Customer Reviews

Freeze Frame

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a fun, highly infectious party record that dominated the airwaves in 1981. It rocks. One of the most essential hard rock albums of the 1980's. A consistent and coherent selection of nine songs that catapulated the J. Geils Band into superstardom after approximately 10 years in the business.

The birth of MTV/music televison would play the J. Geils within their first year of existence at least once an hour! Initially, the band received exposure for the hit title track to their 1980 album "Love Stinks." What was to follow was an album that spawned one of the greatest singles of the 1980's-"Centerfold," which spent an incredible six weeks at the summit of the billboard pop charts. The energetic follow-up,the title track for the album peaked at #4. The album also contained the beautiful hit ballad "Angel In Blue(#40)."

There is a remarkable continuity to this album that flows from the beginning of the album: the initial energetic yell of the lyric "Freeze Frame" thru the crude parody on the state of world affairs, "Piss On The Wall" that loudly terminates the CD.

This is 35 minutes of hard rock bliss that doesn't let up. Songs like "Rage In The Cage" has that power metal infused sound that was so reminiscent of the head banging 80's, while "Insane, Insane Again" has more of a free flowing bluesy feel to it. One standout adrennaline moment is the track "Flamethrower," which graced the R&B charts peaking at #25, but never gained the national exposure it truly deserved. It would have been the perfect radio friendly follow-up to "Centerfold." Nonetheless, listening to this hard rocking track (as with the entire album as a whole) twenty years later, still holds up.

"Do You Remember When" serves as a mid tempo tune that is reminiscent of a middle of the road Rolling Stones recording! It is very melodic as is "River Blindness," which has a choral feeling to it

This album is the pinnacle of their career. It was followed up with a live album "Showtime," which served as their all too abrupt swan song with the original line-up. Front man and lyricist, Peter Wolf continued recording in the early 1980's up until the new millenium quietly releasing 5 solo albums. There are rumours the original line-up will be reuniting sometime soon.

This album should appeal to the novice who enjoys hard rock with an heir of blues. Any fan of 1980's music will clearly embrace it as several million did in its heyday about 2 decades ago!

"This Freeze Frame Moment Can't Be (A) Wrong" Purchase! Essential rock hard listening.

If you ask my friends, I'm not exactly well-known as a partier. But whenever I'm alone or in the mood, I can get a little wild and crazy like I am at a party. And if ever there's one that seems to be dying down from too much boredom, J. Geils Band's FREEZE-FRAME is the perfect way to bring it up again...and then some. LOVE STINKS (1980) had slightly introduced J. Geils Band to the mainstream after a decade as critical darlings. But it's safe to say FREEZE-FRAME is the one that broke them on the charts. Of course, this is the destination for "Centerfold", which topped the charts for 6 weeks in 1982. One of the most infectious singles of the 1980s, even non-fans will start chanting the "na na na na na na" refrain. And that's just 3 1/2 minutes of what is basically a 35-minute long party record. The only time it really lets up is for the gorgeous ballad "Angel In Blue", which Peter Wolf croons with suitable romantic feeling. Other than that, it's all adrenaline-pumped rock & roll on songs like the title track, "Rage In The Cage", "Insane, Insane Again" and the gloriously crude "Piss On The Wall". But my favorite is the R&B-soaked "Flamethrower", which never fails to get me out of my chair and dancing like there's no tomorrow. Why on earth this song did not become a hit on the level of "Centerfold", I have no idea. While Peter Wolf's departure would bring an end to J. Geils shortly after, FREEZE-FRAME was still the perfect culmination of what was hardly 10 years of freeloading, but intense hard work. Rumor has it, that the J. Geils Band is reuniting in the studio with Peter Wolf in the vocalist role. If so, it's a reunion that is long overdue.

Yes, this was J. Geils entry into the world of the mainstream and yes 'Freeze Frame' and 'Centerfold' got overplayed (they are still good songs) but this album stands the test of time.

As happens many times with albums that hit the mainstream, people are often first introduced to a band in this way. It's the paradox of the music biz. I didn't know much of J. Geils prior to this album (though, in retrospect, I became aware of older songs I did know that they performed), but this album is just really, really good.

It was fun back in the day (come on now: 'Piss on the Wall'? what a great way to shock your parents) but I just recently got out the LP again and it sounds just as good today. Upon listening to it, however, I've realized that the lyrics are pretty striking. Hidden underneath the festive sounds of 'Centerfold' is talk of a high school girl in a men's magazine (though this is not as shocking today). 'Angel in Blue' talks of a stripper, 'Flamethrower' about a party girl, and 'River Blindness' about, well, I'm not quite sure but it is a really different song with elements of funk, blues and pop that jams. The songs actually tackle some pretty tough material.

The album doesn't miss a beat. It's experimental, touching on sides of life usually hidden from the mainstream and it really jams in a way that sounds good even today.

If you wish for some reminiscing or wish to give something fresh a try in the midst of today's amalgamation of a dizzying blend of music styles, this is well worth the trip.

With FREEZE FRAME, the ultimate party/bar band made a record far removed from the more purist blues moves of their earliest days. This is basically some good, very tuneful rock 'n roll. Nearly all of these cuts are really catchy. Many have a distinct 50's feel while others veer a little more towards experimental/avant-garde territory. The production is slick and solid - sometimes it's even pretty trippy. I was pretty darn young when this came out (middle school age), and of course I loved the big hits - "Centerfold," "Rage In The Cage," "Freeze Frame" and, of course, "Flamethrower" with images of the cheerleaders at school getting down 'n dirty to its downbeat seared permanently on my little brain.

Listening to this album today, I'd say it's unique enough to still sound great to the average listener, even though some might say it does sound kinda dated (as someone who's never been particularly concerned about what's current or fashionable, this isn't really a problem for me).

My impressions:

"Freeze Frame" - an instantly recognizable series of camera clicks sets this addictive tune in motion. Great keys, horns, and that swaggering doo-wop dip is so infectious. Still way cool in my book. *****

"Rage In The Cage" - this one cranks up the intensity level and it still gets my blood flowing. *****

"Centerfold" - ah, the biggest hit and a classic expression of male sexual fantasy life. This one's still a riot. I remember some tight-wads at the time thought that it was too dirty for radio, but they played the hell out of it anyway because it's actually pretty innocent (and of course it's a great song). *****

"Do You Remember When" - has this wistful, romantic quality that (some) chicks will dig. ****

"Insane, Insane Again" - this one's a trip, a hyper kinetic romp with vocalist Peter Wolf sounding like a real maniac. The band's excellent pop musicianship is in full effect as the song morphs into bizarre Walt Disney moves and a raging piano solo. *****

"Flamethrower" - maybe I'm biased, but I think this one still sounds sexy. It may be the best on the album. *****

"River Blindness" - strangely enough, this is my absolute favorite track on FREEZE FRAME, and I tend to listen to it much more than the others these days. This one ventures quite a bit further into left field than any of the other tracks do. There's something so evocative about this song - my brain has created an entire visual scenario to accompany it which I can totally get lost in when I'm lying in the dark, completely tripping out on it (the scenario is based on "Dungeons & Dragons" - another relic of my past I wouldn't mind revisiting). A trippy, intense, unusual track. Reaches a great climax. *****+

"Angel In Blue" - this one's got a great melody and it does rock although it's much slower and sadder than the other songs. It isn't really my cup of tea, but sometimes I'm in the mood for it. *****

"Piss On The Wall" - I recall playing this one in secret because I knew it definitely WOULD piss off my parents if they heard it (and I normally never felt a need to do that). It's a great rockabilly-style groover, really funny too. *****

Ya know, 50's rock 'n roll is still some of the best rock ever made and if you can appreciate that as well as have a taste for the slightly weird, you might really go for this album. An 80's classic.

"Freeze Frame" is an essential Geils CD. It captures the band at their highest point of success with their most popular release. What distinguishes "Freeze Frame" from all the other Geils releases is that their keyboard player, Seth Justman, assumed a large role in the production/song writing creating an album/CD that was a mainstream success and an 80's musical gem. For mildly Geils fans who liked Freeze Frame check out two previous releases--"Love Stinks" and "Sanctuary." Both came right before "Freeze Frame."

For 80's music lovers "Freeze Frame" is a must for your collection.

I really like this album. It was Peter Wolf's last official album with the band and man, is it good! Songs like "Centerfold," "Freeze Frame," "Flamethrower," "Rage in the Cage" and the great "Do You Remember When" should have a place in every comprehensive CD collection. I remember getting this on 8-track, Christmas of 1982; I've since updated to CD and it has never sounded better. Simply great music played by one of the best bands out there!

This was one of the very first albums that I ever got on vinyl and it was a 15th birthday present from a friend at the time. I remember I really enjoyed "Centerfold" but the rest was just filler to me and I didn't really pay much attention to the album over the years.

Then I came across this remastered mini-lp sleeve replica version put out by our mlps expert friends from Japan and I thought I'd give it a whirl. I have been pleasantly surprised as I realise that I actually enjoy the entire album a whole lot better today than I did all those years ago. The remastering is very well done so that the sound quality is excellent and literally gives the entire album a whole new life. I realise now that this album is one of the best fun-filled albums ever made. All the tracks come across as a bunch of guys having fun in the studio with no pretensions whatsoever. There are no bonus tracks which is fine with me as I've found that the majority of the time, these tracks detract from the overall enjoyment of the cd and are better off not being included at all. The inner sleeve very faithfully represents the original vinyl version although the overall mlps design leaves much to be desired as it is poorly constructed out of low quality thin cardboard which looks like it will fall apart when the glue gets old unlike similar mlps designs for Hall & Oates and The Band for example.

This is also very pricey but although the mlps design doesn't justify the price, the very good sound quality does to some extent. I'm convinced now that good sound remastering can really rejuvenate old albums and it certainly does so here and this is even now still a very enjoyable and fun listen. Too bad the mlps design couldn't match up to the excellent sound quality. I guess as the Stones put it once: "you can't always get what you want!"

In the era this album was released - Fall 1981 - the J. Geils Band had put in nearly a dozen years of delivering raucous Rock/R&B on tour and in the grooves of nine studio albums, a pair of live albums and a greatest hits package. It was about time for a breakout into the massive mainstream of the monster FM radio format.

The band achieved the elusive commercial success as the album made a steady climb to the top spot on the 1982 Billboard album chart from February 6-27 - one of only 10 albums to achieve the top slot that year - based on the massive appeal of the single, Centerfold (reached #1 on one of two charts) and the clubland boogie of Centerfold/Flamethrower (peaked at #12 as club play singles). Flamethrower and Freeze-Frame each charted on two lists, but the beautiful ballad, Angel In Blue, stalled at #40 on the Hot 200 single's chart.

There is the steady and funky fun of the band - bolstered by such special guests as Luther Vandross, Cissy Houston, Randy Brecker, Lou Marini and Tom Malone - and the oftentimes quirky vocals of Peter Wolf drives the nine numbers that clock in at nearly 41 minutes.

This was a considerably long road for the band to become major players on radio and on stage in the arena/outdoor summer venue tours. Sometimes the good guys do win in pop culture.....the J. Geils Band proved it in 1982.

I never knew who performed the underrated tune Flamethrower.I loved it for its sheer r&b party romp audacity a la Cameo Word Up style. The entire album was an excellent overture in southern rock and roll with a bit of blues and funk elements. The last track Pissin on the Wall is a hoot ! This is the kind of rock band that defied being categorized or victimized as another passe 80's new wave synth band. The J. Geils Band was pure fun and explosive rock and roll with a slight R&B funkafied blues feel !...

This is a great CD. However, the original CD is tinny and the BGO 2003 import remaster sounds shrill and like it was just the original CD re-EQ'ed. The EMI Japan remaster from 2008 is the one to get. It has great remastered sound that is not brickwalled and clearly beats the other versions and is well worth the extra cash if you love this album.