Think of Canadian rock bands and Rush probably spring to mind, as would Steppenwolf and Triumph. All fantastic bands. That's not to take anything away from April Wine, who in terms of output (if not success), must rank alongside the aforementioned. Classic hard rock that is really worth checking out….

Last albums due record companies to fulfill record contracts are usually haphazard affairs, but bandleader/lead singer Myles Goodwyn, along with holdover guitarist Brian Greenway and three other musicians (just to fill out the band), produce a decent collection of more hits than misses…

Setting the stage for the final phase in the sputtering glory period of Montreal celestials April Wine, Animal Grace stealthily practiced commercially competent clod rock but distinguishably disappeared without a trace. Leadoff "This Could Be the Right One" escapes the fate of ad infinitum wussy ballads via a brisk tempo and cynical lyrics…

April Wine (like any good wine) got better with age, and the Canadians' brightest moment only arrived over a decade into their career with 1981's The Nature of the Beast. Opener "All Over Town" lurches into action on a lopsided riff before finding its awesome groove, – a groove they seldom abandon through and to the end of the disc…

As suggested by its title, Harder…Faster sees veteran Canadian rockers April Wine taking things up a notch with relentless slabs of hard rock in "I Like to Rock" and "Ladies Man." Also on hand is a memorable cool groover called "Say Hello," a curious cover of King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man," and the dual personality of "Tonite," which alternates between quiet balladry and all-out riffing…

April Wine is a perfect example of a band that critics loved to loathe in the 1970s and 1980s – you could fill an encyclopedia with all the negative reviews that First Glance received in 1978…

Their second album (which doubles as their US debut) is a great collection of killer tracks. While not as hard rockin' as the Greenway albums of the late 70s and early 80s, this album still rocks quite nicely…

The April Wine entry in Capitol Records' midline-priced Classic Masters series is a reasonable best-of culled from the group's tenure at Capitol from the late '70s to the mid-'80s…