Wild Turkey - Turkey (Reissue, Remastered) (2013)

The second and final self-titled album by the British band Wild Turkey, "Turkey," released in September 1972, became a vibrant but undeservedly forgotten landmark of the classic British rock heyday of the early 1970s.

The project is primarily interesting because it was founded by Glenn Cornick, the original bassist for the cult band Jethro Tull, who left the band after recording the landmark album "Benefit."

Unlike their debut album, "Battle Hymn" (1971), on "Turkey," the musicians sounded much more confident and cohesive. The album's sound is dense and guitar-driven, with distinct blues roots and a touch of early prog.

Since Glenn Cornick deliberately avoided making the band "bass-centric," the music rests on the powerful riffs of two guitarists (Alan "Tweek" Lewis and Mick Dyke) and the expressive, powerful vocals of Gary Pickford-Hopkins, whose tone has often been compared by critics to the style of Rod Stewart. The highlight of this album was the introduction of electric piano, handled by Steve Girl (the band's former road manager, who officially joined the lineup during the sessions). This added a refined, multi-layered sound to the songs, in the spirit of Wishbone Ash, Uriah Heep, and early Deep Purple.