Rock 'n' Roll

[The Big Guy]

Released in 1975.

[Kylenz]

With the exception of Stand By Me (leagues better than Ben E King's original), the rest of the album doesn't really do it for me. It has too much of a 70s Sha-na-Na sound, almost expecting them to bust out into Greased Lightning hehehe. I like Paul's rock 'n' roll albums (CHOBA and Run Devil Run) better.

Then again, I don't listen to this record very often, it's been ages since I last played it. You know, sometimes we feel differently after listening again.

[mervap]

This album (yes, vinyl) was a solid attempt by JL to make a 'roots' album, and his voice is in searing condition here. If I had to change anything here it would be two things:

1 )  Ditch the horns on most of the album. In many places, they are superfluous to the point of being distracting.

2 )  Have John record this album in 1985 or so....sounds like wishful thinking, but really does not have much to do with that whole "died in 1980 thing"...just my opinion, but most of JL's solo output suffers from an alarming lack of dynamics range, with everything squeezed towards the middle, with highs and lows sliced off.

It's obvious from just a few minutes listening that John really loved this material. Paul, of course, made a similar album in the middle 80's with the "Choba" collection...his is among my faves in this genre because the production is uncluttlered and lets the simplicity of the song shine through. JL's album is a victim of it's time and producer.

[Kylenz]

Very good point about the horns - when I think about it, if you strip away the horns, you strip away the cheesiness of it all. It could've been a more gutsy-sounding album without the horns. Makes you wonder if John was still around today, I think he could've made a fine rock and roll album, but in the Unplugged vein - or he could use the musicians on the Double Fantasy / Milk and Honey sessions.. or the Cheap Trick guys.. give it a tougher sound with good production.. more 'real'. The horns had their place in their time, but in the 70s you had Bowzer and Barbarino and The Fonz doing the Peppermint Twist to a sax section dolled up as street hoodlums!