Now Playing: Warner Bros. Presents...Montrose! (1975)
Topic: Montrose
After Sammy Hagar departed from Montrose following their second album, Paper Money in 1974, the band found a new talent in Bob James - and to be perfectly honest with you, I can't find a darn thing about Bob James after Montrose disbanded. No matter what research I put into it, I can't find a blurb about him, which is a shame, because he was a pretty good singer - but I'll digress. In 1975, Montrose released Warner Bros. Presents...Montrose!, and is a classic piece of 1970s rock and roll. It is part Led Zeppelin-ish (but not nearly as epic), and part prototype Van Halen (Ronnie Montrose had some great chops on guitar).
This album doesn't have great emotional depth, as the songs aren't particularly deep, but they aren't shallow either. Some of them create some nice imagery like "Black Train" (which actually does have some depth as well) and "Whaler." Some attempt to tug on the heart strings like "All I Need", and then some are just odd, but are nonetheless great like "Clown Woman." Any attempts made here are accomplished with success, as there is a strong and consistent set list of songs here. It isn't an entirely lengthy album either, but regardless, it is very much straightforward, and it rocks hard. Ronnie Montrose was certainly one of great guitar talents of his day, and apparently, the song "Dancin' Feet" with features some incredibly complex guitar work, was a favorite of Eddie Van Halen's to play in concert from time to time back in the day - that is a major endorsement right there.
The rest of the supporting band members are very tight and professional. As a drummer myself, I am a big fan of Montrose drummer Denny Carmassi, who shows off some really impressive nuances throughout the album. His drum beats are lively, containing plenty of fills that are sure to entertain. While the song content isn't particularly trailblazing, once again, it doesn't need to be. The musicianship is what makes this album special - from the supreme guitar work, to the taut rythym section, to great vocal performances by newcomer Bob James, Warner Bros. Presents...Montrose! is a great album. It has tremendous replayability, and should please your ears for years to come.
It may not be the most well-known album out there, and I could wager that most people haven't heard of this, however, it's worth investing in. I got it on vinyl record a few years back, and it was totally worth it. The only reason why I got into it was because I am such a big Van Halen fan, and thought to listen to some early Sammy Hagar stuff - which included Montrose. Then I liked Montrose so much, I started listening to their other work and I came across this! Warner Bros. Presents...Montrose is currently available on iTunes for only $5.99 - what a steal! Normally I wouldn't advertise so blatantly, but I am simply just going with a gut feeling that this album is fairly obscure in today's times, so, if you want to hear it, I'd go that route. What you'll find is a rock album that sounds pretty 1970s, but regardless stands the test of time and will dazzle your ears with some tremendous and ultimately very pure rock and roll.
TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:
"Black Train"
"All I Need"
"Twenty Flight Rock"
"Dancin' Feet"
"Matriarch"
-Kurt L.
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Updated: Friday, 12 March 2010 10:48 PM EST
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