V.A. (Sucking The 70's) 2CD

In the early '90s, it seems every shaggy-headed rock dude from here to Timbuktu had jumped head first into grunge or "heavy alternative," and in the late '90s, the same approach had mutated into stoner rock, but at heart it all boiled down to the same thing -- young guys with big amps who longed to sound as heavy and punishing as Black Sabbath in their salad days. Sucking the 70's is a double-disc compilation featuring 35 different bands each covering a (usually) FM-radio-approved hard rock hit from the first era of marijuana-enhanced hard rock, the 1970s. Pretty much everyone here has dropped their tunings, jacked up their amps, and aimed for maximum heaviness, either in the pursuit of a faithful tribute (Throttlerod's "Black Betty" is the spitting image of Ram Jam's version, while Raging Slab -- yep, they're still at it -- are obviously honored to be taking a stab at Grand Funk's "We're an American Band") or a thorough reworking (witness Porn (The Men Of)'s slow grinding take of Neil Young's "Out on the Weekend" and Suplecs's brutal throb on Rush's "Working Man"). But most of these covers either ape the original closely enough to bring nothing new to the table, or drift so far from the original that the better qualities of the songs are lost. (Notable exception: Lord Sterling's thick but fleet-footed take on the MC5 rarity "Black to Comm.") Yeah, it's all big, heavy, and rockin', but Sucking the 70's just isn't any fun, and even the scuzziest '70s rock was still about a good time, and if you really want to hear some balls-out rock with a strong '70s influence, last that I heard Paranoid and Master of Reality were both still in print.

Disc: 1
1."Never in My Life" – Five Horse Johnson 4:47 (originally performed by Mountain)
2."Black Betty" – Throttlerod 3:48 (first recorded commercially by Lead Belly, covered by Ram Jam)
3."On the Hunt" – Dixie Witch 6:05 (originally performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd)
4."Cross Eyed Mary" – Clutch 3:31 (originally performed by Jethro Tull)
5."T.V. Eye" – The Glasspack 4:47 (originally performed by The Stooges)
6."Free for All" – The Last Vegas 3:22 (originally performed by Ted Nugent)
7."Can't You See" – Halfway to Gone 4:53 (originally performed by The Marshall Tucker Band)
8."Working Man" – Suplecs 7:42 (originally performed by Rush)
9."Travelin' Band/Suzy Is a Headbanger" – Puny Human 4:19 (originally performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival/The Ramones)
10."We're an American Band" – Raging Slab 3:35 (originally performed by Grand Funk Railroad)
11."Brainstorm" – Los Natas 8:25 (originally performed by Hawkwind)
12."For Madmen Only" – The Heads 4:11 (originally performed by May Blitz)
13."Nasty Dogs & Funky Kings" – Lamont 2:33 (originally performed by ZZ Top)
14."Child of Babylon" – Backdraft 4:39 (originally performed by Whitesnake)
15."I Don't Have to Hide" – Black NASA 3:02 (originally performed by Bachman–Turner Overdrive)
16."Dog Eat Dog" – Warped 3:42 (originally performed by AC/DC)
17."Bron-Yr-Stomp" – Hangnail 4:35 (originally performed by Led Zeppelin)

Disc: 2
1."Vehicle" – Roadsaw 2:53 (originally performed by The Ides of March)
2."20th Century Boy" – Novadriver 3:53 (originally performed by T. Rex)
3."Hymn 43” – Alabama Thunderpussy 3:24 (originally performed by Jethro Tull)
4."Communication Breakdown" – Disengage 2:39 (originally performed by Led Zeppelin)
5."Out on the Weekend" – Porn (The Men Of) 7:47 (originally performed by Neil Young)
6."Rumblin' Man" – Milligram 3:47 (originally performed by Cactus)
7."Working for MCA" – Tummler 6:34 (originally performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd)
8."Doctor Doctor" – Fireball Ministry 4:33 (originally performed by UFO)
9."Wicked World" – Spirit Caravan 5:33 (originally performed by Black Sabbath)
10."Freelance Fiend" – Lowrider 3:11 (originally performed by Leaf Hound)
11."Walk Away" – The Mushroom River Band 3:24 (originally performed by James Gang)
12."Woman Tamer" – Broadsword 5:26 (originally performed by Sir Lord Baltimore)
13."Don't Blow Your Mind" – Doubleneck 2:54 (originally performed by Alice Cooper)
14."Black to Comm" – Lord Sterling 4:33 (originally performed by MC5)
15."Till the Next Goodbye" – The Brought Low 5:32 (originally performed by The Rolling Stones)
16."Don't Call Us, We'll Call You" – Scott Reeder 3:29 (originally performed by Sugarloaf)
17."How Can You Win" – Tectonic Break 2:53 (originally performed by Parish Hall)
18."The Pusher" – Gideon Smith & the Dixie Damned 5:23 (originally performed by both Hoyt Axton and Steppenwolf)



**Enjoy**