The first five albums by Boston rockers are collected here in box set. While the band would later find major chart success in the early '80s, the swaggering, bluesy party rock of their early output made them a beloved American touring act as they packed arenas throughout the early '70s. Behind charismatic frontman and ace guitarist , they were the consummate hard-working bar band, delivering R&B-influenced good-time rock & roll on their first two studio albums, the self-titled (1970) and its follow-up, (1971). As good as those albums were, the band's natural home was on-stage and their live third album, (1972), recorded at Detroit's Cinderella Ballroom, remains a career highlight. Their excellent third studio effort, (1973), would prove to be their most successful release to date, reaching number ten on the Billboard album charts. , which arrived later that same year, didn't fare quite as well commercially, but still contained plenty of strong material, bolstering 's status as one of the early--'70s great American rock bands. ~ Timothy Monger