Encased in a classy sleeve painted by Scottish playwright
John "Patrick" Byrne
, the first LP from the tumultuous
Stealers Wheel
is a debonair affair comprised of the kind of accomplished and polished
pub pop
for which impetus
Gerry Rafferty
would become known as he subsequently rode out the decade on the sublime radio single
"Baker Street ."
Rafferty
released his first solo slab,
Can I Have My Money Back?
(the title already showing signs of unrest) in 1971, and brought amigo
Joe Egan
from those sessions to the princely proceeding here. Worthy musical moments abound, all forever overshadowed by the clever corporate-snub
"Stuck in the Middle With You"
which branded the duo a one-hit wonder when the track took on a life of its own. Sadly, the song also foreshadowed the premature end of
, and
and
Egan
continued to document the personal and professional turmoil of their short time together throughout their respective solo careers, even re-recording some of these early jewels. And though only
's star continued to rise,
harbors considerable talent as well, shining brightly on his
Rubber Soul
-influenced tapestry
"Another Meaning"
; however, he keeps bland company with
Bad Company
with the dumb thud of
"I Get By."
Meanwhile,
creates one of those oh-so-cosmic '70s grooves for
"Outside Looking In,"
before being unfortunately caught in one of those oh-so-abrupt '70s fades at the end of side one. This vibe wouldn't be broken so drastically on CD, but for now, and seemingly forever, the platter must be flipped for the unique
"Johnny's Song"
wherein mountain-
rock
breaks surround
's wry life observations. Hidden nugget
"Next to Me"
extols mellow melancholy meditations exclusive to the West Coast and the Have a Nice Day Decade. Closing pastorale
"You Put Something Better Inside of Me"
inspired renditions by
Ted Neeley
Raphael Ravenscroft
. Ultimately, this very solid outing casts a somber shadow because of unfulfilled expectations. And any record this carefully crafted doesn't deserve to languish in the bins of obscurity, but such seems to be the fate of
. At least the band will always be remembered through the cinematic revival of that supreme FM staple
"Stuck in the Middle With You."
[This album was re-released by
Cherry Red
in 2004.] ~ Whitney Z. Gomes