Search - Montrose :: Paper Money

Better Second Time Around

Mark A. Malinowski | Toledo, Ohio United States | 09/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't think this album is better than Montrose's 1973 debut, so don't be mislead by the title of this review. I bought Paper Money on vinyl the day it hit the stores in '74 and remember my disappointment. The first album was a heavy metal freight train from the first song to the last - Paper Money did not pick up where the first album left off. Over the past twenty-seven years Paper Money was seldom removed from the old peach crate.However, over that same period of time I became a huge Ronnie Montrose fan collecting the CD's of everything he did from the early Montrose days to his most recent instrumental "guitar music." Recently examining a Ronnie Montrose discography, I realized I never bought Paper Money on CD. I bought it, and after all these years listened to it again. Even though I am no longer influenced by the anticipation of waiting for the second Montrose album, not to mention a more mature listener of music, I must say I still felt something was wrong with this album. I soon found the answer I was looking for, with a little help from what is called the Program Function, available on most CD players.What a differce it makes when you listen to this album in a different order. If I had the chance, I'd ask guitarist Ronnie Montrose and lead singer Sammy Hagar why "Underground" written by Rappaport, and "Connection", written by Jagger and Richards, were choosen as the first two tracks. They are both good songs, but all the momentum built up by the first album came to as screaching halt. Here is a suggestion, start off with track 8, the title track, a song actually written by Montrose and Hagar, but more importantly a song that gradually introduces the listener to a band that is evolving. Experiment from here, I like this order: 8,7,3,5,1,2,6,4. Come to think about it, I do think this album is better than the first."

Voyage Number Two...

Paul-Christian Roberts | Beverly Hills, Ca | 10/09/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It seems rather evident to me that Ronnie Montrose was not too interested in repeating the rock classic of a year previous. He'd done it, and now he seemed to have the elbow room to pursue other textures (plainly even by adding keyboards to the line-up.) As imperfect as it is, the album in some sense is more rewarding than the first. Listen to the reworking of "Connection" by Jagger and Richard. Sung much more beautifully, the acoustics heartrending. "Spaceage Sacrifice" is "Space Station # 5" turned inward. More moody, atmospheric...even troubled. Then for sheer straight ahead Ronnie, you've got "I Got the Fire". It may require more patient listening than the first, but I believe you'll be amply rewarded. Kudos to Montrose for not repeating the formula, and branching out onto some new aural scapes in the sophomore effort."

Good follow up .

michael safft | toronto, ontario Canada | 05/26/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"What do you do after an amazing first record.Do you make the same record again or....Well Montrose kind of did. This record starts of with the least good tracks and it is kind of unfortunate because the the balance of this record gets all wobbly.The good tracks here are incredibly good and make this a great buy.This is pure Montrose-Hagar heavy.Another reviewer
suggested putting these songs in a different order,I agree with that.I think I am walking in circles here,if you like heavy get the first one and if you like the first one get this one for sure."