Canned Heat
lived on the wild side while enjoying immense popularity, primarily during the early to late '70s. This production marks vocalist
Bob "The Bear" Hite
's last complete recording with the band due to his passing on April 5, 1981. Recorded in 1977 and released in 1978, this set features guest appearances by
blues-rock
guitarist
Harvey Mandel
and backing vocals by
the Chambers Brothers
on selected tracks. Essentially, this affair features a fairly typical exposition of what many listeners would come to expect, as the group works its way through a series of high-octane
blues
,
rock
, and
boogie
motifs.
Hite
was in good form throughout while also displaying potent chops as a viable
harpist whereas guitarists
Mark Skyer
Chris Morgan
Mandel
implement raucous crunch chords amid some scathing lead lines. Hence, this effort represents a hearty snapshot of the quintet's overall appeal. There are some memorable tracks here, although this offering didn't garner widespread recognition upon its initial release. ~ Glenn Astarita