Ten Years After: Undead

Alvin Lee forging his reputation as a British blues-rock leader.

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This double album from 1968 is the second of a trilogy of re-releases charting the rise of Ten Years After to supergroup status on both sides of the pond, leading up to their unforgettable performance at Woodstock.

By the time Undead was released, the band were touring regularly in the US and needed a follow-up album, hence this live recording. This combination of blues and jazz jams, culminating in what was to become the band’s national anthem, I’m Going Home, cemented Lee’s reputation as the fastest guitarist in the west, with fleet-fingered fretwork of a velocity rarely witnessed previously. The bonus tracks on this extended version, such as Hear Me Calling and Woman Trouble, also demonstrate a more intricate, tasteful guitar style. However, it’s a pity the sound quality of much of the bonus material is so poor, and that some tracks are repeated.