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THE GUESS WHO
RATING: 7
PLAY THESE: THESE EYES, FOUND HER IN A STAR, A WEDNESDAY IN YOUR GARDEN
SKIP THESE: FRIENDS OF MINE
The first major rock band to come out of the frozen prairie hellhole also known as Winnipeg (a flat, unforgiving land where you can watch your dog run away for three days), the Guess Who occupy a special place in my heart (and yes, Melissa, I do have one). I remember wheeling around the house at the age of three on my tricycle, screaming 'American Woman' at the top of my lungs, and I wore out my dad's vinyl copy of K-Tell Presents The Guess Who's 20 Greatest Hits by the time I was five. Although I haven't obsessed about the group as often (or intensely) in recent years, I still love 'em to pieces, and I still think they're the most underrated band on the planet. Yes, I'm Canadian, so I'm probably biased, but before you dismiss me entirely I'd like to point out that I too despise Celine Dion, so I'm still quite capable of being objective, thank you very much. You see, outside of Canada the Guess Who are generally regarded as a mere "singles band," a rag-tag group of fat, beer-guzzling buffoons who hit it big with an impressive run of hit songs in the late 60's/early 70's, but weren't really taken seriously by most critics. Most people know songs like 'American Woman' and 'These Eyes,' but what most rock fans don't realize is that they also have a number of great albums to their credit, most of which contain obscure gems that are just as good if not better than their more popular singles.
The thing I like best about The Guess Who, however, is the fact that their sound is so difficult to pigeon-hole. Many of their singles give the impression that they were a straight-ahead "American heartland" band, but in reality their songs were also steeped in Britpop, 50's rock 'n roll, jazz, pop, folk, and a whole slew of other musical styles. They don't really sound like anyone else, but that's what makes them so original - and good.
The Guess Who's original lineup consisted of Burton Cummings (piano/vocals), Randy Bachman (guitar), Jim Kale (bass), and Gary Peterson (drums). Cummings is easily one of the rock's finest vocalist. He may be a moron, but that doesn't take away from the the fact that he can sing just about any kind of music, and he's also one helluva piano player. Bachman, of course, is more famous as the leader of the oft-reviled generic 70's rock band BTO, but his playing with the Guess Who is surprisingly varied and intelligent. Together with Cummings, Bachman wrote most of the group's early tunes. Kale is pretty much non-descript (although more than adequate), but Gary Peterson is a versatile drummer of considerable talent, and it is his ability to switch musical genres at the drop of a hat that allowed the band to be so eclectic.
As for Wheatfield Soul, it is the group's debut release on a major record label, and it's a pretty solid one (the band did actually have Top 20 hit in the U.S. with their cover of 'Shakin' All Over' in 1965, with a different vocalist named Chad Allan. Check it out - its a great track). The best known tune is obviously 'These Eyes,' but even though it's been overplayed it still sounds good - the perfect pop song, really. It just starts out with some jazzy Cummings (sounds like a porn star name, doesn't it?) electric piano chords, kicks in with some off-beat electric guitar chords, and then Burton (only in Canada could a man name Burton be a rock star) enters the fray, giving us his first outstanding vocal performance on tape. It just love it at the end of the song where he starts screaming in his typical rock 'n roll style - it was a foreshadow of even greater things to come. Less well known but equally impressive is 'Found her In A Star,' which is simply the most perfect piano-based pop tune you could ever imagine. It's very simple, but that's probably why it's so good. It's got a killer melody too. Also memorable is 'A Wednesday In Your Garden,' which is a psychedelic Britpop masterpiece with some unexpected jazzy interludes that works magic. The song's melody is also outstanding, and Cummings turns in another strong vocal performance - Burton can really belt out those high notes.
Those three aforementioned tracks are the three best songs on the album, but there are several other tracks that sounds almost as good. Among them are the melodic 'Maple Fudge,' which has a whimsical English Paul McCartney/ Ray Davies thing going on, and 'Lightfoot,' which is a flawed-but-charming tribute to Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightwoot. The artsy-fartsy lyrics are a bit cheesy (i.e. "his foot is a precise anchor for the husk and vibrance of his voice." Say what?), but it's got a nice folk acoustic vibe, and the melody is also quite strong. The rest of the songs ain't that bad either ('When You Touch Me' is a hard rock precursor to 'American Woman'), although none of them are quite at the same level as the best songs.
The only two songs that stand out as bad are the obnoxious 'We're Coming To Dinner,' as well as the Doors rip-off 'Friends Of Mine,' which is just bloody awful. It's the most blatantly retarded Jim Morrison pastiche you could ever imagine, but what's worse is that you can tell that Burton thinks he's the real deal, the Lizard King himself, as it were. What an idiot! The most intolerable part of the song, however, is the spoken word Morrison acid trip section where Cummings spouts off about his friend "Kurt," who is "the walrus," who "sticks funny things in his left arm, alright ya." Burton then goes on to describe the unjust execution of an innocent man, right down to the crows picking at his corpse, and then ends it all by questioning the very existence of - gulp! - the Big Man Upstairs:
The gallows was made from a tree created by God
The man's blood dripped into the
ground which was created by God
Even the giant cloaked figure
which was the man's own end was
created by God
Even the man's soul which went down
was created by God
Even the black birds which picked the
man's corpse apart
were created by God
AND WHERE WAS GOD?
Pretty dumb, eh? (Please note the use of Canadian slang). Thankfully, its the only major misstep here (the tabla part on 'Love and a Yellow Rose' is kind of stupid too, though, although the song itself is mostly good), and the band would never again attempt to out-Morrison the Doors. All in all, though, Wheatfield Soul is a pretty impressive debut - but one that broadly hints at even better things to come.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: LAUGHING, UNDONE, OF A DROPPING PIN
SKIP THESE: KEY, FAIR WARNING
So is this the "difficult second album?" Not a chance. Canned Wheat is a must-have for any late 60's classic rock fan, in spite of the fact that only diehard Guess Who fans seem to have heard it (apart from the hit singles 'No Time,' 'Laughing,' and 'Undone,' that is). There are some real gems to be found on the album, including the mellow ballad 'Minstrel Boy,' which is a bit gay but has a nice melody and arrangement, as well as the jazzy (but in a good rock 'n roll way, not in a crappy Steely Dan way) composition '6 A.M. Or Nearer,' which has some nice guitar from randy Bachman. It's hard to believe it's played by the same guy who churned out generic, workmanlike hard rock riffs for BTO several years later, that's for sure. The song has a good, catchy chorus, and even though I'm not too sure about Burton's flute solo, overall things work pretty well. Best of all, though, is the pop masterpiece 'Of A Dropping Pin,' which just might be my favorite all-time Guess Who tune. The song is unbelievably catchy, and Burton's vocal performance is outstanding - I really can't say enough good things about the track, so please do yourself a favor and check it out. Great dual guitar soloing too.
Other highlights? 'Old Joe' is mellow piano-based Cummings pop at its best, with another outstanding melody and the chorus is definitely something special, especially when Burton screams out the chorus like only Burton can. My only complaint is that it fades out too early, but then again it leaves you wishing for more, so I guess that's a good thing. The only major problem is the lengthy psychedelic rock jam 'Key,' which just drags on for way too long, although there are some interesting musical bits scattered throughout the eleven minute-long track. Still, there is absolutely no need for a eight (yes, eight?!!) minute drum solo (even if Gary Peterson is great drummer), and the lyrics are pretty dumb too (although nowhere near as crappy as 'Friends of Mine' on Wheatfield Soul). The album closing 'Fair Warning' is a slightly jokey warning for anyone contemplating a career in show business, but it comes off as being filler. Not bad, but not great by any stretch of the imagination.
I suppose I should also talk a little bit about the hit singles, which include the obscure-but-interesting original version of 'No Time,' which the band would later rerecord for American Woman. This version is slightly longer, with a more lengthy fade-out, and Bachman's fuzz tone guitars are much higher in the mix. The main difference, however, is Cummings' vocals, which aren't quite as "rock 'n roll' as on the better known version - still good, mind you, but not quite as riveting. However, its a pretty interesting track, and still a classic. The Brit pop masterpiece 'Laughing' is as great a pop song as any you'll ever hear, with its distinctive rising guitar motiff, and some of Cummings' better vocals. The jazzy 'Undone' is also very catchy. It's got a very unusual structure for a hit pop single, but its so good that the record buying public still made it a Billboard Top 10 hit. Even the flute solo is good, which is surprising considering just how badly flues and rock music usually mix.
When all is said and done, Canned Wheat is a very strong album, and is one that doesn't often get the accolades it so clearly deserves. Apart from 'Key' and 'Fair Warning' this is a very strong record indeed, and it shows that the band was not a one hit wonder. However, there would be even better music coming from The Guess Who in the coming years.
RATING: 9
PLAY THESE: AMERICAN WOMAN, NO TIME, NO SUGAR TONIGHT / NEW MOTHER NATURE
SKIP THESE: 969
The album that catapulted The Guess Who into superstardom across the world, American Woman is regarded by many as the defining moment for the band, an impressive set of some of the best rock music ever recorded. This is the final - and most interesting - collection of songs The Guess Who came up with while Randy Bachman was still in the band, and collaborating with his songwriting partner Burton Cummings. It boggles the mind to contemplate what the duo would have come up with had Randy and Burton not had a falling out a few months later. If American Woman is any indication, the next album would've been even great. Nevertheless, American Woman is the last Bachman-era Guess Who album, and it is one to admire.
The album is also notable in that it gives the band a far more "rock" oriented sound, as opposed to the ballad-driven approach The Guess Who had displayed on the first two records. The group had never tried to write "classic rock" riffs like those found on 'American Woman' and 'Perfect Stranger,' and Bachman is undoubtedly cranking up the distortion effects on his guitar that feature so prominently on this record. Even better news arrives in the guise of Burton Cummings, who has emerged as one of the best "rock and roll" singers on the planet. He's obviously been influenced by the upper-range vocal gymnastics of Robert Plant (and Paul Rodgers as well!), but he's definitely developed his very own sound - plus, the fact he can sing ballads works well in his favor. The guy simply has the best singing range this side of Bono, and he's my vote for the best singer of the 1970's. All that aside, the songs are so great that even a mediocre band could've made them sound good. The 'No Sugar Tonight/ New Mother Nature' medley is testament enough to the impressive abilities of the Bachman-Cummings songwriting team. These guys really had chemistry.
The best songs? Well, the riff-driven, mildly anti-American hit single 'American Woman' certainly springs to mind (as does the hilarious second Austin Powers movie, which featured the song on its soundtrack some thirty years after the fact), as does the killer remake of 'No Time,' which has far better Cummings vocals and an overall more abrasive sound. The track also features some pretty cool harmony vocals, although the fact that Bachman can't sing worth a stinky arse crack (and a hill of beans) makes it obvious that what we are listening to is actually a chorus of overdubbed Burton Cummings vocals. The "groovy" 60's hard rock riff in 'Proper Stranger' is pretty good too, and as per usual Cummings screams his head off in a highly tuneful fashion. I'm also pretty fond of 'When Friends Fall Out,' which his a similarly "hard rock" kind of guitar sound - and the jazzy interludes and memorable melody keep things interesting as well (the track is actually a re-make of a 1968 Canadian-only single).
As previously mentioned, the 'No Sugar Tonight/ New Mother Nature' sequence is outstanding, and really is the crowning achievement on the entire album. Apparently the medley emerged as a songwriting contest between Randy and Burton, each of whom decided to write two different songs using the same chord sequence to see what what would happen. What happened was the charming Bachman-penned acoustic rocker 'No Sugar Tonight,' as well as the Cummings-authored ode to drug use in 'New Mother Nature, which is one of the first Guess Who songs to also feature Cummings prominently on the piano. It's hard to say which is the better song. It has been said that Cummings' anger over 'No Sugar Tonight' becoming a single instead of his 'New Mother Nature' played a part in Randy's decision to leave the group later in the year though....
The rest of the songs are basically filler, but are nonetheless pretty respectable tracks. '8:15' has a cool riff and groove, but it seems to drag on for too long in spite of the fact it is just over three minutes long, if that's even possible. The generic blues rock 'Humpty's Blues' is only saved by Cummings' outstanding vocals, and the quasi-prog rock of 'Talisman' is interesting but doesn't sound quite right wedged in between a bunch of hard rock tunes. Likewise, the pointless '969' is just a waste of time, and is actually the only part of the album that irks me at all. I mean come on guys - you can't get any closer to filler than an instrumental jam! Oh well, it can't come close to undoing the greatness that the rest of the album unleashes, so I guess we'll have to take what we can get. This is an outstanding rock album, and if you have only heard the hit singles and nothing else, you may be in for some very pleasant surprises on this album. It's not quite a ten, but I'll give this record a nine out of ten any day of the week.
RATING: 10
PLAY THESE: DO YOU MISS ME DARLIN', HAND ME DOWN WORLD, SHARE THE LAND
SKIP THESE: NONE
The first of the post-Randy Bachman Guess Who albums, Share The Land is probably the best original record the group ever released. Recorded hastily after Randy's unexpected departure, the album is surprisingly good, especially considering the fact that the band had just lost its founding member and one half of its songwriting team. Taking the place of the newly "Mormonized" Bachman (yes, he quit the band because he objected to the band's rock and roll lifestyle) were not one but two guitarists, Greg Leskiw and Kurt Winter, the latter of whom was scooped up from the legendary Winnipeg band, Brother. Brother never made it big, but they were undoubtedly one of the best Canadian bands of the 60's, it was a great move on Cummings part to secure Winter in his band. Neither of the two new guitarists were able to take Bachman's place as Cummings' songwriting foil, but on their own they came up with an impressive number of classic Guess Who songs over the coming years. For his part, Burton also continued to deliver the songwriting goods sans Bachman, and although I think he missed his partnership with Bachman in the long run, there is little indication of this on the first two or three albums The Guess Who put out after Bachman's departure.
As can be expected, the new presence of dual lead guitars gave The Guess Who a much more "hard rock" punch. Indeed, both Winters and Leskiw could really play, and the fact that - unlike Bachman - both were able to sing complex harmonies gave The Guess Who sound yet another dimension. Overall, both of the new guys were definitely pulling their weight in the band, a fact even more surprising considering the fact that both of them clocked in at over two hundred pounds. Apparently there was a clause in The Guess Who's recording contract that obligated the band to have overweight guitarists, as Randy Bachman has always been a bit of a porker as well. Apart from Cummings, who used to be a longhaired, charismatic frontman, The Guess Who have go to be just about the most unglamorous band that has ever been in terms of their image. Fat, smelly, and ugly, The Guess Who were one of the most unlikely looking bands to ever hit the big time. However, their music kicks ass, and even though their weren't "cool" and the critics hated them, their music has aged much better than many of the counterculture heroes of the day.
In terms of the best songs, it is really hard to pick out the key tracks on this album - they're all so good. As a result, I'll analyze the album from start to finish. The anti-"9 to 5" anthem 'Bus Rider' (originally a Brother song written by Winter) is excellent, with its Ringo Starr beat and jaunty pianos making it a highlight, and the well arranged Cummings/Winter collaboration 'Do You Miss Me Darlin' is fantastic as well. It's got some soulful Cummings vocals and piano playing, excellent harmony vocals, and impressively restrained guitar work. If you think the Guess Who were just a singles band, think again: this is a great album track. Next up is Winter's 'Hand Me Down World,' a proto-heavy metal track with a menacing descending guitar riff and some of Cummings' best-ever "screaming" vocals. Burton once sheepishly claimed that Brother had always done the song better, but I think he was just being modest (for once in his life). It's a great track, and there's no getting around it. The jazzy 'Moan For You Joe' shows the group's versatility once again, and although it's not great it is certainly an interesting track, and the guitar work is impressive once again.
Best all, though, is the title track, a hippy-dippy communist anthem that is so good that even the stupid "let's eliminate private property" lyrics can't ruin things. Cummings vocals are beyond excellent, the melody is perfect, the dual guitars are sweet, the harmonies are sublime, and when all is said and done it is quite simply the perfect rock song. I love the end part when the music breaks down and Cummings starts vamping over the "shake your hand" harmonies. Great stuff! This song is followed by another hard rock tune, 'Hang On To Your Life,' which has a Led Zep riff and Robert Plant-style vocals. The chorus is great, and even though I'm not crazy about the bizarre spoken-word section at the end (is that a biblical psalm Cummings is quoting?), overall its a winner. Next up is the quirky Leskiw-penned 'Coming Down Off The Money/ Song Of The Dog,' a country-blues throwaway sung by Leskiw that nonetheless has a goofy kind of charm about it. The album ends with yet another attempt to create a lengthy Doors-like psychedelic rock epic, 'Three More Days.' However, this track works quite well, as it has enough interesting musical parts (i.e. heavy metal, jazzy, and classic rock-sounding sections) to make it one of the album's better tunes. Plus, Burton's vocals are outstanding again.
All in all, this is the best album from The Guess Who, and its no accident that it also sold the most copies. Burton Cummings is at the peak of his songwriting/singing powers here, and the addition of two stellar guitarists (who can also write songs) makes this the most potent lineup The Guess Who ever had (sorry, Randy). Very good, indeed. Ten out of ten.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: RAIN DANCE, SHE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A NICE GIRL, PAIN TRAIN
SKIP THESE: GREY DAY
What the hell is a "Bannatyne," Burton? I don't know, nor do I care, but I do know that I rather enjoy most of this album. Admittedly, it sounds like a carbon copy of Share The Land (although Burton's piano is starting to get pushed up a little bit higher in the mix on most of the tracks), and the band's excesses are starting to manifest themselves on a couple of the tracks, but overall this is one great little record. The hit single was 'Rain Dance,' an up-tempo rock tune set to a "Firsht Nationsh" chant/drone thingy that sounds kind of weird but is nonetheless rather catchy. It drives me nuts when Burton mutters "where'd you get the gun, John," but apart from that there's very little to complain about on this track. I'm also quite enamored with the guitar-driven and unjustifiably obscure 'Pain Train,' which is probably the best Guess Who song you haven't heard yet. Burton's vocals are out-of-this-world good, the Leskiw/Winter guitar tandem is smokin', and even bassist Jim kale manages to stay off the sauce long enough to lay down a mother-thumpin' good bass line (actually, you can't even hear the bass in the mix, but I haven't praised his playing yet).
Also impressive is the McCartneyesque ballad 'She Might Have Been A Nice Girl,' a beautifully restrained piano-based tune with a nice melody that most Guess Who fans don't seem to know about. To paraphrase web critic Mark Prindle, great album tracks like these render Guess Who compilation albums completely useless, as the band's singles give the impression that they were some cheesy novelty singles act (think 'Clap For The Wolfman' or 'Star Baby'), when in fact they weren't. Speaking of novelty tracks, the 50's doo-wop send-up 'Life In The Bloodstream' (hehehe) is a pleasantly melodic retro piece that can't even be ruined by the atrocious "hope the little boy don't fall and skin his knee" line. Burton's piano-tinklin' 'Sour Suite' is also quite good, the first Guess Who track that doesn't feature any guitars. Although it might be construed as an attempt to jump on the early 1970's pianist-singer-songwriter bandwagon, Burton had been tinkling the ivories with The Guess Who long before anyone had ever heard of Elton John, so the song is legit in my books. Regardless, Burton's piano would come to play a more prominent role in Guess Who recordings in the coming years. The other major song of note is the title track, which marks the first occasion where the band gets the whole "blues rock" thing just right. The guitars kick buttocks, Garry Peterson's drums groove along nicely, and Burton screams out some highly politically incorrect lyrics (something about the Indians on a Saturday night?) in an absurdly compelling manner.
However, there is some filler to be found on this album. The complex 'Goin' A Little Crazy' is interesting in parts but is just way too long and awkwardly arranged to be truly gripping, and Greg Leskiw's mentally retarded 'Grey Day' has some good ragtime piano, but it gets to be a bit much when Burton starts scatting like the idiot he can sometimes be. Also, I'm not sure what the band was thinking when they allowed Leskiw to sing lead on 'One Divided' - the guy sure has a crappy voice (although it sounds OK when he sings harmony). The two most bizarre tracks, though, are 'Fiddlin' and 'One Man Army.' The former is a drunken (but hilarious) mess that includes Burton's best stoned Muppet impersonation, while the latter is actually a pretty decent tune that for some inexplicable reason includes a spoken word section where Burton drunkenly rambles on a strange Mexican accent about who knows what. Both of the tracks are very funny, but it is also clear that drugs are starting to take their toll. I can't even begin the fathom the kind of mind that could come up with this crap, but I must admit that I like it a lot. Nevertheless, the schizophrenic, scattershot nature of the album is part of the reason why it's so good. There are very few groups who are capable of this much stylistic variation, and the fact that the band pulls it off most of the time speaks volumes about their talent. It's not quite up to the standard set by the previous couple of albums, but So Long Bannatyne is a very good record.
RATING: 7
PLAY THESE: HEARTBROKEN BOPPER, GUNS GUNS GUNS, HI ROCKERS (MEDLEY)
SKIP THESE: GET YOUR RIBBONS ON, YOUR NASHVILLE SNEAKERS
The most unimaginatively titled album this side of John Lennon's Rock 'n Roll, Rockin' is certainly an album for the hosers. And by "hoser" I mean Canuckclehead Canadian morons like myself who spend far too much time drinking beer, watching hockey, and (gulp) listening to Guess Who records. Nevertheless, it is that unflinching desire to stick to what you know best is part of what makes the album so enjoyable. Yes, it is obvious that the record was recorded in about a week, and no, I don't listen to it as much as Share The Land or Wheatfield Soul, but all in all this is one helluva party album. There isn't anything resembling a ballad to be found, and everyone of these tracks conjures up images of a band of five fat, scruffy Canadians too much smoking dope and getting into shenanigans in the recording studio. Can you even imagine what kinds of trouble good old Burton must have gotten himself into around this time? The guy is a complete idiot!
Luckily for us, Cummings also happens to be a very talented idiot. If you need proof, just listen to the majestic 'Guns Guns Guns,' a heartfelt proto-environmentalist rock song some of the best vocals Burton ever recorded. Come to think of it, this just might be the absolute PEAK of Burton's singing ability, as most of what follows in terms of Cummings' voice isn't quite as gripping as this (although it was still great). Not many can make hoarse rock 'n roll shouting sound as musical as this, that's for sure. I mean, wow. I also quite enjoy the album opener 'Heartbroken Bopper,' in spite of the fact the song contains some of the stupidest lyrics I've ever heard (e.g. "carwash king is havin' beans today" Huh?). The guitars are just rippin' it though, and Burton is in fine form as well. Great track. The 'Hi Rockers' medley is also quite impressive, starting off with a strange-but-in-a-good-way cover of 'Sea of Love,' replete with fake scratchy record effects and a surprisingly saccharine Cummings vocals. Luckily, it quickly moves into the near-celestial harmony vocals of the psychedelic-ish 'Heaven Only Moved Once Yesterday,' which in turns gives way too the quasi-50's-style rocker 'Don't You,' which is a great little tune. Yes, its got a bit of a generic bar band quality about it, but how many singers can deliver the lines like good 'ol Burt, and how many guys out there can play like Kurt Winter? The pleasantly melancholy 'Smoke Big Factory' is another obscure gem, and the mildly racist cover of the Injun-song 'Runnin' Bear,' which sounds like a drunkfest that also happened to be a recording session, but it's still a lot of fun.
As for the bad songs, the boogie-woogie wankfest 'Get Your Ribbons On' is pure musical excrement, and 'Your Nashville Shoes' is boring jazz rock and as such is even worse (although there are a lot of Guess Who fans who claim to love this song, so what do I know?). Other than that, there are a few filler-ish tracks that are OK but nothing special ('Arrividerci Girl' and 'Herbert's A Loser'), both of which are saved by Burton's vocals and Kurt's guitar playing. Overall, this is a fine album, and one of the most underrated in the Guess Who catalogue. Nevertheless, it is a small step down from So Long Bannatyne, and the drop in quality from Share The Land to here is quite obvious. The guys are still on the tail end of a roll, but things are starting to slip just a smidge, and it's mostly downhill from here, baby.
RATING: 9
PLAY THESE: PAIN TRAIN, RUNNIN' BACK TO SASKATOON, AMERICAN WOMAN / TRUCKIN' OFF ACROSS THE SKY
SKIP THESE: GLACE BAY BLUES
Well, this one was supposed to be 'Live At Carnegie Hall,' but dumbass Burton lost his voice due to excessive partying the night before. As a result, the recording equipment was shipped to Seattle instead, and the end result was Live At The Paramount, which is one kick arse record. Incredibly, the Seattle recordings almost didn't get off the ground either, as bassist Jim Kale decided to show up shit-faced drunk for the first show, and actually fell off the stage a couple of times! Thankfully, he stayed relatively sober for the second show, which is the concert that is captured on tape here.
Needless to say, the group's excesses are starting to affect their ability to create quality music, but luckily for us the band was really cookin' on the second night in Seattle. Contrary to popular perception, The Guess Who were actually a pretty powerful live unit, and this album proves it. Burton Cummings was at his peak as a vocalist in terms of his power and range, the dual guitars sound great, and drummer Garry Peterson supplies the band with energy and (thankfully) a steady, dependable beat. Oh, and guitarist Greg Leskiw has been replaced by Donnie McDougal, who obviously knows his way around the fret board fairly well. Best of all, though, are the songs. Although most of the tunes are the group's hit singles, many are given lengthier, clever arrangements that transform the tracks into something truly special.
The best bits? Well, I like 'Pain Train,' which boasts some crunchy guitar riffing and great Cummings vocals. The aggressive guitar solo is quite excellent as well - nice guitar tone on that one, Mr. Winter. The album also contains two new songs 'Runnin' Back To Saskatoon' and 'Truckin' Off Across The Sky,' both of which are necessary components of any Guess Who fan's record collection. The former song is a catchy a blues-rock song that namedrops a bunch of obscure small Canadian towns (Terrace, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, etc.), and and has a great hook of a chorus to boot. The second new song ('Truckin' Off Across The Sky') develops at the end of the lengthy 'American Woman' jam, and it's a beauty. Sure, it's probably the biggest pro-drugs song ever written, but it's darn catchy (e.g. "he's got cocaine and morphine too/ lots of shit to get y'all high/ little pink pills in a big brown bag/ truckin' off across the sky"). And speaking of 'American Woman,' this version is HOT. It starts off with amusing little blues intro 'The Roast Beef's Gone,' but quickly explodes into the well-known distorted guitar riff and things really get rolling. Burton also launches into a lengthy add-lib section, and even though I could do without the scatting bit (and the five minute drum solo), I must say it's pretty funny - even if it may be a bit offensive to some (e.g. "American slut, American hooker").
The only song that I can't stand is Donnie McDougall's 'Glace Bay Blues,' which is just plain boring, and doesn't really fit into the overall scheme of things. However, Donnie's spoken word intro is hilarious - the guy sounds like the ultimate drunk Newfie hoser. What an idiot! He can sing OK, but the song itself is pretty generic.
The recent CD reissue also contains five or six tunes left off the original record, most of which are quite good. 'Share The Land' almost matches the studio version, and Burton's emotional solo performance of 'Sour Suite' is excellent - I'm not sure why this one was left off the original album. Check it out!
RATING: 7
PLAY THESE: SAMANTHA'S LIVING ROOM, ORLY, ALL HASHED OUT
SKIP THESE: NONE
Possessing one of the oddest album sleeves I've ever seen, Artificial Paradise has aged remarkably well, especially considering just how pathetically it performed on the Billboard charts back in 1973. The Guess Who hadn't sold many albums since 1971's So Long Bannatyne, and even their normally dependable well of hit singles was starting to dry up a bit, so it's interesting to listen to this obscure album, which is easily among their best.
Artificial Paradise is often referred to as The Guess Who's "democratic" album, since band members other than Burton Cummings take the lead vocal spotlight on several of the tracks, with surprisingly good results. Among them is new bassist Bill Wallace, who took the place of Jim Kale, who had reportedly spent most of his time getting wasted and wetting his pants in the recording studio, rather than overdubbing his parts. Wallace is a great "rock 'n roll" singer who can convincingly belt out rockin' tunes like 'Bye Bye Babe' and 'All Hashed Out," often sounding quite a lot like good old Burton in the process.
Slightly less successful (but still good) are Donnie McDougall's mellow, Newfie-on-the-sauce-type tunes, which don't quite fit in with the "rockier" mood of the rest of the album, but still have nice harmonies and a generally pleasant sound. Of the two tracks Wallace delivers, 'Samantha's Living Room' is the better of the two, although the melody on 'Lost and Found Town' is quite nice, and Burton puts in a fine performance on the piano, which seems to be working its way higher up in the overall mix on each successive Guess Who album.
But despite the prevalence of other band members on this album, Burton is still in fine form. The minor hit single, of course, was the calypso-flavored 'Follow Your Daughter Home,' which is a bit gimmicky but is still pretty catchy. If you're like most people and have only heard this radio hit and none of the others on Artificial Paradise, you will likely think that the rest of the album sounds like this - but you'd be WRONG. It's a complete anomaly, and releasing it as a single probably did a lot of damage to The Guess Who's career. However, if you dare to give the rest of the album a chance, you will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of the songs, the energetic performances, and the stylistic variation you will find here. You'll have a fiddlin' good time with 'Orly,' Burton's unlikely ode to that "other" Parisian airport, as well as the interesting 'The Watcher,' which is one of the more unusual song's I've heard in a while. The flutes and horns fit into the song's arrangement surprisingly well, and Burton's piano playing and vocals are excellent as per usual.
All in all, this is probably the most underrated albums of the 1970's, and if you like The Guess Who (which you should), the you NEED to won this album. Besides 'Follow Your Daughter Home' there aren't any catchy singles to be found, but each track is excellent, well crafted pop-rock, and as such deserves only the highest praise.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: TAKE IT OFF MY SHOULDERS, GLAMOUR BOY, JUST LET ME SING
SKIP THESE: NONE
I'm not exactly sure why this album is called #10, since it's actually the ninth album The Guess Who released on a major record label (according to my calculations, at least). My guess is that the band regarded the 1968 Canadian only release A Wild Pair as their first album, despite the fact that the band was only featured on half of the album (the other half features The Staccatos, who would later find short-lived fame as The Five Man Electrical Band). Regardless of the math, #10 is a very solid album. Overall, the album rocks a little bit harder than Artificial Paradise, and it's also a bit more consistent in terms of the songwriting. The other notable development is that Burton Cummings is once again the band's sole lead singer, as Donnie McDougall and Bill Wallace shared vocal duties with Burton on Artificial Paradise. In my view, this is a positive thing. Donnie and Bill did a good job on the prior record, but there was still this lingering feeling that the music could've been that much better if Burton would've sang everything.
Although Artificial Paradise had hinted at it, #10 is the record where the band made the full transition from a "singles band" to an "albums band." Gone are the catchy singles, and in their place is a solid record full of excellent album cuts, none of which seem to have been written with any intention of getting significant radio play. And that's exactly what happened. There weren't any hit singles, so nobody outside of Canada actually bought this album, which is a shame. It really is a very solid album - probably the group's best effort since Share The Land. We get everything from country-rock ('Lie Down') to gospel ('Take It Off My Shoulders), and just about everything in between. There's also an excellent jab at the glam rock scene in 'Glamour Boy,' a piano and orchestra-driven ballad that bemoans the fact that style superseded musical substance in the early 1970's music business (i.e. "for forty-five thousand dollars you can look like your sister tonight"). The harp is pretty schmaltzy, but I still like it.
Old time Guess Who fans even get an old Randy Bachman/Burton Cummings tune, 'Miss Frizzy,' a catchy blues rocker that was originally written as a follow-up to American Woman in 1970, but was shelved after Randy left the group (or was fired, depending on who you're talking to). Best of all, though, is 'Just Let Me Sing,' a bluesy/gospel number with a nice horn-infused buildup at the end that takes the song to great musical heights. It's starting to sound a little bit like solo Burton, but it's a great tune. All in all, this is one great little album, and if you're a Guess Who fan you need to own it. Don't be put off by the fact that there aren't any hits in the tracklisting - each of the songs are very good, and there's no filler to be found.
RATING: 7
PLAY THESE: STAR BABY, DON'T YOU WANT ME, BALLAD OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS
SKIP THESE: STRAIGHTEN OUT
Hmm....two things really stand out about this album. The first is fact that the band is really trying to get an AM radio hit again, as the band's efforts to transform itself into an FM group seemed to have hit a brick wall after #10 (which apparently failed to sell any copies outside of Burton Cummings' immediate family). And while the group managed to score a couple of Top 40 hits for the first time in four years ('Star Baby' and 'Clap For The Wolfman'), each of these have a sort of "novelty single" thing going on, and many of the album tracks have a goofy, gimmicky aura about them as well. The second striking thing about this album is that the band sounds tired. Dead tired. Sure, many of the songs bravely go out of their way to celebrate groupies, booze, and life on the road, but there is this lingering sense that it's all a rouse, and that things are starting to unravel. The music is still good, and the playing is energetic, but it seems as though the rock 'n roll lifestyle has started to take its toll on the group, and sap its energies. But even when things get really goofy and Burton starts spouting off about eating "aardvark sandwiches" and teaching his pet monkey to drink his booze on tracks like 'Attila's Blues,' it's hard not to like this album. It's pretty loopy, but it's still good.
The best moment on the album is the pop rock gem 'Star Baby,' which was just meant to be a hit, with it's infectious hook and arresting Cummings vocals. Kurt Winter's fiery slide guitar solo is excellent as well, and the way that it segues into another key during the solo and then back again at the beginning on the last verse is simply brilliant. Also worth a listen is the 50's retro doo-wop 'piece Don't You Want Me,' a guilty pleasure that still cooks, as well as the slightly overblown 'Ballad of the Last Five Years,' which sounds like a precursor to Burton Cummings softer, more piano-driven solo work. As for 'Clap For The Wolfman,' the song absolutely screams "gimmick," but it's a catchy little tune with a good hook and some nice tremolo guitar/ piano licks. Plus, Wolfman Jack's ad-libbed spoken word bits are pretty funny, so it's all good (e.g. "as long as you got the curves, baby, I've got the angles").
Unfortunately, there are some less than glorious moments on the album. The appallingly crappy be-bop wankfest 'Straighten Out' foreshadows the jazz direction the band would take on its final two albums, and even good old Burton's starting to sound a little bit smarmy . He still sounds great most of the time, but he's starting to lose his edge, becoming less "rock 'n roll" and more "sensitive balladeer." There's less screaming going on, and more pleasant-but-slightly-bland crooning on a few of the tracks. Oh well, I guess he just burnt himself out...it happens to the best of 'em, hehehe....
In the end, then, Road Food can be regarded as The Guess Who's last will and testament, the entertaining final word from this group of scruffy, drunken Canadians. Enjoy it while it lasts, because it's all downhill from here, baby.
RATING: 3
PLAY THESE: DANCIN' FOOL
SKIP THESE: DIGGIN' YOURSELF, SEEMS LIKE I CAN'T LIVE WITH YOU BUT I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU, LONG GONE
I think the album sleeve says it all, really. Gone are the long hair, beer stained t-shirts and ripped jeans, and in their place are shorter hair, polyester leisure suits and - gulp! - bum fluff moustaches. Burton in particular almost looks like a used car salesman auditioning for the part in a porno movie, with his appalling Ron Jeremy moustache and sleazy green shirt collar sticking out of his Studio 54-wannabe dinner jacket in a most disconcerting manner. And the problems don't end there. The dynamic dual lead guitar team of Kurt Winter and Donnie MacDougall are no more, replaced by the moustache wielding former James Gang axe-man Dominic Triano. This, by the way, is not a good thing. In fact, it is a very bad thing. Triano can play circles around Winter and McDougall, but the problem lies in the fact that he is playing jazz circles around the ex- Guess Who guitarists, as opposed to the rock 'n roll ones that are actually required to play on a rock band. Plus, Dominic has the wimpiest, thinnest, most annoying guitar tone I have ever heard in my life - laughable, almost. I mean, just listen to 'Diggin' Yourself,' which, despite the fact that it's a crappy song, has some really embarrassing guitar sounds that render it a musical disaster. The reverb-drenched, faux-funk guitar sound at the beginning of the track is bad enough, but the ridiculous distortion effect before the chorus is just plain embarrassing.
Sadly, there are many, many terrible moments on Flavours. Where to begin? Oh, I know...how about the country-flavored Hallmark card clichés of 'Seems Like I Can't Live With You, But I Can't Live Without You?' Still not convinced? What about the jazz-fusion/hard rock crapfest 'Long Gone,' with its dreadful lower register Burton vocals? Did he actually think that style of "singing" actually works for him? What the hell? To be fair, the track does pick up steam towards the end of the album, when he starts screaming like the Burton of old and the energy level rises, but in truth its just an inferior remake of 'Three More Days' off Share The Land. And speaking of Burton's singing, his new silky-voiced, MOR approach is definitely not working for me. To me, Burton's voice has always been the band's secret weapon, but now he doesn't push himself anymore, and he just sounds bored and sedated.
Basically, this album is just a dress rehearsal for Burton's solo career, with too many piano-based ballads just dragging the album down to the level of nearly complete craptitude. Considering the fact that two band members had just quit, and the new guy is a jazz wanker who can't write a song to save his life, it's hard to believe that Burton decided to keep the group together. But he did, and now we all have to live with the consequences. Approach this album with extreme caution - if at all.
RATING: 5
PLAY THESE: WOMEN, WHEN THE BAND WAS SINGING (SHAKIN' ALL OVER), ROSANNE
SKIP THESE: RICH WORLD - POOR WORLD, COORS FOR SUNDAY
Poor old Burton! Short hair parted immaculately down the middle of his forehead, blow-dried moustache curling above his upper lip, Burton in the mid-1970's represents a truly jarring visual experience. Burton the singer trying to be Bert Reynolds the actor? Me thinks so. Once again, the album sleeve describes the music better than any words could. Is it really that awful? You be the judge. Burton looks like he's preparing to be on the receiving end of a Dominic Triano penis, while porky drummer Garry Pederson appears to be contemplating eating yet another cheese and bacon sandwich. And bassist Bill Wallace? He looks like he might be trying to be the first - but not the only - band member to crap himself that evening.
To cut to the chase (not the cheese, Shari), Power in the Music sounds a lot like the jazz-tootin' Flavours, but it sure has a helluva lot better songwriting. The tunes are a lot catchier this time around, although Dominic Triano's wimpy-assed guitar tone is just as irritating as ever. My favorite is probably the energetic 'Rosanne,' which succeeds in spite of the trite and cheesy lyrics, although 'Women' has a pretty good hook too. The lyrics are eyeball-roll inducing yet again ("e.g. older women put desire in me"), but the song is very catchy, and Burton puts on a compelling vocal performance. The other track of note is 'When The Band Was Singing Shakin' All Over,' which I used to hate but have started to really dig in modern times. Yes, it's usually a bad idea to write songs above other songs, but Burton is in fine form on this one, and the track really has a lot of good rock 'n roll chemistry going on. However, there are some really, really, REALLY stupid songs on the album. Check out the lyrics for during Burton's spoken word section for 'Rich World - Poor World':
Hi there little starving Asian child with bloated belly, open sores, and look of despair. (My, you are hungry, aren't you?) You know, I'd love to help you get enough nutrition to perpetuate your misery a little further, but right now, I've just got to finish this thesis on the divine right of kings. See you tomorrow. Nan na na na na na na na na naaaa"
This is unbelievable! But what's even more retarded is the cornball way that Burton delivers his sermon, which is basically that of a middle aged used car salesman with really bad body odour trying to sell you his soul (and his mother's honor) for a 1992 Ford Mustang. It's really dumb. And speaking of mentally handicapped we also have 'Coors For Sunday,' which sounds like the worst porno music you could ever imagine. The reverb-drenched distorted guitar tone Triano uses on the solo is unspeakably horrible, and Burton sounds like he'd just as soon deep throat the microphone as he would sing into it. The bland, generic ballad 'Dreams' sets the stage for Burton's solo career, and not really much else stands out one way or the other. On the whole, the mediocre album may have sealed the demise of The Guess Who later that year, but it isn't really that awful, and the band ends on a qualified "high," so all is well in the end. Five of ten.
RUNNING
BACK THRU CANADA
(2001)
RATING: 6
PLAY THESE: RUNNIN' BACK TO SASKATOON, GUNS GUNS GUNS
SKIP THESE: LOOKING OUT FOR #1, SOUR SUITE,
Not bad, guys. Not bad at all. Despite having reunion "cash-in" aura about it, The Guess Who's 2000 arena-show comeback tour was surprisingly good, as the band sounds tight and energetic - they even rock out a little bit on occasion. The latest version of the band also has the added advantage of being fairly authentic, as opposed to most of the versions of the band that have toured clubs since Burton supposedly "disbanded" The Guess Who way back in 1975. Most have been a joke, to put it mildly. Featuring no original band members save the invariably inebriated Jim Kale and the ever-portly Garry Peterson, most of these past tours fill in the gaps by hiring no-name players to supplement the line-up. However, this tour was different. Burton and Randy finally buried the hatchet and decided to collaborate for the first time in years, and former Guess Who bassist Bill Wallace, drummer Garry Peterson, and guitarist Donnie McDougall round out the rest of the spots in impressive fashion. Basically, this is about as close to the original Guess Who that we're ever going to get, so I'm not going to complain about that.
As you may have already surmised, Running Back To Canada documents the aforementioned 2000 tour on CD. Featuring recordings culled from a number of different shows, the album has a bit of an uneven feeling in spots, but the variety of recordings works to the album's advantage, as things are kept fresh and interesting. The CD contains most of the group's best-known songs, spanning almost every era of the band's career, with the notable exception of the Dominic Triano years (gee, I wonder why). The group even tackles some solo Burton and BTO-era Randy tracks, with mostly good results (although 'Lookin' out For # 1' is just as stupid as ever). BTO kind of sucks, but they did have some catchy tunes.
It is especially interesting to hear Randy Bachman play guitar on some of the latter-day Guess Who songs for the first time, and for the most part he does a great job. His harmony vocals are a bit suspect in parts, but Bachman's guitar playing is stellar, proving that he is indeed a much better guitarist than he was back in the 1960's. If he put half as much effort into his guitar playing as he did into making midnight runs to the McDonald's drive-in, he'd probably be a guitar god by now.
As for Burton, he generally sounds pretty good, although I must confess that I'm a little bit put off by the tone and timbre of his current singing voice (not to mention all of the fart-like scatting and retarded ad-libbing). He can still hit most of the high notes, but he often accomplishes this by singing through his nose (as opposed to his diaphragm, like he used to back in the old days). Maybe it's just me, but I miss the husky, gruff quality of his younger voice - I don't know, I just don't think he really sounds that impressive anymore. He's still a great vocalist, sure, but he's starting to sound like a lounge singer, which isn't a good thing when you're fronting a rock band. Oh well, I guess talent sometimes dies with age, and the man is nearly sixty years old, so what can one reasonably expect? Sigh. It's too bad though.
But in spite of these problems, the album is a nice souvenir for anyone who attended these concerts, and overall it's not a bad way to end a career. At least, I hope it's the end. No need to wear out your welcome, boys.