is a sort of second- or third-generation go at the blues. , it seems, were influenced more by the British blues-based bands and American rock bands of the San Francisco acid-rock variety, which were spinning blues changes in completely new, non-blues directions, than by straight blues itself. More than competent players, the band had a burning dual-guitar attack in and , and when used as the foundation of the songs such as and the fabulous blues rave-ups that explode in the middle of create excellent, tension-filled rock full of an intensity that doesn't have to stand in comparison to the blues because it is removed from the genre. too, is a beautiful ballad that draws from the San Francisco sound of the times, though it would have greatly benefitted from distinct vocal personalities on the order of a or . 's voice is the weakest component of the band's studio cuts and occasionally causes the music to drag. As it is, is full of dynamic atmospherics, but they never completely take off into the ether. Still, it shows a band that could certainly play. The rhythm section is perfectly capable of holding down a groove (the facsimile, ) or whipping into a frenzy beneath the guitars. There is plenty to listen to on , but when tries to play it straight, the album falters. The reissue adds three additional blues covers that show the band can indeed be impressive -- much stronger than on the studio cuts -- including a raw vocal by on that destroys all his studio vocals. On the evidence of those live cuts, is perhaps not entirely indicative of the band's prowess and that lessens its musical value. ~ Stanton Swihart