Finally!
Mark R. Van Wagenen | Elgin, Illinois USA | 11/15/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I know I'm preaching to the choir as no one is just going to stumble onto this review, so it'll be to the point. Yes, they should've been bigger than they were instead of being limited in appeal to over-40 Midwestern natives, etc etc. We can all agree on that.
I think Head East's second and third albums, "Get Yourself Up" and "Gettin Lucky" were their best, and the most under-represented on the otherwise decent 20th Century Masters CD. While "Get Yourself Up" is still not available on CD, "Gettin' Lucky" is the first half of this CD. Boyd was at the top of his game with the keyboards and synthesizers, Somerville was great with both acoustic guitar and the power chords, and the entire album is clean-sounding and more importantly, re-mastered well. Best tunes are the title track with the snarling organ, "Back In My Own Hands" with the aforementioned acoustic and synthesizers and my favorite, "Call to Arms and Legs"; a once-dated but somehow relevant-again environmental message but more impotantly, about as hard-charging a tune they've ever done. You want to turn that one up loud, women, children and dogs be damned.
Their eponymous (I love that word) fourth album is the back half of this CD, and not quite as strong as "Gettin' Lucky" as they de-emphasized the keyboards and synthesizers for guitar power (the further and largely unsatisfactory changes seen in the subsequent "A Different Kind of Crazy", I think, was a precursor toward this band's demise). However, it still works well if you're a fan. This album contained Russ Ballard's "Since You Been Gone", the only Head East tune you ever hear on the radio other than "Never Been Any Reason". Other good tracks include "Open Up the Door", "Man I Wanna Be" and "Dance Away Lover". This album has a lot of upbeat lyrics with some spiritually-tinged numbers, perhaps a precursor to Schlitt's later career as a member of the Christian rock band Petra.
You have to be a fan, but if you are, this is a must-have."
Great 2 Album Combo
Legend | U. S. A. | 08/09/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"These are my 2 Favorite Head East Albums on one cd. My two Favorite songs by them are Back In My Own Hands, and Getting Lucky. Also Take It On Home, Call To Arms And Legs, Open Up The Door, Nothing To Loose,and I'm Feelin Fine which are all Great Songs by this Group.What more could You ask for having these two Great Albums on one cd. If You like Head East. You will want this Great Combo."
Love It
Road Tripper | DSM, IA. USA | 08/24/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Truely one of the under rated bands in rock. There's no profound message just good music. So much better than my old worn LP's. 2 albums back to back is so great. Simple party songs, easy lyrics, good guitar riffs, very 70's."