Too much talking Pete Wolf! Shut-up & play!
Showing posts with label J. Geils. Show all posts
Showing posts with label J. Geils. Show all posts
Monday, May 15, 2017
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Nightmares... and other tales from the vinyl jungle... also, RIP Mr. J Geils
J. Geils Band - "Nightmares... and other tales from the vinyl jungle" (1974) - Atlantic Records
Hello Friends,
Jamming out to the J. Geils Band sixth record (in four years), 1974's "Nightmares... (and other tales from the vinyl jungle)".
We're also lamenting the death of band's founder, namesake & lead guitarist, Mr. J. Geils, who passed away in his Groton, Mass home last month at the ripe old age of 71. RIP J!
The big hit here on this record is the FM radio staple, "Must of Got Lost", but the rest of the record is pretty okay as well.
"Detroit Breakdown" is a solid opener and became a decent live staple. "Givin' It All Up" is our favorite album track. Outstanding. The trippy "Nightmares" and the super-funky "Funky Judge" are just meh.
Also, we wonder if the song "Stoop Down # 39" is a dig or a tribute to The James Gang's "Funk # 49"? hmm?
"Detroit Breakdown" is a solid opener and became a decent live staple. "Givin' It All Up" is our favorite album track. Outstanding. The trippy "Nightmares" and the super-funky "Funky Judge" are just meh.
Also, we wonder if the song "Stoop Down # 39" is a dig or a tribute to The James Gang's "Funk # 49"? hmm?
RATING: 3.5 lots of kisses but not like yours honey out of 5
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Ladies Invited!
The J. Geils Band - "Ladies Invited" (1973) - Atlantic Records
Hello Friends,
Shitty cover. Shitty title. But a damn fine record between the grooves!
The band's fifth LP has more of the same blues-inspired, Rock 'n' Roll party tunes! Nearly every song is a solid R&B rager and the perfect soundtrack to a late night keg party (preferably in the woods!) Side One has opening fist-pumping triumvirate of, "Did You No Wrong", "I Can't Go On" & "Lay Your Good Thing Down".
Things get a little bit slower on the soulful ballad, "That's Why I'm Thinking of You" (which sounds like a Sticky Fingers outtake) and the side ends with the blistering rocker, "No Doubt About It" featuring some fine Magic Dick jaw work!
Side Two is more of the same with the diminutive hipster Peter Wolf leading the pack. "The Lady Makes Demands" sounds like a groovy E Street Band tune backed up a young American Rod Stewart (which, by the way, kinda describes a lot of early Geils.)
"My Baby Don't Love" is another great Stonesy-sounding ballad.
Its a mystery to us how the song "Diddyboppin'" wasn't one of those ubiquitous tunes heard at keggers and suburban High School football parking lots throughout the mid-seventies. (At the very least, it should have made an appearance in "Dazed & Confused"!)
"Take A Chance (On Romance)" is more fist-pumpin' fun! Damn, I feel like throwing a keg party in the woods just so I can play this record on repeat all night!
The album's final song, "Chimes" is a dark, little ballad that recalls The Classics IV "Spooky"-- but a million times better! Wolf sounds strung out and soulful; literally howling like an all night drug-prowling wolf. The music is lumbering and particularly sleazy. Great Magic Dick solo and a fantastically spooky guitar solo by Geils. Its like the album is saying, "Hey kids, party's over! You don't have to go home, but you can't crash here!"
Once again, all of the songwriting duties on Ladies Invited were handled by Wolf and keyboardist, Seth Justman. The shitty cover art can be blamed on some artist named Antonio and is supposedly a rendering of Faye Dunaway who Wolf was dating at the time (and who he would marry in 1974). Good for him!
RATING: 4 Woofa Goofa Mama Toofas out of 5
Things get a little bit slower on the soulful ballad, "That's Why I'm Thinking of You" (which sounds like a Sticky Fingers outtake) and the side ends with the blistering rocker, "No Doubt About It" featuring some fine Magic Dick jaw work!
Side Two is more of the same with the diminutive hipster Peter Wolf leading the pack. "The Lady Makes Demands" sounds like a groovy E Street Band tune backed up a young American Rod Stewart (which, by the way, kinda describes a lot of early Geils.)
"My Baby Don't Love" is another great Stonesy-sounding ballad.
Its a mystery to us how the song "Diddyboppin'" wasn't one of those ubiquitous tunes heard at keggers and suburban High School football parking lots throughout the mid-seventies. (At the very least, it should have made an appearance in "Dazed & Confused"!)
"Take A Chance (On Romance)" is more fist-pumpin' fun! Damn, I feel like throwing a keg party in the woods just so I can play this record on repeat all night!
The album's final song, "Chimes" is a dark, little ballad that recalls The Classics IV "Spooky"-- but a million times better! Wolf sounds strung out and soulful; literally howling like an all night drug-prowling wolf. The music is lumbering and particularly sleazy. Great Magic Dick solo and a fantastically spooky guitar solo by Geils. Its like the album is saying, "Hey kids, party's over! You don't have to go home, but you can't crash here!"
Once again, all of the songwriting duties on Ladies Invited were handled by Wolf and keyboardist, Seth Justman. The shitty cover art can be blamed on some artist named Antonio and is supposedly a rendering of Faye Dunaway who Wolf was dating at the time (and who he would marry in 1974). Good for him!Saturday, September 28, 2013
The Morning After
J. Geils Band - "The Morning After" (1971) - Atlantic Records
Hello Friends,
Its Worcester's best bar band, The J. Geils Band, back with their second LP and because of the implied sleaziness of the album's title, we couldn't wait to get this one on the turntable.
We were NOT disappointed!
Good old fashioned, upbeat blues rock that sounds as good today as it did upon its release in 1971 featuring lead vocals by Peter Wolf, some fantastic blues harp by Magic Dick and some fine lead guitar by J. Geils himself. (Yes kids, unlike Jethro Tull or Pink Floyd, J. Geils was actually a guys name in the band!)
Side A is home to "I Don't Need You No More", live-staple instrumenal "Whammer Jammer", "So Sharp", "The Usual Place" and "Gotta Have Your Love".
Side B gives us the frantic single, "Looking for A Love", "Gonna Find Me a New Love", "Cry One More Time" (which Gram Parson's covered on his seminal 1973 LP, GP), "Floyd's Hotel" and "It Ain't What You Do (It's How You Do It)".
The album's cover photo of the band was literally taken the morning after a wild night of partying at an L.A. hotel!
Just living the rock & roll lifestyle here on Vinyl in the Valley!
RATING: 4.5 Magic Dicks out of 5
Just living the rock & roll lifestyle here on Vinyl in the Valley!
RATING: 4.5 Magic Dicks out of 5
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