Reviewed:
- Strikes (1979)
- Marauder (1981)
STRIKES 1979 (Atco)
- Standouts: All of it.
An ass-kickin' slab of Southern hard rock, that's how I'd summarise Blackfoot's Strikes! The music here is raw, heavy, bluesy, full of that Southern twang in the same vein of old Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet and the guitar licks are great. Blackfoot in general are a criminally underrated band. I've had this in my collection since college after reading a much-deserved article about them in Classic Rock magazine, and it's just one of those go-to albums for me for, well, any occasion. Maybe 'criminally underrated' is a little bit of an overstatement; Strikes actually went platinum in the States - but despite the success of the record, nothing else Blackfoot recorded sold as well - not even bronze. Maybe it was just a case of right time, right place.
Anyhow, great album. I love the kick-ass opener 'Road Fever', I actually learned to play this on guitar when I was still studying music in college, though I can't say I remember how to play it properly anymore. 'Left Turn on a Red Light' is a classic, with some very nice picking. 'Train, Train' and 'Highway Song' are two of the band's signature tunes. Forgive me for saying this, but I often tend to generalise American rock to be that big, over-produced arena-style power balladry like Journey or Bon Jovi - a style I've never been so keen on, but really it's a stupid habit. Truth is, there were plenty of bands recording true, raw, raunchy ROCK in a style that could only come out of the US, and that's what Blackfoot were all about. 'Train, Train' is a testament to this. 'Highway Song' is something of a ballad, true, but it has tons of heart. There's a great cover of Free's 'Wishing Well' on here too.
Overall, I like everything Strikes has to offer. Always have, hopefully always will. It's doesn't do anything ambitious, it's just a great heavy rock album that deserves a place in any self-confessed rocker's collection.
Adam's rating: 9/10
MARAUDER 1981 (Atco)
- Standouts: 'Good Morning', 'Payin' for It', 'Diary of a Workingman', 'Too Hard to Handle', 'Dry County', 'Rattlesnake Rock n' Roller', 'Searchin''
Another frankly great and underrated album from Blackfoot that mostly continues in the same vein as it's predecessors, Strikes and Tomcattin'. 'Good Morning' is practically speed metal and one hell of a way to start an album. 'Payin' for It' is full of all the heavy blues lickage you could ever want. 'Diary of a Workingman' and 'Searchin'' are two more powerful ballads with more heart and soul than any wussy Bon Jovi or 80's Aerosmith number (sorry for referencing Bon Jovi again!). 'Too Hard to Handle' and 'Dry County' are totally in-your-face, 'Fly Away' has a little country charm and 'Rattlesnake Rock n' Roller' truly is full-on rock n' roll that sort of reminds me of some of those earlier Ted Nugent records.
The production on this album is a bit slicker and actually makes some of the tracks sound heavier in a way, but it also means the overall listening experience is more refined and less raw overall - not that Blackfoot were ever unprofessional - these dudes could play there instruments extremely well, I just get less of a Southern rock kinda vibe this time around because of the production, which is either better or worse depending on who you ask. I don't like Marauder quite like I do Strikes, but regardless, it's still a classic with some brilliant tracks on it. I have this one on CD and vinyl.
Adam's rating: 8.7/10
