4 out of 5 Stars!

In my opinion, this is one of the best albums the gifted Dave Cousins and company ever produced, followed closely by the previous year’s release, Hero and Heroine—both albums together form a commendable “one-two punch.”

On Ghosts, the title track is absolutely (and I can’t help myself from using the word) haunting. Yes, haunting…there, I said it, so sue me. Additionally, tunes such as “The Life Auction,” “Starshine/Angel Wine,” and “You and I (When We Were Young)” offer undeniable charm.

Unfortunately, this is also probably the last “great” Strawbs album of the ’70s, with the next one (Nomadness), although still generally enjoyable with some beautiful material, being nevertheless more pop-oriented and less consistent when it comes to songwriting quality and all the tracks “wedding” into a cohesive package. Odd, since Nomadness was released a mere seven months after Ghosts…one would think a band couldn’t change its “genre focus” that drastically in such a short spam of time.

Anyway, despite my brief aside, Ghosts is a true gem, and the Strawbs album I find myself playing most frequently.

Get The Album Now!