Tight performance; Clean sound.
Mark Lahren | Bismarck, North Dakota USA | 09/24/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Note to self for future reviews -- Please give these CDs a chance before you pass judgment. It would be easy to dismiss these two CDs if you are an old Foghat fan looking for more of the classic Foghat sound. God knows I did when I first heard them some 20 years ago. These were quite a departure from what we were used to from this band. When I first recieved this set of CDs in the mail a month ago, I gave them a quick listen as a refresher, and then I wrote the review you see down below here. I am writing this to correct myself. In my earlier review, it is clear that I thought "Tight Shoes" was inferior to "Girls To Chat". That was based mostly, I fear, on my teen-aged opinion from 20 years ago.Since writing my other review, I have listened to "Tight Shoes" about ten more times, and now am forced to reverse myself. There is nothing missing on this performance! The songs are well-written and performed flawlessly. I'm struck specifically by the strength of the rhythm guitar work here. And complex melodies abound, though they may not jump out at you until about the third or fourth listenings. And the drums sound unusually terrific on this album. They always did sound terrific, but I think the mixing brings everything out better here. The only critisism I really have is that there is not enough lead guitar in these songs. I mean the lead guitar sounds phenomenal when the solos come, but they are just too short, the longest one I think being in "No Hard Feelings", the last of the eight tracks. There are no clunkers on this album. But outstanding songs include Loose Ends, Full Time Lover, Baby Can I Change Your Mind, and Dead End Street. Others will find different favorites, as they are all good solid songs.My opinion of "Girls To Chat, Boys To Bounce" has not changed. A good, solid, complex, tight, melodic, and strong performace. Both albums lean more toward mainstream music than ever before, but never really cross that line. The Foghat persona remains intact.Yes, these albums marked a musical change for this band, but if you give them a few listens, I think you'll find that the change isn't as radical as it might first appear. These are definitely Foghat albums; they cannot be mistaken for someone else. And when you've made the slight musical adjustment, I think you'll feel right at home."
Great Rock & Roll
Michael Laimo | Melville, NY United States | 09/10/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Boys To Chat And Girls To Bounce is a wonderful album, and you really don't have to be a Foghat fan to enjoy. There are eight very strong songs here, all showcasing the strong songwriting abilities of the late great Dave Peverett, as well as the extremely adept guitar work of Eric Cartwright. Back in the eighties when this album was first released, I was so skeptical due to the absence of the slidemaster Rod Price. Cartwright is no Price, but he was a perfect fit for the type of music Peverett wanted to do. Cartwright really should have been the guitarist on the Tight Shoes album, as his style would have been so much more fitting to that kind of rock-pop sound Peverett strove for.The songs here are fantastic: Wide Boy, a quick three-minute rocker with a catchy melody and a wonderful hammer-on solo form Cartwright. Let Me Get Close To You is perhaps the strongest tune on the album, with a great groove that'll get your feet tapping. Live Now, Pay Later returns to the older Foghat sound, a rocker that closes with a great two minute guitar jam. Love Zone showcases Cartwrights adept slide work, clean but not as bluesy or aggresive as Price's work. Delayed Reaction is a tuneful melody with a bit of a reggae jam at the end. Second Childhood and Weekend Driver ae great rock/blues songs with catchy choruses and lap-slide guitar. The last song, Sing About Love, is an amazingly catchy blues tune with gorgeous vocal harmonies.Girls To Chat And Boys To Bounce is not the best Foghat Album, but it is a GREAT rock album, a wonderfully enjoyable rock and roll album that all ages can enjoy. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!"
Foghat change direction.
PStillwell | St. Paul, MN U.S.A. | 08/12/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A tired and fading 'boogie' rock band shamelessly adopt the sound of the 'new wave' and produce two albums that are absolutely... BRILLIANT! I have been waiting for both of these albums to show up on CD for years. It must have been an error to place them together at such a low price."
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1