The Strawbs' 1974 album marked a major change in many ways. It was the start of their success in America, where they eventually found a bigger audience than in their native U.K. The band made a drastic personnel shift, with only singer/guitarists Dave Cousins and Dave Lambert remaining; and musically it could be seen as the culmination of what they'd been working toward since the '60s. Hero and Heroine masterfully knits together the various strands of The Strawbs' sound, integrating their prog rock side ("Autumn," "Round and Round," the title track) with their folkier leanings ("Midnight Sun," "Out in the Cold"). It even adds a new wrinkle with the hard-hitting rock riffing of "Just Love."