Customer Reviews

Best of B.T.O.: Remastered Hits

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Okay, Bachman Turner Overdrive was derivative and not a terribly original band. Not to mention the fact that "Takin' Care of Business" is one of classic rock's most overplayed songs. But that doesn't mean they didn't have their moments. And most of their best moments are collected here. Give 'em this, the boys knew how to write a song with a catchy hook, as they do with such classic cuts as "Roll on Down the Highway," "Hey You," "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" and "Let it Ride." This stuff may not be high art, but its loads of fun.

My only complaint is that this "Remastered" album has apparently taken the place of the old "B.T.O.'s Greatest" collection, which included the excellent later songs "Rock and Roll Nights" and "Jamacia." Since "Greatest" also includes the above mentioned songs, I'd recommend searching out a used copy.

The Best Of B.T.O. (So Far) is a great retrospective of a band who wrote some of the best rock songs of the mid-70's but is primarily known for their three-chord classic "Takin' Care Of Business" and their catchy #1 single "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet." However, many of the other tracks here such as "Hey You", "Take It Like A Man", "Roll Down The Highway" and "Let It Ride", were great hard rock songs released at a time when mellow rock was still popular. But B.T.O. weren't just a hard rock band. The tracks "Blue Collar" and "Lookin' Out For #1" were mellower, jazzier songs with the former featuring some great jamming at the song's conclusion. Upon hearing these tracks, it's hard to believe that they're the same band who did "Takin' Care Of Business." Other great tracks here include the killer instrumental "Free Wheelin'" and "Gimme Your Money Please." A great compliation. Not Fragile is also a great album from these guys.

....if you want to hear simply the best, heavy metal, rock'n'roll music there is. All the great BTO hits are on this CD, the cuts still sound great, and just listening to Fred Turner render the vocals on "Roll On Down The Highway" and "Let It Ride" alone makes this worth the price of admission. Buy this now, and let me give you some advice - if you hear BTO is playing in your area, GO! - they sound better than they ever have.

This compilation isn't bad from a guitarist/singer/songwriter with the storied history of Randy Bachman. Randy joined a group in 1960 known as "Chad Allen and the Expressions". They had a hit with "Shakin' all Over". When Chad left, the group was renamed " The Guess Who " Guess who was used as a gimmick on an early recording as "Guess Who?" and the name stuck. When Randy left "The Guess Who" he started a group named "Brave Belt" that put out a two sided hit "Another Way Out/Dunrobin's Gone". This band morphed into "Bachman-Turner Overdrive" or just plain old "BTO". While many of their commercial hits are here, this is a band that churned out at least eleven albums (a couple without Bachman) including a live in Japan offering with the added bonus of Mountain's "Mississippi Queen" on it. Randy also had bands with the names of "Union" and "Ironhorse" both of which put out albums as well as recordings under his own name. In addition to the playlist on this album other songs that should have been included are "Not Fragile, Sledgehammer, Find Out About Love, Quickchange Artist and Hold Back the Water" to name a few. So much for a complete set. I was lucky enough to see a reformed "Guess Who" this past year and the biggest cheers went up for songs like "Taking Care of Business, You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" and "Roll on Down the Highway". Some people may consider "BTO" commercial and overplayed and on certain tunes its probably true but the audience and Bachman knows what they like. Straight ahead "working man" rock and roll. Now if we can just get "BTO" to put their past squabbles behind them and reform. What a blast from the past that would be.

bachman turner overdrive the band that will be remembered most of all for the song "you ain't seen nothin' yet" just like steppenwolf are remembered for "born to be wild" but just like steppenwolf "bachman turner overdrive" are more than a one hit wonder band that made some gigantic slices of ballsy rock
one being the song that featured in the smash hit film [a knights tale]
"takin' care of business" a rockin' tune to shake away those cobwebs
on this album you get the greatest cause of all
"lookin' out for number one" only kidding caring for others is important too but a classic tune anyhoo
"down down" not the status quo hit this is a rockin tune
the other highlights are "can we all come together"
being a very innuendo song
and the beating of the drum "jamica" MAN

backman turner overdrive proved to me that's there's more to commerical selling of a song and that you can make classic sounding songs at a drop of a hat..."you ain't seen nothin' yet"

One of the best blue-collar bands of the 1970's, BTO played with alot of energy, spunk and drive. The contrast between the Bachman brother's mellow voices and that of Turner also makes BTO and interesting group.

Not overly complex music, it never the less has a universal appeal that ties rock n'roll back to its folk music roots. No rock n'roll collection should be without some BTO and this particular CD is a good collection of some excellent songs.

I welcome feedback on this and all reviews at wstrnlibwarrior@yahoo.com

This is a very good collection of their hits. The remastered sound is a revilation in itself. It's very crisp and clear allowing you to fully enjoy the songs. Also BTO is great driving music. Cruising long distances are no problem with songs like these. Pop the CD in the player and Roll Down The Highway.

Very nice compilation disc of B.T.O. with,of course all twelve tracks remastered.Seems to me that way back when B.T.O. first hit the scene,they certainly didn't stay 'real' big for very long.Believe I saw them open for Van Halen on their '5150' tour,so they did still exist in one form or another for many years to follow.Tunes I never grow tired of hearing are "Let It Ride","You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet"(remember the very first time you heard this on the radio or in a record store?),"Free Wheelin'" and "Taking Care Of Business".Remember,B.T.O. are real men of mid-'70's rock&roll.A should-have.

BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE-THE BEST OF B.T.O. (SO FAR): In spite of this collection's original optomistic title THE BEST OF B.T.O. (SO FAR), this Candian quartet had a relatively short shelf life, even by 70s rock standards. C.F. Turner's John-Fogerty-on-steroids howl revved up the best numbers LET IT RIDE and ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY, even tho' ex Guess Who axeman Randy Bachman's TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS and YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHIN' YET got more airplay, plus seemingly endless TV and movie exposure. Their final hit HEY YOU was merely a blatant retread of all the above, while BLUE COLLAR and LOOKIN' OUT FOR NUMBER ONE were jazz-stroked alternatives to BTO's trademark cock-rock riffage. Umpteen-gazillion B.T.O. comps have flooded the market over the decades, but none ever trumped this first one...and you can bet yer fat stack of 8-tracks on that, bubba!

RATING: FOUR WHEELS

Bachman Turner Overdrive would have to be my favourite band of all time.Back in the 1970's they blasted the airwaves with such classics such as "Roll On Down The Highway" with it's powerful guitar riffs and C.F. Turner's hard hitting vocals. This was one Heavy Duty Rock Band who made no apologies for playing LOUD and Hard.Other tracks on this compilation show just how good these guys were as musicians who could really play well.If you like your music with a good rock beat and overdriven guitars this band is for you!!!