Customer Reviews

Shock Treatment

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

 

 

First of all, I hope no one was mislead by the bonehead a few reviews down the page who thinks this album has anything to do with the soundtrack to "Shock Treatment," the sequel to "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." This record came out at least ten years before that film was made, and though a soundtrack is probably available, this ain't it.

What this is is an amazing collection of catchy, mid 70's pop tunes, played by a whip-smart band that plays and sings it's collective butt off. If you've followed Edgar Winter's career at all, you know that he achieved his first peak playing incredible down n' dirty R&B with White Trash.

Many of the White Trash fans were disappointed, then, when he formed the Edgar Winter Group with now-deceased, underrated pop-genius Dan Hartman, drummer Chuck Ruff and guitar chopmeister Ronnie Montrose. "They Only Come Out at Night," their first release, is a great album of hook-heavy pop songs (remember "Free Ride"?) as well as my vote for greatest pop instrumental of all time, "Frankenstein." Thus began phase two of EW's career: as a pop craftsman, creating wonderful 3 minute gems rather than extended R&B jams.

This album represents, I think, the peak of that period. Ronnie Montrose left and was replaced by Rick Derringer, a guitarist even more well-suited to the band's mission of crafting "stick-in-your-head" hooks. As on the mid-period Beatles' albums, each song is different from the one before and the one after, and each song, listened to individually, will leave you humming for days. Unfortunately, "Shock Treatment" didn't spawn a hit, though literally any song on the album could've (and should've) been a hit single. Years later, David Lee Roth had a minor hit with a version of "Easy Street," but he certainly didn't improve on the original.

Though the band's self-titled third album had some great moments ("Diamond Eyes" is one of the coolest soul ballads ever written), the group never again approached the consistency and punch of this record. If you're at all interested in 70's pop music (fans of Todd Rundgren, Stevie Wonder, Wings, Elton John and the Doobie Bros. take note), this album is a must-have.

Forget the terrible photos on front and back covers- it must have seemed like a good idea at the time. A really catchy album. Edgar's Someone Take my heart away and Miracle of love along with Dans Sundown, Maybe Someday you'll call my name, and River's Rising all are wonderful. Dan's Rock and Roll Woman is pretty awful but all in all ,a fun album that should not be allowed to go out of print.

An outstanding follow-up to "They Only Come Out At Night." This album was a moderate hit when it was released in the 70's, but it should have been a HUGE hit. It is classic rock / pop at its finest. It includes the top 40 hit "River's Risin'" but several other songs received air-play and should have been big hits, including: "Easy Street", "Maybe Someday You'll Call My Name", and "Sundown." Not a bad song on it. The late Dan Hartman really shines on this album. His songs were more commercial than Winter's. He should have received equal billing in this group. Highly recommended!

Although this album lacks the hard driven guitar sound of RONNIE MONTROSE, who formed his own group called MONTROSE with then unknown SAMMY HAGER, this is still an album that should not be forgotten. The first song SOME KINDA ANIMAL with DAN'S lead vocal and RICK DERRINGER'S guitar riffs is a outstanding rock beginner that gets the listeners off their chairs or beds and on the feet. On the other hand, the next song EASY STREET written by DAN for EDGAR to sing has a excellent 30s or 40s resemblence, especially with the sax solo and the piano style. SUNDOWN is a outstanding ballad written and sung by DAN whose rhythm guitar playing, EDGAR'S clavinet and mellotron, and RICK'S lead guitar playing give the song a relaxed and laid-back feeling. The next song MIRACLE OF LOVE is a outstanding fast-paced keyboard rockin' tune that gets the listeners back on their feet with EDGAR'S stronge lead vocal and keyboard playing. DO LIKE ME, that only with the organ, is really not my favorite on this album. Plus I do not understand why DAN did not play bass guitar on this song, but some of RICK's guitar solos sound like a saxophone for some peculiar reason, which is somewhat cool. DAN'S ROCK AND ROLL WOMAN is another outstanding rock tune that keeps the album in motion with his lead vocals, the harmony vocals, and RICK'S guitar riffs. Then comes EDGAR'S keyboard ballad SOMEONE TAKE MY HEART AWAY with the rewarding sound of the mellotron and clavinet. DAN'S lead guitar playing on his QUEEN OF MY DREAMS really shines along with his lead vocal. Why EDGAR did not play on is song is a mystery to me. DAN'S MAYBE SOMEDAY YOU'LL CALL MY NAME that features his lead vocals, EDGAR'S piano playing, and RICK guitar playing has a relaxing feeling. Plus, DAN'S RIVER'S RISEN with the mellotron and guitar solos is and great song to listen to, and the harmony vocals remind me of what I hear on ELTON JOHN'S GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD. Unfortunately, ANIMAL is also not my favorite song either. Overall, I was glad I found this cd in the used cd store, and I do not understand why it is not availalbe anymore.

This lp proves Dan Hartman was also a star of the group.That is quite a statement considering Edgar and Rick were there but Dan is like the main man on this album!
Even the classic Easy Street was written for Edgar by Dan!
This lp shows there would have been NO EWG without Dan Hartman.
Some Kinda Animal cranks the lp into high gear as one of the wildest rocking numbers around.
Rock and Roll Woman should have been a #1 single and River's Risin a top 40 hit is almost as good as the classic Free Ride!
A person could rave on about this album all day. Buy without delay!

The Edgar Winter Group features three musicians who I love-Winter himself,Rick Derringer and the imcomparable Dan Hartman.But to be honest I find 'Shock Treatment' to be the more interesting between it and the last one 'They Only Come Out At Night'.One reason is probably my own taste in music-'Shock Treatment' has plenty of hard rock moments (although "Rock N' Roll Animal" is not one of my favorites) but the music is far more informed by heavy funk and retro jazz stylings.One of the best songs here is Edgar's own "Easy Street",it has a great retro 40's R&B shuffle and some great lyrics about Edgar sitting in a cafe surroundedby some,shall we say colorful characters.And it's a story song too-he describes the characters in great detail too.Of the other Winter contributions 'Miracle Of Love" is another great song-it's a faced paced synthesizer prog rock/fusion kind of tune and (because its EDGAR WINTER) his brilliant,flamboyant singing keeps the music from being pompous at all and it has such a great hook."Do Like Me" BLASTS right out at you-it is the one stab of bona fide funk on the album,complete with Edgar's clavinet and the Funkadelic guitars this is a howling,yowling good groove!Dan Hartman provides three wonderful pop ballads in "Sundown",with it's beautiful 'Magical Mystery Tour'-styled backwards mellatron and a finely crafed tune."Someone To Take My Heart Away" and "Maybe Someday You'll Call My Name" are very much in the same vein-great mainstream rock ballads with a lot of John Lennon/Beatles references.Hartman and Winter also contribute the catchy fast paced funky rocker "River Risin'" and again it has some beautiful Lennon-like harmony vocals spiced throughout.I like Rick Derringer's guitar playing but it does seem that his high volume,theatrical hard/glam rock sound on his cuts don't seem to mesh well with the overall sound.He is much more effective when he is playing on the efforementioned songs.Overall 'Shock Treatment' is not Winter's greatest album-those would be his records with White Trash and any of his (largely) hard to locate solo albums but it is certainly a wonderful,eclectic pop album and one of the finest things The Edgar Winter Group ever recorded.

This is quite simply one of the best rock album's of the 70's. The melodies unbeleivable, the playing exemplary and the vocals stunning. If you did'nt buy it then - buy it now instead.

I was fourteen years old when this record came out. A couple of years earlier someone had turned me onto They Only Come Out at Night and I was hooked. Someone else had Roadwork and I finally got around to White Trash as well. By then I was buying them all; Jasmine Nightdreams and everything else I could get my hands on. I played the living bleep out of this record. I probably had 40 or 50 albums (yeah I said it) in those days and I really loved this record. I remember being into Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo and Teenage Love Affair via Rick Derringer, but for some reason this record got no radio love at all. I waited around patiently for it to surface on CD and bought it instantly when it finally did. My favorite song was and is Easy Street, but I loved Sundown, Maybe Some Day You'll Call My Name, River's Risin and Miracle of Love too. I was surprised to see the CD getting five stars across the board, but I have learned that often times the only people who bother to review some CDs are part of the card carrying choir of that particular artist. I figured I would review this record in case someone only was going by sales or had White Trash and They Only Come Out at Night and was wondering if there was anything left. This one is a sleeper. The cover is awful of course, but that never deterred me in the past if I liked the artist. I'm a big fan of Johnny Winter too, but that is straight blues. This is more polished for better or for worse. A huge sleeper I just discovered is Winter Blues by Edgar as well. If you love the Blues and you love Edgar grab that CD as well. You can find it in most any cutout bin. It's a lot more like Johnny, but it's pretty strong. I figured it would be all covers, but Edgar wrote most of them. Check out White Man's Blues. Anyway, Shock Treatment was a very worthy follow up to They Only Come Out at Night. I CANNOT believe that was 34 years ago already! Brother...

While I absolutely loved "They Only Come Out At Night", the next album "Shock Treatment" really knocked me off my feet in 1974. At the time I felt it was way ahead of its time, with all of those hooks and different styles....wow! And now as I look back, it is confirmed....THEY TRULY WERE WAY AHEAD OF THEIR TIME! The fact that it is out of print shows how the record company whizz kids simply "don't get it". My last comment here is this....MUSIC THESE DAYS SUCKS.

Shock Treatment is being reissued as a two-for along with They Only Come Out At Night on February 20, 2007 in England. I hope Amazon will offer it for sale or pre-order by then. Hold on a few days and save yourself $50.00 or more. I love Edgar but those prices are just nuts.