Customer Reviews

Flat As a Pancake

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Head East's debut album "Flat as a Pancake" had a title that poked fun of their Midwestern origins, as well as enough energy and songwriting hooks to spurn them to a decade-or-so long career. They didn't come close to repeating its success, but the fact that the album is available on CD more than a quarter of a century after its release says something about its merits. That said, the band's sound is typical mid-70s hard rock, of the kind that was being performed by contemporaries like Bad Company and Bachman Turner Overdrive. They didn't have enough of an edge to be heavy metal and actually aspired to writing a radio hit or two. Head East succeeded in their hitmaking aspirations with "Never Been any Reason," which is the perfect driving song for tooling around town in your classic Camaro. The other highlight is "Jefftown Creek," but there are no real clunkers here.

Overall, a good period piece that is still quite listenable today.

Head East was one of the most under appreciated rock groups of the 70s. The fact that they were from the midwest probably had a lot to do with it. Also, they didn't have any gimmicks - no make-up, no smashing instruments, no politically correct lyrics - they simply rocked.

This cd is a classic on the strength of "Never Been Any Reason." However, it's got some other cuts well worth listening to over and over. "City of Gold/Fly By Night Lady" features terrific interplay between John Schlitt's vocals and Michael Sommerville's guitar licks, and then builds to a powerful rocking tempo flavored with crisp skin-tingling harmonies.

When Head East cranks up the blues-flavored music they are at their best. This is evident on "Lovin' me along." Oddly, though, their most popular songs are those with the heaviest keyboard mixes. Some times you must get past those keyboards and listen to the guitar riffs.

Though well worth the investment in time and money, unfortunately "Pancake" is easily the group's second best album. It's unfortunate because "Get Yourself Up" is not available on cd. My poor vinyl copy started to get worn out many, many years ago. I had to copy it to cassette (several times). What a treat it would be to hear those songs with the clarity of a cd - or, at least, the clarity of a new record!

Flat As A Pancake, the first studio album from Head East proves that Head East is more than just "Never Been Any Reason", although that is their best known single. All of the tracks on this album are superb songs that you can't help but hit the "repeat" button on your CD player for.

Although little is known about Head East due to their brief time in the spotlight, if you have heard "Never Been Any Reason" on the radio and liked it, then pick up Flat As A Pancake.

Unlike many of the bands at the time, Head East was not a "glam" band, nor did they rely on any other kind of gimmicks or special showmanship to augment their album presence. These guys just played their music, and let it do the talking for them. While not "heavy enough" to be considered "hard rock", but not soft enough to be considered "folk rock" or "easy listening", Head East quite confortably fits into the "classic rock" category of straight rock and roll, with a slew of radio-friendly tunes that would make any radio station drool. If Heead East released Flat As A Pancake in the 90's, rather than the 70's, one would think that these guys would have achieved a much greater level of attention than they did. Every person I have ever spoken to about this album has had nothing but positive things to say about Head East, and it's just a shame that the band does not enjoy a greater level of commercial success.

Being from Chicago, I personally enjoyed discovering that the band originated here in Illinois. I also liked the album artwork, where the "pancake" theme was recurring, both on the front cover, and the inside, which features the band members eating (what else?) pancakes. It has been stated that the album title was meant to poke fun at the midwest region where the band started out, due to it being mostly flatland.

Overall, an enjoyable CD, and for a 20th Century Masters album to be put out on these guys shows that they still have an influence on music over 20 years later.

HAVING SEEN HEAD EAST EVERY TIME THEY CAME OUT TO THE WEST I GREW UP APPRECIATING THEIR MUSIC. GOING ON TO WORK AS A SOUND AND LIGHT PERSON FOR A LOCAL ROCK BAND,WE LOVED DOING "NEVER BEEN ANY REASON". IT IS STILL VERY POPULAR TODAY AT MOST ROCK CLUBS. AS OTHERS HAVE COMMENTED I WOULD BUY ALL THERE CD'S IF THEY WERE AVAILABLE!!!ARE YOU LISTENING ROGER BOYD???(PRODUCER OF HEAD EAST ALBUMS). MIKE SOMMERVILLE IS A GREAT SONG WRITER,BELIVE IT OR NOT THEY HAVE SOME GREAT SLOW SONGS "DANCE AWAY LOVER" BY JOHN SCHLITT,"TICKET BACK TO GEORGIA"STEVE HUTSON AND "IF YOU KNEW ME BETTER"MIKE SOMMERVILLE. COME ON HEAD EAST LSITEN TO YOUR FANS PUT A COLLECTION CD OUT OR SOMETHING FOR US DIEHARD FANS!!!

Head East's debut mixes southern-style rock with high-tech synthesizers, and adds a uniquely positive lyrical message. "Never Been Any Reason", "Love Me Tonight", and "Fly By Night Lady" talk about love and dating in different ways, while "One Against The Other" and "Brother Jacob" warn against hatred and sin, respectively. "City Of Gold", "Jefftown Creek", and "Lovin' Me Along" still inspire me to work harder at things, and finally, "Ticket Back To Georgia" expresses sentiments similar to what I'm feeling about going back to visit my old school. The only problem with this album is that it's too perfect; Head East started at the top of their game and never quite equalled FLAT AS A PANCAKE.

Head East never made it big...but they should have! This is a very good album. In the 1970's, it could not be categorized. Today, it fits in fine as "roots" music.

Every song is a good one. "Never been any reason" is the standout (digitally remastered it is even better then it was in the past), "City of Gold" is the album's centerpiece and "Fly by Night Lady" shows off the acrobatic pipes of the vocalists.

I saw them live and they were a good energetic band. The singer(s) should have achieved more stardom. This is music that even if you hear it for the first time, it will always sound familiar.

I bought this CD right here at Amazon because of one reason and one reason only: the great, dual-vocalled, and underappreciated 70's rock classic "Never Been Any Reason." When I first heard this song on WAPP in New York back in 1982, I thought that it was from '82 or '81. In fact, I had no idea that it--and this album--was recorded way back in 1975 until last year. Well, now that I finally own this CD, I can see why I thought the way I did: This may be Southern-boogie flavored rock 'n' roll, but it is truly unique and WAY ahead of its time. I mean, what whiskey-laced Southern-style rock bands play Moog synthesizer solos in any songs? None of them do! :)

Not only do we get the unforgetable Moog-synth solo in "Never Been Any Reason" but we also get a beautiful jazzy piano solo in the second song "Better Man" which otherwise could be almost mistaken for an Allman Brothers track. Also, how about the Hammond organ-plus-electric guitar solo in "Jefftown Creek" as well as in the ultra-infectious, slide-guitar laden, and bloozy "Lovin' Me Along." This is a band that wasn't afraid to rock out AND be proudly different at the same time!

The sound on this CD is excellent, especially for such an old recording. I just wish that there could have been some credits somewhere on the CD cover, so that I could at least know the names of the band members. At least it has a band pic on the back CD cover, which brings a question to my mind: If Head East consisted of just these five guys, then who's the female co-lead vocalist on "NBAR" and most of the other songs??? Does anybody know?

Never mind: this is a good, hard-rockin', musically tight CD, and it's definitely worth the money from the first song alone!

This band fires you up with their unique rock sound. Their other two albums "Head East Live" and "Get Yourself Up" were even better. I just wish they would put them on CD. What are they waiting for!

Started to listen to Head East with the album of the same name. I loved Head East, Get yourself up, Flat as a pancake. I have all of their albums and would love to get them in CD's. Head East Live was great and would be one of my car CD's. Its time that all of the Head East albums are put on CD. I for one would buy them all!

4 1/2 stars = Minor Masterpiece

Head East back in the 70's, & very early 80's, was a perennial opening act for large headliners in arenas all over Middle West America. They were a national/international act, but their main audience was the Midwest. Always putting on a top notch show, Head East would many times out perform the headliner they were opening for, as I witnessed several times.

The one album that most fans of Head East praise as their favorite is, "Flat as a Pancake," & I'm no exception. "Flat as a Pancake," is a wonderful combination of poppy prog, mid tempo rock, rootsy rock, & gorgeous balladry. All this is made possible by the great pop hooks written in most of the album's songs, & especially the fantastic harmonies & the pure solid gold tenor voice of lead singer John Schlitz. John may have been the finest tenor voice in rock at the time. Certainly, he was the brightest diamond in the rough. His voice, as pure & melodic as you are ever apt to have the pleasure of hearing!

"Flat as a Pancake's" first six songs are just pure perfection. "Never Been Any Reason," maybe the bands best known song, a pop/prog hook laden masterpiece. "One Against the Other," a sheer rock delight. "Love Me Tonight," one of the best up tempo ballads from the 70's, or any other time for that matter. "City of Gold" & "Fly by Night Lady," best heard in tandem, perfection of pop/rock/prog hooks, melodies, & once again THAT VOICE! "Jefftown Creek," a straight a head mid tempo rocker that will dig inside your ears!

It is too bad the last three songs are not up to the quality of the first six. Here "Flat as a Pancake" falters, but the results could have been much worse. The memorable, if not extraordinary, "Lovin' Me Along," rocks at mid tempo. It just does not have the hooks of the earlier songs to keep it rolling. The rootsy rock ballad, "Going Back to Georgia," is a sincere effort, but just does not ring authentic. Finally, the going to Sunday school church meeting of "Brother Jacob," just seems out of place here, & it is not something I care to listen to with its white gospel harmonies. Pretensions? Even so," Flat as a Pancake," with all its imperfections, is a must for anyone who wants to dig in to a long forgotten great 70's poppy/prog band. It as good as you're likely to find for that era & type of music. If only for John Schlitz magnificent voice, but there is so much more!