This is the second album released by Glasgow’s favourite sons way back in ’73. This was also my introduction to the band whilst at school, by a kid named Barry Leaf. If you’re still around Barry, thanks a plenty, as I never tire of hearing this band. They were vaudeville and burlesque all mixed up with rock and roll – a truly superb live experience.
As usual with any SAHB album, the music varies greatly. From the pure obscurity of Jacques Brel’s Next, to the pure 50’s rock and roll of Giddy Up A Ding Dong, and to the heavy rock of Faith Healer and Vambo Marble Eye. Faith Healer has been covered by a wide variety of bands, but you will never beat the original with that pulsating bass throb opening. This album is chock full of SAHB classics that would always lift the live set like Swampsnake, which is a great up-tempo opening track that really sends the album on its way. The comic book story hero, Vambo, first makes its appearance on this album and it’s the stuff of legend amongst SAHB fans (will Zal ever release his Vibrania book?). The album closes out with Last Of The Teenage Idols, one of my favourite SAHB tracks, it really rocks along.
This album has been a part of a huge chunk of my life, and it still gives me goosebumps listening to it today.
10/10 from The Grooveman.
