I've said this many many times, but this is most likely my favorite rock record of the past half-decade or so (King Tuff "Was Dead" is probably second-- I'd have to check my notes). If the triumvirate of "Sorry Ma", "Stink", and "Hootenanny" is your holy grail, then you'd practically be nuts not to be knocked out by this. I know a couple of people who'll disagree with me, but I like this LP way better than anything by Ringers or Bent Outta Shape, that's for sure. (The Chinese Telephones singles collection, "Democracy", is also pretty top notch.)
Not to gloss over the a-side, because this thing's chock fulla hits-- besides, "I Can't Be Right" and "Back To You Again" are two of my favorite songs on this record-- but it's the b-side (where they slow things down a little bit) that really drives the greatness of this record home. I'm posting four songs from the b-side here, but don't forget that you can still pick up the whole thing on CD from It's Alive, plus the vinyl version is pretty easy to find also even though they only pressed 200 each of the colored vinyl ones. It's also worth noting that lead guitarist Daniel James is now fronting the sorely underappreciated Daniel James Gang.
Chinese Telephones -
"I Think I Can Breathe Now"
"This Time Next Year"
"Crying In the Chapel"
"It's Starting Again"
