Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Although not extensive, this is still a good compilation of BTO. All the hits are here and the sound is very good. It could have stood to have a few more songs, but other than that, it's good. I definately recommend it.

This is a wonderful colection of songs with peppy beat and a great base line. Enjoyable for the whole family. I also recomend other outstanding CDs by Bachman Turner Overdrive which are also carried by Amazon.

The most boring and agonizing collection of flatulant noise ever committed to CD. Well, maybe passing gas would be a bit more interesting...but not as enduring!

Decent compilation, even though it really tails off after track 8. My advice would be to save your cash on this one and pluck down the extra money on the 2 disc "BTO Anthology" set.

Bachman Turner Overdrive was formed from the roots of Guess Who with members Randy Bachman and Chad Allen, who left before he performed in any songs on this disc. The list of songs on this site is kinda screwed up so here is the track listings:

1. Gimme Your Money Please: 8/10 Their first song, it is okay but good considering it was their first song as BTO

2. Blue Collar: 8/10 Overlong, but I like the solo at the end.

3. Takin' Care of Business 10/10 BTO at their best.

4. Let It Ride 10/10 Great song, but is never played on the radio.

5. Roll On Down the Highway 10/10 Another great song that is never played on the radio, you can see what a great guitarist Randy Bachman is by the solo at the end.

6. You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet 10/10 Great song, tenth highest selling heavy metal single ever!

7. Hey You! 9/10 Good song, no relation to the Pink Floyd song.

8. Take It Like a Man 8/10 Solid song with Little Richard on backing vocals and paino

9. Looking out for #1 9/10 I changed this one from seven to nine because it is one of those songs that gets better with age. Check out C. F. Turner on slide guitar. Also a nice solo at the end.

10. Shotgun Rider 9/10 A western song? Doesn't match their personality, but is still a cool song and a great acoustic solo at the end.

11. I'm In Love 3/10 Worthless song only notable because it has Jim Clench on bass who replaced Randy Bachman and also first song as BTO.

12. Heartaches 8/10 Last BTO charted song.

It has all of their good songs, too bad Randy Bachman left or they could have had many more.

I'm really surprised BTO are actually really good songwriters. People like to dismiss them without giving them a chance, assuming the four big hits are the only good songs the band had. NOT true. Don't judge a book by its cover. Come on.

I have to wonder if this band was listening to Black Sabbath and especially "Iron Man" because many of the songs on Not Fragile have the same kind of heavy, driving guitar riffs that made Sabbath famous. The guitar solos even offer a bit more than your average rock band. I really like the vocal melodies, and anyone who likes rock and roll from the 70's SHOULD like the Not Fragile album.

The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because of the overplayed and flat out irritating as a result "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet". People are probably going to assume, if they hate that song, or are absolutely sick of it, that the rest of the Not Fragile album has the same kind of songwriting. Nope.

Like I said above, these guys must have been listening to Sabbath and Zeppelin and taking notes on how to create guitar riffs and solos, because there are plenty of those on Not Fragile. The music is surprisingly heavy, and not really commercial like you're probably thinking. I say, pick this album up and be surprised how good many of the songs are you're not familiar with.

THIS ALBUM IS HARD AND HEAVY, BUT ALSO SOME SONGS ARE EASY AND SMOOTH. I LIKE THE BALANCE.

What can you say! These guys ROCK! Hard hitting rock. I was lucky to see them at our local fair and they still made me shiver. PURE ROCK! From the 70's to today they still make it sound like the music was just released! NOT FRAGILE is the BEST From Not Fragile to Blue Moanin to Free Wheelin to Sledgehammer how can one go wrong.

I bought this album when it first came out on vinyl (remember LPs?).
It is every bit as good today as it was back then. This is classic BTO and every cut is worthy of listening to. I'm going to have to break down and get the CD (although I hate paying for music twice... kind of like upgrading my VHS collection to DVD... painful).

I listened to this one when I was in High School "the vinyl version" It's fun to listen to it again with the surround you hear things you hadn't before! The album is 70's technology... so don't expect super "audio file."
For the price I'm totally happy! Remember this is a DTS CD not DVD... I had to tell my Sony AVR how to handle this type of CD by setting my digital input to "auto" then it worked fine!


Steve

As BTO goes, this a pretty good album. No B.S. here, just guitar, bass, drums, and a bunch of big red-haired Canadian guys shouting their brains out. Most songs are very solid; "Tramp" is kind of lame and "Takin Care of Business" is probably one of the 10 worst songs to ever become an AOR hit in the US. Aside from that this is a good album from a band hitting its stride. The only thing that really bugs me is the sound of the drums. Whoever engineered this album should be shot for letting such a HORRENDUS drum sound appear on tape. Talk about your 70's cardboard box sound. Real cardboard boxes would have been an improvement.

Bachman Turner overdrive got it right again with their second album. Their first album was hard driving guitar in your face rock and roll. this second album is from the same cloth. Fred Turner is a very underrated hard rock singer who gives BTO the sound. Bachman is a great guitar player and they all play together and compliment each other. 5 STARS PLEASE

Beyond a doubt there is a small handful of rock groups that stand not only the test of time, but consistently punches the drive, so that within the first 2 seconds after a particular song is played, causes the listener's auto-neurons to fire and entice that listener to instinctively crank the volume to the outer threshold of toleration. Not to mention singing each lyric verbatim with the distinct inflection and mimicry of the performer. "Takin' Care of Business" is just that song. The anthem of workaholics everywhere! Bachman-Turner Overdrive II is one of the treasures that you can proudly say, no matter if there's been a re-mastered digital version, I was there when it was first released...I've had and will always keep my vinyl version!"

This really rocks! It is hard hitting and back to the basics rock! For me, the whole album rocks from beginning to end!!!

Bachman-Turner Overdrive is most likely the most under-rated Rock Band of the 1970's. After leaving the Guess Who in 1970 and the failure of Brave Belt to capture any attention, Randy was about left for dead by the Record Companies and Rock Audiences. Burton Cummings was going on in the Rock Magazines about Randy being: "All Washed-Up" and/or a: "Has-Been".

Well, with C.F. Turner on great gruff vocals and brothers Robbie and Tim on drums and guitars, Randy still had the Talent, and with these players, all that was missing between him and the Top of the Charts were the right songs.

This second record by BTO has the Songs, and they are Classic Rock Songs. Some of the best Rock of the 1970's. Song's that are still remembered today, as some of the best of that Decade, are right here on: "Bachman-Turner Overdrive II."

With: "Blown", "Welcome Home" "Stonegates","Let It Ride" & "Takin Care Of Business" all together on one Record, it is easy to see WHY this Record sold millions of copies. There are more Great Songs on this One Record, than many other Bands could muster-up over a 10 Year time span.

Things do get a bit Sub-standard on Side B with: "Tramp" & "I Don't Have To Hide" being weak tunes. The reason for the inclusion of those two, is simple...this Album was rushed out quickly after the release of BTO {The 1st}, if Randy & Fred, had a bit more time to write Tunes, these two wouldn't have made the cut. But to cash-in on the Steamroller that the Band was becoming, Live Concerts were generating lot's of new Fans in 1973 {I saw them in September of that year, and they were Rock Solid Excellent.}. The sales of the first LP were constant, it was selling more copies every month. This Band was on the edge of Major Stardom, we knew it and the Record Company was aware that Teenagers of 1973 were starvin' for some plain & simple: "ROCK" Music. Groups such as Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer were the most popular acts of the day, and in-between those Synths sneaks in a Group of Guitar Slingers that HAD the riffs and Leads that we were waiting for. Randy Bachman is a real smart Guy, the reason for Bachman-Turner Overdrives MASSIVE success in 1974 was that he was wise enough to KEEP IT SIMPLE !!! This is Music that we could try to play in our garages, and Randy just like John Fogerty of CCR knew that, this Music was the Key.

Yeah, there are some clinkers on this one, but it is almost a: "Greatest Hits" Record, all by itself. BTO Became big, Big, BIG because of this Record and the one that came next. Burton Cummings had some egg on his face when Randy started collecting Gold Records by the Truckload & Wheelbarrels full of cash because of these songs.

This is a Great Record, this is Great Rock Music, Randy had his Day and this is it.
Four Stars !!!

This is the best collection you can buy from Bachman-Turner overdrive, it has all of there classic songs on 2 disc's , great collection highly recommended.

Great compilation for the money. Of course I've always been aware of BTO via Classic Rock Radio but I only recently got into them because I heard Tesla's cover version of "Not Fragile" and thought it rocked. I initially got the Remastered Greatest Hits CD from 1998 and liked it so much I got this as well. Truly, this is probably all one needs to get a feel for how versatile BTO is. I had no idea they rocked as hard as they do. Fun stuff! Highly recommended for any Rock fan!!

This seems to be fine, but there has been some blues playing in that album with Randy Bachman, his brother Rob Bachman, C.F. Turner, and others. I like some of the songs just fine no doubt about it.

This is an AWESOME DISC!!!!!One of the best I have found!!! It has all the right songs.I love BTO this is the ultimate.

This collection contains the essential BTO and then some. It does not insult this band's legacy to claim that this generous 35 song collection, including instrumental pieces, easily brings together all the highlights of this band's accomplishments. However, there is a lot of excess fat here that could have easily been trimmed to make this a superior, more cohesive representation of this band's riff-heavy, hook-laden brand of boogie-woogie rock. What makes this not an easily recommended, no-brainer purchase is that the 2nd CD is loaded with filler. It's well-executed filler, but, this compilation shows that BTO endured by recycling riffs and melodies of their brighter past.

I don't regret my purchase, but the impact of this band can be captured more effectively by a far slimmer package of their tunes. There is a lot to enjoy for those who like BTO's style and punch, but there is nearly as much filler as well.

Bachman-Turner-Overdrive came together from the fragmentation of the Guess Who. It was a decidedly family affair, containing - at one point - three brothers. It also drew upon other members of the Guess Who as well as members of other Randy Bachmann bands. It was Randy who was the driving force - maybe the cause - of the various permutations of the group. In fact, there were times it recorded without him then and now.

From a musical standpoint, the CD contains all the songs you know and - quite possibly, as it was for me - some you don't. What is so very interesting is that despite the band being perceived as an early progenitor of stadium rock, the group was capable of producing equally well-performed material that has a jazz and country rock foundation. Thus, there is a little more to the band that the stuttering `You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet' or the bombast of `Takin' Care of Business.' And, it is the variations - again, a bit of an eye opener - that caused me to conclude that BTO was among the best Canadian bands of the period.

This CD kicks butt!! I wish these guys would come back. Randy has a very good solo career and often goes back to Guess Who for re-unions but where's Fred? This group should have a re-union. This is a great overview of BTO's career.

I grew up listening to Bachman-Turner Overdrive during my late teenage years and I have yet to hear a Hard Rock Band which gets close to their distict and unique sound. This very fine CD set contains most of their best songs including "Roll On Down The Highway" with C.F. Turner's gravelly and very strong vocal work and I was happy to also find "Take It Like A Man" which includes some excellent piano work from Little Richard. This band sounds as fresh today as they did 30 years ago so crank up your stereo amplifier into Overdrive and rock with these guys. Next to Catherine Mary Stewart these guys are Canada's geatest export!

LOVE this CD set. It includes all the songs you'd want and more. Worth every penny!

This band is amazing i'm only 17 but I happen to find this band through I friend that is a year older and fell in love with every song especially let it ride and take it like a man. I hate long reviews so try to make it short every song on here is amazing Randy Bachman must be the most talented canadian rocker (becides maby neil young) if your into classic rock/classic metal at all then pick this up please don't buy into people saying they only have 10 good songs it's just not true. I am now on my way to having all there sperate albums but this is a amazing place to start.

This collection is simply awesome. All of their great hits plus lots of gems (the title track from "Not Fragile", the jamming live "Don't Get Yourself in Trouble", and the underrated "Shotgun Rider" to name a few). Excellent collection for BTO fans. Also comes with an informative booklet. One of the underrated great groups of the 70's.

nick digilio was talking about another reviewer of this album on wgn radio last night and i was thinking....i KNOW who he's talking about.how weird is that?

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED ARTISTS WHO DO LIVE ALBUMS!! SOME SAY THEY DON'T SOUND LIKE THE ALBUM, BUT THAT IS THE POINT OF DOING A LIVE ALBUM! YOU GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK! I ESPECIALLY LIKE THE LONGER GUITAR SOLOS OR THE LONGER DRUM SOLOS! AND THE LIVE AUDIENCE ALWAYS MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE THERE!

Yeah man Nick Digilio brings it HARD with the BTO tonight, as we rock OUT to the All Time Greatest Hits live. How hard? Well not only is this BTO's hits it the All Time Greatest Hits. This rocks harder then Zep 2 and Back in Black put together. The only thing that would rock more extreme than BTO Alltime Greatest Hits would be the Best of Bread.

If I'm not mistaken this live CD comes from BTO opening for VAN HALEN on the "5150" tour. I saw this tour in St. Louis where Leslie West (of Mountain) joins BTO on stage and brings the house down with Mississippi Queen. BTO rocked and should not be overlooked because waiting in the wings were Van Halen with the debut of Sammy Hagar in the group.

Buy this CD, especially if you saw the Van Halen / BTO (w/ Leslie West) tour. It's a great souvenir.

Do you feel all right? ROCK AND ROLL!!!

This is a great live CD. BUY IT. 'If you give me time, I will tell you what's on my mind.' Listen to "Roll On Down the Highway and the lead guitar solo. It starts low and when it winds up, I'm in a serious frenzy...hehehe. You try it :)

Randy Bachman, C.F. Turner, Tim Bachman, Blair Thornton, Robin Bachman, Garry Peterson, Randy Murray, Billy Chapman, and all the members of the band ARE BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE, affectionately known as BTO.

Whenever and whereever they play, their hard-core drum-beat will drill a positive "motor-city driven" attitude adjustment! We need them back for some good traditional 'rift-riveting' classic rock.

We want to hear some noise! Do you remember their concerts? Of all the concerts, legends and people-pleasers, this group pumped the most heart and guts. To fans around the world (normal people did you forget us?) we never worried about the critics, or the bad acoustics, we just rocked!

According to the great 'King Biscuit Flower live interview' with Randy Bachman (for sale on Amazon too), BTO was "scorned by music critics and rock elitists alike." Yet, radio stations played their tunes to foot stompin' drivers like me on the road 24/7 for years. When I travel to Europe and Latin America, BTO is famous! Millions of albums continue to sell. 'Get educated!'

But to all of us, Bachman-Turner Overdrive continues to rock and if all the members of the group take the challenge, time for some sweet revenge!

GET INTO OVERDRIVE

A great hard rock record from three Bachman brothers {Randy,Tim & Rob} and C.F. Turner, set the tone for many more that were to follow. Eight songs, good riffs, gruff vocals and guitars, guitars and more guitars.

Three years after leaving The Guess Who, Randy at last had all the ingredients for success, great songs that are not too bluesy, great rhythms underline everything, simple lead lines that make their point and then vanish. Nothing here is over-produced by Randy, he wasn't going to make the same mistakes of his past. This music doesn't need glitter or snakes to be performed, just four guys, their gear, a few flannel shirts and a station wagon.

"Gimme Your Money Please" translates to please buy our record, and the tone of this album is set. Here they are, this is what it is. "Blue Collar" slows down the pace and allows Randy to throw in some jazz licks. Other than that, it's foot-stompin' rock like: "Little Gandy Dancer", "Hold Back The Water", "Stayed Awake All Night" & "Down And Out Man". Tim Bachman's tune: "Don't Get Yourself In Trouble" is the heaviest selection here, and Tim's best track on any BTO Album. This is my favorite cut on this Record, the guitars are stinging and the riff is relentless and powerful, this is great hard rock.

The closer is called: "Thank You For The Feelin', the band hopes you have enjoyed their record, and says they will be seeing you later {in a few months BTO II will be released.}

Bachman-Turner Overdrive promoted this record by performing ton's of live shows to win an audience. This tactic, did indeed pay-off, as the steady touring gained the band's reputation as a workingman's band thst never let their fan's down. Many more records followed this, and numerous tours would promote those records. BTO sold millions of records and still has millions of fans that love their music. This one called: "Bachman-Turner Overdrive" is where the journey of one of the seventies best band's begins.
Four Stars !!!

BTO is awesome in their first effort. The classic rock stations are missing out by not playing the best Bachman Turner Overdrive has to offer. How about that Gimme Your Money Please. Turners tough guy vocals and Bachman's closing guitar riff is incredible. A hughely underrated song, album, and group. No one rocks harder than BTO on their first 5 albums I, II, Not Fragile, 4 Wheel Drive and Head On. If you do not like this stuff than you do not like rock and roll. 5 Stars please.

Have the album and now I have the CD. This is really good rock. The songs on this album are excellent! I especially like Blue Collar. It has a very cool, jazzy sound. Hold back the Water and Gimme Your Money Please are good, also. Little Gandy Dancer is a real toe tapper.

COULD WE PLEASE GET THIS ALL TIME CLASSIC REMASTERED !! THIS IS TRULY A TOP 50 ALL TIME CD !! THIS PRICE NEEDS TO BE IN LINE WITH WHAT PEOPLE WILL PAY FOR IT !! PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR PLEAS WHOMEVER AND REMASTER THIS !!

Some bands need time to get up to stride; others come up with their best stuff when they still toiled in relative obscurity. BTO fits in the latter. Their first album is easily their best, starting off right away with "Gimme Your Money Please", a tune sure to please with the heavy guitar riffs and snarling vocals of C F Turner. That's followed by "Hold Back the Water", which was the flip side of the single "Blue Collar", which is also great. You may remember "Blue Collar" as a bluesy tune; unfortunately the band never explored that side of their music much, because this track works. Other good tracks include "Stayed Awake All Night" and "Down and Out Man", a rare vocal by early member Tim Bachman. Commercial success probably led them to go down the safe and easy path with subsequent releases, although their fourth album "Four Wheel Drive" rebounds a bit before the band personnel changed and BTO plummeted. This album and "Four Wheel Drive" are the ones you want. If you're a fan, the other albums work, too. But this is their best one, hands down.

This is a very good collection of their hits. The remastered sound is a revilation in itself. It's very crisp and clear allowing you to fully enjoy the songs. Also BTO is great driving music. Cruising long distances are no problem with songs like these. Pop the CD in the player and Roll Down The Highway.

bachman turner overdrive the band that will be remembered most of all for the song "you ain't seen nothin' yet" just like steppenwolf are remembered for "born to be wild" but just like steppenwolf "bachman turner overdrive" are more than a one hit wonder band that made some gigantic slices of ballsy rock
one being the song that featured in the smash hit film [a knights tale]
"takin' care of business" a rockin' tune to shake away those cobwebs
on this album you get the greatest cause of all
"lookin' out for number one" only kidding caring for others is important too but a classic tune anyhoo
"down down" not the status quo hit this is a rockin tune
the other highlights are "can we all come together"
being a very innuendo song
and the beating of the drum "jamica" MAN

backman turner overdrive proved to me that's there's more to commerical selling of a song and that you can make classic sounding songs at a drop of a hat..."you ain't seen nothin' yet"

This compilation isn't bad from a guitarist/singer/songwriter with the storied history of Randy Bachman. Randy joined a group in 1960 known as "Chad Allen and the Expressions". They had a hit with "Shakin' all Over". When Chad left, the group was renamed " The Guess Who " Guess who was used as a gimmick on an early recording as "Guess Who?" and the name stuck. When Randy left "The Guess Who" he started a group named "Brave Belt" that put out a two sided hit "Another Way Out/Dunrobin's Gone". This band morphed into "Bachman-Turner Overdrive" or just plain old "BTO". While many of their commercial hits are here, this is a band that churned out at least eleven albums (a couple without Bachman) including a live in Japan offering with the added bonus of Mountain's "Mississippi Queen" on it. Randy also had bands with the names of "Union" and "Ironhorse" both of which put out albums as well as recordings under his own name. In addition to the playlist on this album other songs that should have been included are "Not Fragile, Sledgehammer, Find Out About Love, Quickchange Artist and Hold Back the Water" to name a few. So much for a complete set. I was lucky enough to see a reformed "Guess Who" this past year and the biggest cheers went up for songs like "Taking Care of Business, You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" and "Roll on Down the Highway". Some people may consider "BTO" commercial and overplayed and on certain tunes its probably true but the audience and Bachman knows what they like. Straight ahead "working man" rock and roll. Now if we can just get "BTO" to put their past squabbles behind them and reform. What a blast from the past that would be.

The cocky title of this rock riffin' Canadian quartet's first greatest hits package was originally THE BEST OF B.T.O.-SO FAR, the worst case of overconfidence since Custer advised against taking prisoners. Their five biggies are here in all their soundalike glory, but unfortunately for the band, the party was soon over after that. C.F. Turner's gravelly, workman-like growl serves the best numbers LET IT RIDE and ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY well, even tho' Randy Bachman's TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS and YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHIN' YET got more airplay. The fifth and inevitably final hit HEY YOU was merely a laughable retread of all the above; at least they switched gears for the jazzy BLUE COLLAR and LOOKIN' OUT FOR NUMBER ONE. Bachman's first group, the Guess Who, displayed more variety and depth on their early classics AMERICAN WOMAN and THESE EYES, but as his second act, B.T.O's short reign is documented decently enough here. Bonus points for the trio of bonus tracks, hence the new, less ironic album monicker. RATING: FOUR GEARS

This cd is good but not great. I just don't think 12 songs is enough greatest hits for bachman turner overdrive. This is missing a whole lot of other great songs. This is a pretty good cd if you are just into Bachman Turner Overdrive a little bit but if you really like Bachman Turner Overdrive like I do than you better get the Anthology. I bought the Anthology and it was great. So if your a huge fan of Bachman Turner Overdrive then get the Anthology. Keep listening to great classic rock and please pray for our men and women that are fighting in Iraq for America.

More of the same from Bachman Turner Overdrive. More great smash mouth rock and roll. Fred Turner is my favorite hard rock singer. The boys turn it up mean and nasty on the title cut, she's keepin time, flat broke love and all the rest. Every song is quality hard rock. No rock band puts more quality music in every album than BTO. This is arguebally their best album but the first five are neck and neck. 5 STARS PLEASE

...when only two of this album's eight tracks do not appear on the remastered, 2005, excellent 2CD "GOLD" compilation.

The two missing FOUR WHEEL DRIVE tracks are "She's A Devil" and "Lowland Fling". If you listen to the sound bites above, you'll realize both are throw-away tracks.

So, why spend $50 for an unremastered, OOP disc, when you can buy a fantastic-sounding, 35-song collection for 1/3 the price?

Link to the remastered CD: Gold

Yes, I'm yet another 40-something guy who still thinks BTO rocked, well, most of the time anyway. Forget about the kids who diss the band (and anything '70s) because of stinkers like "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" heard on lame oldies stations. If you're one of those people, dig a little deeper into this band's music and you may lighten up a bit. They were actually quite good overall. "Four Wheel Drive", which I think was BTO's second-best album, borrows more than a little bit from their first self-titled album, which was their best. They both have good, staight-ahead, blue-collar-type rock, complete with great guitar riffs, C F Turner's snarling vocals (Randy Bachman does handle some of the numbers, with less satisfying results), and are without the piffle seen on the two intervening albums; in other words, sell-out tunes like "Takin' Care of Business" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" are absent. "Four Wheel Drive"s best tracks are the title track, "She's Keepin Time", "Quick Change Artist" and for something a little different, "Lowland Fling". Nothing fancy here, but that's OK. You want BTO, start with this one and the first album.

I'll admit right off that my review is likely to be biased, but I'll try not to be. This album was the very first record album I ever owned, and as a 15 year-old in 1975, I saved a long time for it. I absolutely LOVED it at the time, playing it so much I literally wore it out and had to buy another. My second and third-ever albums were also by BTO, with the fourth being Brave Belt II (BTO before they were BTO--c'mon somebody, release it on CD please--it's the only reason I still have my turntable hooked up). All my musical taste in the years following were heavily influenced by this powerhouse group, and this album in particular.

I have since grown a bit musically and realize that this album, while definitive BTO, was not their best. That honor goes to "Head On" for its more sophisticated and laid-back sound. The self-titled original album was first-rate also. "Four Wheel Drive" was their heaviest-sounding album by far. All songs on it were meant to be played loud. Listening to it now in my 'old age' can be tiresome due to its unrelenting sonic boom factor. Most of these songs were recordings that were rejected from their "Not Fragile" sessions. The album "Four Wheel Drive" came about because the band was under contract to release another album, but they had been touring heavily and had not had time to write any new songs. Thus, these 'left-overs' were pulled out and made into and album. This doesn't mean they are any less for it. I myself think it is every bit as good as "Not Fragile". All that said, if you're just starting your BTO collection, I'd recommend starting with the first album first.

While BTO may not have invented the power chord, they certainly perfected it or, at the very least, brought it to an art form. Following on the heels of their masterpiece "Not Fragile" (if you can apply the term "masterpiece" to a bunch of guys only concerned with overamplified boogie), "Four Wheel Drive" came close, very close, to equaling the heights of sonic bombast our neighbors to the north unleashed on that album. While the first two BTO albums were serviceable examples of authentic 70's chug, this album finds the band hitting its stride, both in terms of writing and playing. With its Twin Towers of Tonnage, Randy Bachman and Fred Turner, as always commandeering the assault on your inner ear, songs like the title track, "Hey You," "Quick Change Artist," and "Lowland Fling" hammer home our heroes' raison detre: plug in, turn up, and leave your cerebral cortex at the door. In terms of pure old school escapism, it's nice to have CD's like this that you can zap with a laser beam and be instantly transported back to high school. Underrated and unqualifyingly recommended...