Genre: rock
Rating: *** (2 stars)
Title: Red Card
Company: Mercury
Catalog: SRM-1-1083
Year: 1976
Country/State: UK
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: includes lyric insert
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 5587
Price: $10.00
I've owned most of the Family and Streetwalkers catalogs for years, but was never a major fan. I never doubted that both entities were immensely talented, but I simply couldn't get into Roger Chapman's unique voice. 1976's self-produced "Red Card" was the set that got me to re-evaluate the band. Musically it wasn't all that different than their earlier releases. Chapman's weird, labored voice remained an acquired taste (image AC/DC's Bon Scott suffering from delirium tremors while singing) and the band's take-no-prisoners rock moves was seldom particularly original. Still, this collection was different.
- Powered by Chapman's gasping, ragged voice and John Whitney's sterling lead guitar, Run for Cover' was one of the band's creative highlights. A growling slice of rock, the track had one of those hooks that snuck up on you and wouldn't leave. The Streetwalkers seldom sounded as taunt or good - for goodness sake the song even included some harmony vocals !!!. rating: **** stars
- Overlooking the goofy title, 'Me an' Me Horse an' Me Rum' was almost funky ... Another one that made me think of Bon Scott era AC/DC. rating: *** stars
- Within The Streetwalkers catalog 'Hole In My Pocket' was about as close to top-40 commercial track as the band ever came. Sporting a pretty melody (complete with Whitney voice box guitar), even Chapman seemed to have made an effort to control his vocal excesses, actually staying in tune and minimizing the Joe Cocker-styled vocal tremors. Atypical, but very nice and would have made a nice single for the band. rating: **** stars
- With lyrics that included references to leathernecks, Errol Flynn, David Niven, Emperor Hirohito, and Mussolini 'Between Us' was a weird world war II themed track. Anyone got a clue what it was about? rating: ** stars
- Normally rock chestnuts covers aren't very good, but Chapman and company literally crushed Otis Blackwell's 'Daddy Rolling Stone'. Only complaint were the cheesy female backing vocals. rating: **** stars
- With an atypical bouncy melody, 'Roll Up Roll Down' was another surprisingly commercial effort, though Chapman's ragged vocals took some of that commercial edge off the song. Nice slide guitar from Whitney. rating: *** stars
- Showcasing a killer Jon Plotel bass pattern, 'Crazy Charade' was my pick for standout performance. Streetwalker as a funk band ... hum, hard to imagine. rating: **** stars
- 'Shotgun Messiah' was a conventional and pedestrian rock effort. Not bad, but hardly memorable. rating: ** stars
- Complete with string arrangement, 'Decadence Code' revealed an introspective side to The Streetwalkers. Pretty song that even made you forget about Chapman's voice. rating: ***
The album was also tapped for a UK single:
- 1976's 'Daddy Rolling Stone' b/w 'Hole In Your Pocket' (Vertigo catalog number 605 9144)
Lots of folks would disagree, but if I were going to grab a Streetwalkers LP, this would be the one to start with.
"Red Card" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Run for Cover (Roger Chapman - Charlie Whitney) - 5:46
2.) Me an' Me Horse an' Me Rum (Roger Chapman - Bob Tench) - 4:03
3.) Hole In My Pocket (Roger Chapman - Charlie Whitney) - 3:44
3.) Between Us (Roger Chapman - Charlie Whitney) - 3:47
5.) Daddy Rolling Stone (Otis Blackwell) - 3:11
(side 2)
1.) Roll Up Roll Down (Roger Chapman - Charlie Whitney) - 3:27
2.) Crazy Charade (Roger Chapman - Charlie Whitney - Bob Tench) - 5:27
3.) Shotgun Messiah (Roger Chapman - Charlie Whitney - Bob Tench) - 4:48
4.) Decadence Code (Roger Chapman - Charlie Whitney) - 6:38
Goodness know why, and not that it mattered one way or the other,
but for the US audience Mercury's marketing department elected to slap an alternative, inferior cover on the LP. No changes to the track listing. For anyone interested, here's the original UK cover:
Vertigo catalog number 9102 010
