production
John Lodge
Track list
1. Black Cloud
2. Jury
3. Your Love Is Alright
4. Touch My Life
5. Seafull
6. Makes You Wanna Cry
7. Medusa
