April Wine

April Wine is the debut album by Canadian rock band April Wine, released in 1971.

About the only thing April Wine's inaugural has going for it is young leader Myles Goodwyn's "Fast Train." Right off, Goodwyn begins the trend of saving the band's Canadian bacon, as the remaining members (all Henmans) wade in stream-of-consciousness nonsense. ("Wench" actually follows hot on the heels of "Song for Mary.") Naturally, the resultant tracks on this old wax don't snap, crackle, and pop like impending breakthrough "You Could Have Been a Lady" (and its long bygone B-side "Teacher") or the powerful platters dropped later in the decade when Goodwyn perfected his harder and faster version of April Wine. Thus, these early works only contain shades of greatness, until Goodwyn escapes the forest of '70s pomp and fluff by deciding all he wants to do is rock and rock some more. — Doug Stone.