"Maybe I'm just a loser. Maybe it's because my boots ain't as clean as they could be." -- Home is Where I Want to Be (1971)I didn't experience MTH's albums sequentially. I think it's important you know that.
I started with Mott, went to The Hoople, eventually went back to ATYD then picked off the first four many years later.
So my initial reaction to Wildlife was to be struck by how different it sounded from what the band's ultimate product would be -- not what it had been.
Because of that I think I judge it less harshly than others do. Knowing that such fantastic output lay ahead, I could regard this one as a harmless curiosity.
But had I been a fan of Mad Shadows upon its release, and was breathlessly awaiting its sequel back in 1971, I would have been stunned and disappointed by this one. Having shown one identity on Shadows, the band yanked that away with Wildlife and decided, apparently, that it was Poco. And I like Poco. That's the problem. MTH was just a weak imitation here.
The songs are listenable. I don't mind giving it an occasional spin. The songwriting is, in fact, better than on the album that I'll be rating No. 6, but the difference is, that one has an essential, core MTH song and this one does not.
Four Mick Ralphs C&W songs combined with three of Ian Hunter's slower songs make this a leisurely album compared with its two breakneck predecessors. "Waterlow" is here, and it's brilliant, but the live versions on solo IH disks are better. They added "Keep A Knockin," almost certainly to give the disk some rock feel. It's great, but would have been more in place on an early MTH live album. The other Wildlife cover, "Lay Down," I don't know why they chose to record it. Melanie's version had recently been on the charts. I didn't like it, either.
I'm sure there were some confused British teenagers when this came out.
(I can say, though, this was the first MTH album I ever saw. I remember a high school classmate pointing out the record as an example of a great band -- probably on the strength of Mad Shadows. I saw the cover and figured they were in Central Park.)
SONG RATINGS (OUT OF FIVE)
Whiskey Women (2.5)
Angel of Eighth Avenue (3)
Wrong Side of the River (2)
Waterlow (3.5)
Lay Down (1.5)
It Must Be Love (3)
The Original Mixed-Up Kid (3)
Home is Where I Want to Be (3)
Keep A Knockin' (3.5)
Hi,
ReplyDeleteAgree its the weakest album, but Angel of 8th Avenue is one of Hunters classics I think - and live recordings have it taking on a life of it's own!
Good site!
Tom.
You keep a knockin - it was enough to make the MTH and Mad Shadows fans sit patiently (and a little confusedly I admit) a mixed bag of songs
ReplyDeleteThey were already Gods and sometimes the Gods mock us - Brain Capers restored the faith and truly, All the Young Dudes, so slickly produced and glam confused still further...
Keep a Knockin is a 5 - it was at the Appolo and it was at the Fairfield Halls Croydon!