Nutz - Nutz (1974)

If you like British hard rock from the 70's this first album from Nutz is hard to beat. Released last year for the first time on CD, I was shocked at the great sound - I'd had a version on mp3 that I'd been listening to that didn't do this thing justice at all. These guys recorded four albums from 1974 to 1977, and they got it right the first time out. Despite building a loyal fan base and touring at various times with Black Sabbath, UFO, and Budgie, these guys never had any commercial success, their albums didn't sell well at all.

Their first album was an interesting and varied affair in which the band played with several different styles without losing their identity. Many of the songs use acoustic or progressive rock introductions to lead into blues-rock pieces, sometimes in very inventive ways. There are also some very successful progressive folk songs, a direction the band dropped after this album. It's a shame, as the catchy, carnival-like "Round and Round" suggested that this band could have done some fine things with the style. It's a track that bears repeated listening, the parade-ground drumming overlaid by acoustic and electric guitars and a simple but urgent vocal line. Here and throughout the album the vocal harmonies are impressive, more so than on any of their later works. For me though the highlight is the second track, "Ain't No Thanks To You", it's fecken awesome. A brilliant album of hard but not too heavy 1970's rock. The four bonus tracks are from 1977's "Nutz Live Cutz", by this time they had added a keyboard player.

Tracks:

1. Poor Man
2. Ain't No Thanks To You
3. Spoke In A Wheel
4. I Can't Unwind
5. Can't Tell Her Why
6. As Far As The Eye Can See
7. Love Will Last Forever
8. Light Of Day
9. Round And Round
10. Joke
11. Seeing Is Believing (Bonus Track)(Live)
12. Loser (Bonus Track)(Live)
13. Pushed Around (Bonus Track)(Live)
14. You Better Watch Out (Bonus Track)(Live)

Personnel:

Dave Lloyd - Lead Vocal, Guitar
Mick Devonport - Lead Guitar, Vocals
Keith Mulholland - Bass Guitar, Vocals
John Mylett - Drums, Percussion
John "Rabbit" Bundrick - Piano & Organ, tracks 5 & 8
Chris Hughes - Brass, track 10
Kenny Newton - Keyboards, tracks 11 - 14

EAC-FLAC-LOG-CUE-SCANS (600dpi) 455 MB

Part 1__Part 2__Part 3__Part 4__Part 5

Comments have been real sparse lately, only one for that great album last week? WTF? Anyway, see ya.