At times, I'm the bane of my own existence. Like most of the free world, I'm grateful for my job but I hate the fucking thing. It's the same old bullshit-wake up, turn on the coffee, shower that consists of trying to come up with an injury scheme, and as that falls apart, I'm out the door. A drive that looks the same, sounds the same, everyday. Everyday. Everyday. It's nothing I can necessarily change at the present moment. I do it without thought because I have a family to take care of.
Having said all that, I reckon that my life could be a lot worse. I could be an endangered species or a prison rape victim...but I'm not. Instead, I'm me. Father of one, husband of Ash, and hater of most things. Very few things are worth me spending time delving into. There's this strange pocket that I live in and so I just kinda stay in it. Got my iPod, a book, etc. You get the point. So, when something enters the pocket that has a pretty new sheen to it, it's noticed.
My buddy, Micah-he's always getting me the presents. I return the favor, but dude's loaded. It's usually trade offs on weird 70's rock records (he gets a Granicus record, I score him a Truth & Janey live record). But last week, he added a little brightness to my dismal life. A copy of "For Love or Money" by Highway Robbery introduced itself to my record collection...
I'm not sure how many people really get why those rock bands in the 70's were so great. And still to this day, that's why I'm convinced a lot of those bands didn't get much further than a handful of releases. Highway Robbery didn't make it to a handful. They didn't make it past this one. Which is either a damn shame or a blessing. It'd be a blessing in the sense that we have this beast of a record to forever look back on and say "what the fuck?! Why was Boston huge and these dudes couldn't catch a goddamn break?"
"For Love or Money" has a lot of the rock and roll cliches typical of the era but beyond that, it's the out of norm that compels me. The riffs are nice and thick-ultra heavy when necessary, but they've got enough hooks to please a goth kid's trench coat (dwell on it...it's funny.). I can definitely hear that Grand Funk rockin' ass drive, possibly first album-Rush. Tracks like "Lazy Woman" closed the gap on hard rock and what would be heavy metal. The same sentiment can be said for "Fifteen" but there's also something their that I didn't see coming. Where the fuck did the pop sensibility come from, kids? "Bells" is worthy of a radio friendly retirement home. Sound's like something my parents probably partied (and then had sex...) to.
Each piece of this puzzle works into its place seamlessly. Great energy, great recording, heavy, hooky, well-crafted. If you fancy yourself a fan of Grand Funk Railroad (E.Pluribus Funk, Close To Home-era), early Rush (when I say early, I mean first two albums), or possibly Leafhound, definitely seek this sum' abitch out. In fact, if I can get past a few computer retardation issues, I'll hook y'all up. Cuz' I'm that kinda guy...I'm just that kinda guy.
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