When the James Gang were in existence I'm not sure anyone took them seriously, much less the band members themselves, and as it turned out, it became a vehicle for minor guitar gods like Joe Walsh, Tommy Bolin, and Domenic Troiano to use as a stepping stone to bigger gigs, while JG just kind of floundered around without much direction. But, in the beginning, it was created by drummer Jim Fox somewhere in Ohio, and after some years of slugging around through a few lineups, Walsh, Fox, and a guy named Tom Kriss came together and recorded this debut record. And what about Yer' Album? Honestly, it's a bunch of bass-heavy grooves, some interesting but overlong covers, a few artsy-fartsy piano-orchestral pieces, some studio cut-in interludes, maybe two or three actual songs, and there is the James Gang's debut album. Tailor-made for guitar/gear-head bud smokers. But, if you want my honest opinion, the real excitement starts on the next album.

Sometime in the early 90's Peverett returned to the U.S. after a long hiatus, and reformed the original lineup of Foghat. The eventual result was Return of the Boogie Men, which sounds, and is structured like the rote, fan-friendly comeback album we all would expect from these guys. On the one hand, I guess it's a good thing they are not messing with the formula which made them famous in the first place, but on the other hand, a lot of the aura and excitement which surrounded the band is sorely missing. The new cuts collected here have that whiff of ZZ Top-inspired hokeyness to them ("Motel Shaker"), while they elect to recycle a bunch of their old tunes acoustic-style, just to reinforce the elder statesmen vibe. There was always something unique in the mood department about a Foghat album, up to this one, but here, they finally fall in line with all the generic blues clichés, and the album suffers as a whole. So, they should have stayed hidden, I'm afraid.

Arguably out of gas a few albums ago, the Foghat camp soldiered on with this, essentially a covers record which is notable for its lack of presence just as much as Tight Shoes was. The 80's faux-modern production really works against the group now in a number of ways - the worst one being, the majority of the covers are in an old R&B vein, so the re-makes feel cheaper here. Also, I can't get over the feeling Peverett and crew were simply grinding this out to get it done. At least Tight Shoes had a certain feel of tense anguish going for it, and the previous album brought back a bit of the good times - this In The Mood hogwash does nothing in particular for anyone, sad to say.

Same feel carries over from the previous album, but it's a bit more fun and engaging. An actual bonafide American stepped in to replace Price in the lead/slide guitar role, Erik Cartwright, but I don't think he livens up the band to any extent. This is more like the albums which preceded Tight Shoes, where New Wave is an element that factors into the overall sound, but certainly, the material is not as strong as it once was. "Wide Boy" and "Live Now - Pay Later" are the definite picks, while album cuts like "Weekend Driver" and "Delayed Reaction" (which dabbles in reggae) tend to meander a bit. Another interesting development - longtime associate Nick Jameson rejoins on keyboards, contributing two tracks - including the raucous live cut "Sing About Love". This is a competent, fan-focused collection which might find interest from casual interlopers.

So, easy to pass over this album as yet another, run-of-the-mill, typical exercise, but there is a bit more going on here than meets the eye. There is a noticeable uptick in the intensity department - where this sprung from, I have no idea, but the ferocity of Price's leads and solos are amped to a new level, and much of the material is overflowing with venom and devilish sneers. The title track was easily one of the group's catchiest singles, and even has a slight New Wave tinge to it. The cover of "Sweet Home Chicago" may come off as somewhat predictable - blues-rock band covering a blues classic - but it is loud, raucous, and energetic. But the undeniable peak of the album are the next three tracks - the rip-fast "Easy Money" (this is like Foghat gone speed metal), the highly-intense "Midnight Madness", and the emotional-heavyweight "It Hurts Me Too" (an Elmore James cover). All three of these tracks are distinguished by Lonesome Dave's passionate vocals, Price's fiery guitar lines, and in the case of "Midnight Madness", an unparalleled change of mood mid-song. Which makes the next two songs even more mystifying, in how in the hell they could be the polar opposite of what I described above? "High on Love" relies on a dopey disco-like bass groove, drowns Price's guitar in horrid effects, and contains a bunch of dumb, inane lyrics about falling head over heels in love with some woman. The only redeeming quality of it, is the awesome Price solo that ends the song. Next, a cover of "Chevrolet", but done in this weird proto-rap/funk style, with handclaps and wah-wah funk guitars in the background. Uh…what? Where did this come from? Fortunately, they get back to brass tax on "Stay with Me", a nice, folk-pop style ballad which closes the album, properly showcasing the humble nature of these guys as it should be, through and through. Overall, a really good album which could have been one of their undeniable classics if not for the two aforementioned mishaps.