Now this is a key album. Here the “super-group” lineup solidifies the sound and direction they want to go in. If they had stayed together after this album, for at least a couple more discs, perhaps the overall story might have been different…. Anyway, I do not think there is much difference between the previous album and this one, except…well, obviously, the material is better, and the interplay between band members is better. To the second point, many people might be quick to say this is Marriott’s show, but I think that is far from the case here. I just think his performances are more forceful and purposeful. But they do not take away from the other band member contributions one bit; in fact, Frampton and Ridley are as strong as ever if not better served by a reconstituted Marriott swaggering and swinging his brass balls around. Touché – the record opens with “Shine On”, a Frampton-penned and lead vocal track which was the catchiest thing he ever did with the Pie, proving he could beast around with the rest of band when he wanted to. There are at least three, maybe four tracks here which I file under “personal favorites” since I get the feeling no one in the group intended them to be gargantuan hits or anything, but I really dig these tracks. There’s Ridley’s “Big George”, a meaty ‘n’ rooty rocker which can either feel like a big put on or is just a whole lot of fun. Plus, Bobby Keys gets in a killer sax solo. Marriott’s “A Song for Jenny” is a dedication to his then-wife (ironic because he would soon be divorced from her) which runs the gamut of emotions from gentle to epic. Not to be missed! I have referred to “79th and Sunset” before; here it is re-imagined as a tongue-in-cheek, country-flavored track about…what else…skeevy groupie girls and hustlers! Man, did Steve run with a horrible crew or what? The way he delivers the vocals are all tongue-twisted in a crazy way that only he could think of, much less execute. Great little track! But unlike the previous effort there are some real heavyweights which should have put the Pie in the big leagues. “Stone Cold Fever”, for one thing, which was a true group effort, and a shining example of their crossover work with hard rock and R&B music. Even better is the cover of “Rollin’ Stone”, which they ABSOLUTELY own, IMHO, and probably shredded people’s ears about a hundred thousand times in many a live setting. I am not one to pooh-pooh the Zeppelin covers of old blues tunes, but no one had the style and feeling down like Marriott and his crew did, at this time. And this was only a studio recording. The last epic on the record is “Strange Days”, which shares the same paranoiac tone as the Rolling Stones work on Let It Bleed, but does not quite cut to heart of the matter. As long as it is on, though, hard to deny when it grips its’ claws into you. This was the obvious jumping point to greener pastures…and it was, for a short period of time. In relation to this list, quite possibly the best of the best.
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