Genre: rock
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Absolutely
Company: Epic
Catalog: JE-34812
Year: 1977
Country/State: UK
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: minor ring wear on cover
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4862
Price: $10.00
By the time 1977's "Absolutely" was released, the only holdover from the original band was singer/front man Mike Patto. To his credit, Patto managed to cobble together an impressive list of players for what was essentially Boxer MK II - bassist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist Adrian Fisher, keyboardist Chris Stainton and drummer Eddie Tuduri.
Recorded in LA with producer Jeff Glixman, the album marked a substantial change in direction for Patto and company. Propelled by Patto's instantly recognizable voice, the band's basic sound remained R&B influenced rock, but this time around the feel was slicker with material such as the lead off rocker 'Fool In Love', 'Red Light Flyer' and 'Big Lucy' having a distinctive AOR sheen. That shift in direction was certainly in keeping with then popular norms (producer Glixman had scored millions in sales for his work with the likes of Kansas). The downside was that it robbed the band of what little originality they once had. That situation was made even worse by guitarist Ollie Halsall's departure. Having been a member of Sparks, Fisher was certainly an accomplished guitarist, but for the most part his contributions were buried under Bogert's hyperactive bass and Stainton's keyboards. Certainly not unique to this album, but while there wasn't anything terribly wrong with the songs or the performances, there simply wasn't anything terribly right. Among the isolated highlights, 'Rich Man's Daughter' which was actually recorded during the sessions for the earlier shelved "Bloodletting" album. 'Can't Stand What You Do' and 'Everybody's a Star (So What's In a Name)' (the later released as a British single) were actually quite commercial, but undistinguished. Anyhow, wish I could be more positive, but the overarching feel is of anonymous professionalism - 1970s background music.
"Absolutely" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Fool In Love (Tim Bogert - Mike Patto) -
2.) Red Light Flyer (Mike Patto) -
3.) Big Lucy (Tim Bogert - Chris Stainton - Mike Patto) -
4.) No Reply (Chris Stainton - Mike Patto) -
(side
2)
1.) Can't Stand What You Do (Tim Bogert - Chris Stainton -
Mike Patto - Andre Fisher - Eddie Tuduri) -
2.) As God's My Judge (Chris Stainton - Mike Patto) -
3.) Rich Man's Daughter (Mike Patto) -
4.) Everybody's a Star (So What's In a Name) (Chris Stainton - Mike Patto) -
5.) Hand On Your Heart (Tim Bogert - Chris Stainton - Mike Patto - Andre Fisher - Eddie Tuduri) -
As part of an effort to break the band in the States, Epic sent the group on a 27 stop US tour along with Crawler and Moon. The combination of touring pressures, personality conflicts and the usual drugs and booze proved disastrous for the band and shortly after the end of the tour they called it quits. Patto died of lymphatic cancer in 1979. Only 43, in May 1992 Halsall died of a drug related heart attack.