Off The Record [Extra tracks, Original recording remastered]

 

 

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For a change, the sound of this remastered masterpiece is excellent. The bass range is simply outstanding.

If you like safe, mainstream or commercial hard rock, this will probably not work for you. But if you like genuine music, guts, playmanship and a band with an attitude, then The Mighty Sweet will satisfy you like none other.

This album shows one of the most influential rock bands at its productive and musical peak. Although this album is often overlooked, even by Sweet fans, it shows impressive musical creativity and power. Off the Record has it all: pure rock, riffs, melody, musical dexterity, moodiness, funk, excellent arrangements and even blatant plagiarism ("Windy City" vs. Deep Purple's Woman from Tokyo). Anyway, you are unlikely to find better vocals from any other group from the '70s (even mainstream Queen, which in fact lured former Sweet engineer Mack to their rank). Just listen to songs like "Lost Angels", "Live for Today" and "She Gimme Lovin'" and you'll be convinced nobody has ever played hard rock music like that, even if many wannabes have tried to copy their style. This album also has very rare gems like "Laura Lee" and "Midnight to Daylight", even a very upbeat song in "Fever of Love". Even "Funk it Up" rocks!

The Sweet were highly accomplished musicians and this is proof of a band that really produced some of the best rock music of all time.

THIS ALBUM IS A MUST and my favorite of my 2,500 plus CD collection!

With Sweet now touring constantly abroad (they hadn`t played in Britain for 3 years by this point) ardent fans were eagerly awaiting this album which turned out to be the last HEAVY offering from the band. They were not to be disappointed!No expense was spared, beginning most notably with the elaborate gatefold sleeve which adorned the original vinyl release. The album was written and conceived almost entirely in the studio, which bassist Steve Priest likened to having a taxi meter running. (CHECK OUT HIS BOOK "ARE YOU READY STEVE?") Apparently most of the band were fueled up on coke during the proceedings. As with the preceeding album "Give Us A Wink" Sweet were handling the production. The idea was to come up with a commercial rock `n` roll album but having said that, the two singles lifted from it that open the record both failed to chart."Fever Of Love", the first track has a real warmth to it, especially Connolly`s vocals, and a beautiful, soaring guitar break towards the end."Lost Angels", the next track has an "everything but the kitchen sink" production ... harmony guitar fills, Bad Company style riffing, Queen like shriek multi layered vocals."Midnight To Daylight" is pure, Sweet indulgence, in three and a half minutes. Begins like quite a commericial pop rock number before escalating into a guitar versus harmonica duel with a "trick the D.J." ending.The album`s killer cut is without a doubt "Windy City", a lengthy lament punctuated by a riff not too disimilar to Deep Purple`s "Woman From Tokyo", a Led Zeppelin "No Quarter" type break which leads into a frenzied bass, drums, guitar work out. This remained a stage favourite for years and usually came as the encore to the band`s show."Live For Today", which was the album`s working title up until the conception of the actual album cover reflects to a certain extent the influence punk was beginning to have even on the "old farts", and probably the influence drink was beginning to have on Connolly`s state of mind. Definitely an "I want out" song!"She Gimme Lovin`" is delivered at breakneck speed with swirling drums and a touch of the Robert Plant`s while "Hard Times" has a loose, jam type feel to it.It is preceeded by a beautiful acoustic track called "Laura Lee" and my only regret about this remastered CD is that the opportunity wasn`t taken to reunite the song with "Show Me The Way",a hard edged electric/acoustic, slashing piece of action initially scheduled to follow on without a break. (It ended up on it`s own as the B side to "California Nights".)"Off The Record" officially ended with what one reviewer described as a pointless "Fame" reworking, "Funk It Up". Sure it`s funky, but it`s a worthwhile track reflecting the "funky" leanings of many of the so called "heavier" bands circa 1977. The bonus cuts are two B sides, "A Distinct Lack Of Ancient" and "Why Don`t You Do It To Me", the most noteworthy being the former, an unusually haunting instrumental. Essentially, I would define this recording as Sweet at their peak and the end of an era. Subsequent albums saw a definite change, once again, in direction, coupled with first a lessening of Brian Connolly`s input and finally his departure. Highly recommended listening particularly if you enjoy bands like Deep Purple, Queen, Led Zeppelin ... more so than glam rock as you would expect. This latest reissue, with better sound then it's previous incarnation, also contains some interesting (if a little rough around the edges) out-takes of the album's tracks.

With Sweet now touring constantly abroad (they hadn`t played in Britain for 3 years by this point) ardent fans were eagerly awaiting this album which turned out to be the last HEAVY offering from the band. They were not to be disappointed!No expense was spared, beginnig most notably with the elaborate gatefold sleeve which adorned the original vinyl release. The album was written and conceived almost entirely in the studio, which bassist Steve Priest likened to having a taxi meter running. Apparently most of the band were fueled up on coke during the proceedings. As with the preceeding album "Give Us A Wink" Sweet were handling the production. The idea was to come up with a commercial rock `n` roll album but having said that, the two singles lifted from it that open the record both failed to chart."Fever Of Love", the first track has a real warmth to it, especially Connolly`s vocals, and a beautiful, soaring guitar break towards the end."Lost Angels", the next track has an "everything but the kitchen sink" production ... harmony guitar fills, Bad Company style riffing, Queen like shriek multi layered vocals."Midnight To Daylight" is pure, Sweet indulgence, in three and a half minutes. Begins like quite a commericial pop rock number before escalating into a guitar versus harmonica duel with a "trick the D.J." ending.The album`s killer cut is without a doubt "Windy City", a lengthy lament punctuated by a riff not too disimilar to Deep Purple`s "Woman From Tokyo", a Led Zeppelin "No Quarter" type break which leads into a frenzied bass, drums, guitar work out. This remained a stage favourite for years and usually came as the encore to the band`s show."Live For Today", which was the album`s working title up until the conception of the actual album cover reflects to a certain extent the influence punk was beginning to have even on the "old farts", and probably the influence drink was beginning to have on Connolly`s state of mind. Definitely an "I want out" song!"She Gimme Lovin`" is delivered at breakneck speed with swirling drums and a touch of the Robert Plant`s while "Hard Times" has a loose, jam type feel to it.It is preceeded by a beautiful acoustic track called "Laura Lee" and my only regret about this remastered CD is that the opportunity wasn`t taken to reunite the song with "Show Me The Way",a hard edged electric/acoustic, slashing piece of action initially scheduled to follow on without a break. (It ended up on it`s own as the B side to "California Nights".)"Off The Record" officially ended with what one reviewer described as a pointless "Fame" reworking, "Funk It Up". Sure it`s funky, but it`s a worthwhile track reflecting the "funky" leanings of many of the so called "heavier" bands circa 1977. The bonus cuts are two B sides, "A Distinct Lack Of Ancient" and "Why Don`t You Do It To Me", the most noteworthy being the former, an unusually haunting instrumental. Essentially, I would define this recording as Sweet at their peak and the end of an era. Subsequent albums saw a definite change, once again, in direction, coupled with first a lessening of Brian Connolly`s input and finally his departure.Highly recommended listening particularly if you enjoy bands like Deep Purple, Queen, Led Zeppelin ... more so than glam rock as you would expect.

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3.0 out of 5 stars A different side to sweet
The music on this cd shows a different side to sweet. not like the chart singles that you will have heard. Read more

Published 24 days ago by merlinss

5.0 out of 5 stars Could be overlooked ...
I am guessing this could be `overlooked' by many who know Sweet's classic albums or the 'bubblegum' chart hits. Read more

Published 18 months ago by fibrefletch

4.0 out of 5 stars Another reason to CRANK Sweet!
I whole heartedly agree with PSCHODEREK's review. So I will make it short and ...dare I say "Sweet". I know real bad pun...but a MONSTER album. Read more

Published on 19 Feb 2010 by M. DeJesus

4.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant two thirds of an album
This is the third in the trilogy of great Sweet albums, following `Sweet Fanny Adams' and `Give Us a Wink' (disregarding the curates egg `Desolation Boulevard', the early bubble... Read more

Published on 22 Jan 2010 by Terrahurtz

5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Great heavy rock album with some softer tunes - made even better with the bonus tracks.

Published on 17 Oct 2009 by R. Slee

4.0 out of 5 stars Good stuff should be heard, try this,
If the group were nobodies and they had a different name Im sure more people would have taken more notice, its one of those things almost a fact of life. Read more

Published on 4 Oct 2008 by G. G. Saunders

2.0 out of 5 stars Bland and unexciting
By 1977, Sweet had been successful on their on own terms for a couple of years and unfortunately "rock star excess" was catching up on them. Read more

Published on 8 Dec 2006 by A. Jackson

5.0 out of 5 stars OFF THE RECORD
GREAT TO SEE THIS CD OUT AGAIN A ROCKING ALBUM FROM THE 70'S
WITH SINGLES STAIWAY TO THE STARS & LARA LEE & THE AMAZING ROCK RIFF 'S OF WINDY CITY . Read more

Published on 21 Feb 2005 by Mr. Graham Spafford

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet and Heavy!
This is one of the great Sweet albums, and one of the heaviest! It is a template for the heavy rock of the 80's, only done far better. Read more

Published on 13 May 2004 by robojam

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly underrated - One of the top rock albums of the '70s
SOUND: The remastered sound of this masterpiece is not that good, hence a sadly wasted opportunity (I rate the sound only two stars out of five). Read more

Published on 9 Nov 2003 by electricphase

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