Mott the Hoople

Well, up till now Mott's been batting a respectable but unspectacular 333–one line drive
smash still climbing as it left the park (the first album), one disastrous bush-league strikeout
(Mad Shadows); and a long fly ball the center-fielder caught up with some 400 feet from the
plate (Wildlife). Maybe baseball images seem out-of-place with a British rock band yet
there's a distinctly American orientation to this band that draws its inspiration (a... More >

After a debut album that pitted imaginative borrowing against imitative self-expression, Mad Shadows and Wild Life descended thrashing and caterwauling into the depths of rock and roll psychodrama--what could one expect of "improvisations" based on such faceless "originals"? So this is a heartening reverse--not only do they unearth Dion's suppressed farewell to junkiedom, "Your Own Back Yard," and a good old Youngbloods number, but they provide originals that can stand behind them. Unfortunately, the two exceptions take up more than twelve minutes. (Grade: B)