Album review: POOBAH – U.S. Rock
Ripple Records [Release date 10.02.14]
This album was originally released back in 1976 during the peak of Poobah’s career and has now been lovingly re-mastered and reissued by Ripple Records. Poobah were formed by guitarist Jim Gustafson back in 1972 in Youngstown, Ohio and U.S Rock was the band’s second of three albums which have become cult classics over the years.
This reissue package offers the original album supplemented by four bonus tracks to add something for the collector. Musically the band offer up classic 70’s rock bringing to mind Cream, Sabbath and even early Kiss on some tracks.
The main feature of the album is the guitar work and the unique vocals of Gustafson, I have a sneaking suspicion that a young Justin Hawkins from The Darkness may have been influenced by Jim’s falsetto style.
Whilst the vocals at times may be a bit much, the guitar work is never less than stunning. On songs like ‘Flesh Fantasies’ and ‘Let’s Rock’ Gustafson’s riffing is first rate, oh and if you don’t dance to ‘Let’s Rock’ then I would check for a pulse!
Stand out tracks for me though were the slower, psychedelic sounding ‘Right Out Of The Night’ and ‘Your Way, My Way’ which carry you away to a Californian beach circa the mid-seventies unsurprisingly. With some laid back and chilled out guitar work both these tracks are of their time but still have a certain magic even now.
The band toured with the likes of Canned Heat, Judas Priest and Alice Cooper at the time and had the credentials to make it into the upper leagues, but poor management and various setbacks meant that by the late 70’s, and after three albums, Poobah had called it a day.
This re-issue serves to show how good a band Poobah were and why they have gathered a cult following over the years. It’s worth buying just for the OTT vocal opening of ‘Watch Me’, it has to be heard to be believed! ***1/2
Review by David Wilson
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
Next session: Sunday 19 January
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024
In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections
Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections