Introduction
Choices (Uriah Heep) is a rather odd boxset. Containing six CDs of track selections from founding and contemporary band members, it offers no outtakes or insights. Instead, we get the equivalent of a Spotify Playlist from six members – the late Ken Hensley and Lee Kerslake (both of whom tragically passed away in 2021), as well as Mick Box (whose guiding hand is very much present in the curation of this set), Paul Newton, Phil Lanzon and Bernie Shaw, complete with an “art card” containing a brief greeting from each. While the choices are different enough that crossover is fairly minimal (July Morning & Circus crop up three times; The Park, The Magician’s Birthday, Sweet Lorraine, The Other Side Of Midnight, Tears In My Eyes, Free ‘N’ Easy & Tales all appear twice), the question remains as to its target audience. One might initially imagine completists (given the lack of contextual information for the newcomer) but, if this is the case, then it is somewhat egregious that four of the six discs were already present in the 2020 box set 50 Years In Rock (with only Lanzon and Shaw’s selections adding value to this stand-alone set). As such, this rather leaves the set aimed at the casual collector, curious as to Heep’s inestimable contribution to rock music, but unwilling to invest in the complete back catalogue.
The Box
Currently retailing at twenty-six pounds, Choices is superficially a smart-looking collection. Packaged in a clam shell box, with a gold (peelable) sticker on the front, the set contains the six CDs in simple slip cases, each bearing the Uriah Heep emblem. The back of each sleeve contains basic track information (name, remastering date, writer and publisher) and that’s it. There’s no booklet containing further information, which is a shame, because one imagines even a casual purchaser would like to know from which album each track is drawn without having to resort to Google, but there are the aforementioned “art cards”. These, when put together, form a roughly 12×12 representation of the logo (although it’s hard to imagine anyone doing that more than once), with a personal note and stamped signature from the respective band members on the back. It’s not exactly a generous package, and it’s hard to see why one might choose this set over a digital copy given the paucity of information included.
The Music
If the package is lacking, as Uriah Heep fans already know, the music most certainly is not. The biggest advantage this set has over the numerous best of… compilations is that it cuts deeper, stepping away from a focus on the hits to investigate those tracks that meant something to their creators. It feels a touch more personal, and there’s no doubting that each of the CDs has been well-sequenced to flow effectively, reflecting the proclivities of each member (Bernie Shaw proving rather more proggy, Mick Box rather more direct). It’s an interesting approach that avoids the compromises made when compiling a traditional best of (just think of the biting and scratching that went in to Pink Floyd’s Echoes), while reflecting the earthy, meat ‘n’ potatoes vibe of the Heep themselves. Thus, for those who didn’t quite have the wherewithal to invest in the mammoth 50 Years In Rock set, there is much to admire here.
Ken Hensley
With fourteen tracks on offer, Ken’s selections have a vaguely nostalgic air to them, as evidenced by his choice of the gorgeous, acoustic number Paradise to open. While psychedelia rears its head on the likes of The Spell and Weep In Silence, the elegiac nature of tracks like Rain and The Park suggest that Ken was more at home with the band’s softer side than other members represented here. Not that this CD is free from riffs. The sparking July Morning and the crunchy Echoes In The Dark (the latter rife with eccentric keyboard sounds) remind the listener that the Heep were never shy about rocking out. However, the overall vibe is one of calm reflection and progressive flourishes, painting a very different picture of the band than you’d find on the typical best of. The CD ends with Sweet Freedom, a track that reminds the listener just how adventurous Uriah Heep were, the band drawing on the likes of Cream and Genesis to deliver a masterclass in bluesy, progressive rock.
Lee Kerslake
Opening with the crunchy July Morning, drummer Lee Kerslake offers a much heavier portrait of The Heep in action. Whether it’s lengthier, more progressive offerings such as The Magician’s Birthday (Heep do Genesis) or splenetic rock like Traveller In Time, you get the impression Lee was happiest when laying waste to his kit with abandon. Not that all subtlety is forsaken – Circus is a whimsical acoustic piece, while Free Me is a laid-back fifties pastiche that showcases a different set of dynamics to the hulking Rainbow Demon. There’s also the Queen-esque pulse of closing number Stealin’ to further add to the diversity on display, but ultimately Lee’s Heep is a rock monster which, despite its sensitive underbelly, is more than capable of holding its own against the heavy metal bands of the era.
Mick Box
As with Lee Kerslake, Mick Box clearly sees Uriah Heep as a harder rocking entity than some of the other members, impressively squeezing fifteen tracks on to his disc (the most of any member). Nevertheless, Mick’s selections remain eclectic, avoiding almost all the obvious tracks in favour of pieces that put the band through its paces. Whether it’s the pastoral beauty of The Park or the slide-guitar assault of Tears In My Eyes, it’s clear that Mick’s love of the band remains undimmed and his placing of calmer pieces every few tracks, helps to keep his disc vibrant and varied. Still, with tracks like the Deep-Purple-Does-Thrash of Free ‘N’ Easy (still unstoppable all these years later) and the Whitesnake-ish Woman Of The Night, Mick’s selections not only paint a picture of a band on fire, but also suggest that the perennially unfashionable Heep had a far wider influence than many appreciate.
Paul Newton
From the off, Paul Newton’s CD feels different. The opening number, a funky Lady In Black, sets a very different tone that persists as the CD segues into the spacey Tales. As with Ken, Paul doesn’t shy away from the rock – the evergreen might of Easy Livin’ (remarkably the only band member to include it in his listing) is present and correct, while the jangling If I Had The Time gives way to a progressive number that ebbs and flows impressively – a mini epic in its own right. The funky overtones identified on Lady In Black return on an alternate version of Why, and it’s easy to see why a bassist would focus on this sort of track, given the workout it involves. Similarly, Sympathy offers up a Floyd-esque vibe that reminds the listener just how integral to a band a great bassist is, while the blazing speed of Free ‘N’ Easy once again rears its head as an example of The Heep at their hardest.
Phil Lanzon
Keyboardist Phil Lanzon steps away from the approach of the previous members, choosing a mere ten tracks (albeit with an overall runtime in excess of fifty minutes). However, while the focus may appear to be on slow burning compositions that explore the band’s proggier side (an impression given weight by the opening trio of A Year Or Day, The Magician’s Birthday and Wonderworld ), Phil increasingly slips in curveballs such as Bad Bad Man – a high octane number that sits somewhere between Kiss and AC/DC in their arena years. Such tracks not only highlights a side of Uriah Heep ignored by the other musicians, but also showcases a number of pop-rock anthems that have been too long overlooked when the band’s heritage is discussed. Just check out Voice On My TV, and you’ll hear a perfect example of the hard edged pop rock that dominated the charts throughout the eighties. A bit of a wild card, Phil Lanzon’s disc, it may not tow the line that sees the band’s seventies’ output more commonly celebrated, but it does allow yet another side of The Heep to shine through.
Bernie Shaw
The set concludes with Bernie Shaw’s proggier selections. Once again, there are only ten tracks on offer here, with more than a few surprises waiting in the wings. While things get off to a familiar start with July Morning, tracks like What Kind Of God and Wise Man are very much vocalist songs, getting to the point with admirable speed considering the typical lead in time of Uriah Heep tracks. Overall, a slower and quieter CD than the other offerings, tracks like Wise Man, One Minute and Tales all strip away much of the bombast to allow the vocals to flourish, although the dark swell of Corridors Of Madness is a welcome opportunity to switch things up. The CD ends on a high with Heaven’s Rain (a highlight from 2006’s Wake The Sleeper) and AOR anthem Heartless Land, which sees Bernie bowing out over a track that moves deftly from stripped-down acoustic piece to Genesis-esque singalong in five easy minutes.
Conclusion
Relatively inexpensive and with surprisingly little crossover between discs, Choices offers one hell of an insight into the various personalities that make up Uriah Heep, while also paying tribute to the much-missed Ken Hensley and Lee Kerslake. It’s not perfect, however. The lack of a booklet is an omission which seems increasingly common in these mid-priced sets (are the record companies seriously not aware that this sort of behaviour plays directly into the hands of those who advocate streaming?) as is the lack of detailed track information. Equally the “art cards”, while a nice idea, prove rather slight in execution (it would surely have been better to have had a decent promo shot of each band member on the flip side) and are unlikely to come out of the box more than once. Nevertheless, as an overview of catalogue that is surely underappreciated in its scope and eclecticism, Choices is a worthy set and one that will surely provide many hours of listening to even the most casual of fans.
Music: 9/10
Packaging: 4/10
Overall: 7.5/10
