Not only is
Medusa the finest offering from '70s outfit
Trapeze, it is one of the decade's most underappreciated hard rock recordings. With a lineup that consisted of future
Deep Purple,
Judas Priest, and
Black Sabbath members, there seems to be proof that at least a few fellow musicians appreciated this 1971 offering. Fans of his later work might be surprised by
Glenn Hughes' soulful vocal delivery, especially on the midtempo blues-rockers like "Black Cloud" and "Your Love Is Alright." Guitarist
Mel Galley also deserves mention for his sparse approach to classic rock riffing that is catchy and affective. Even the ballads are focused, memorable, and unique. There are some melodic moments on the closing title track that sound almost as if a '90s alt-rock crooner composed them. Considering that
Medusa predates many similar, and more successful, classic rock LPs from the likes of
Bad Company,
Nazareth,
Foreigner, and others, it's a wonder that the record isn't mentioned more when influential albums of this era are discussed. ~ Vincent Jeffries