After hitting it big in the
arena rock
sweepstakes with
Fool for the City
,
Foghat
continued along the same lines on 1976's
Night Shift
. This time, ex-
Edgar Winter
sideman
Dan Hartman
took the producer's chair. The result is a well-produced and solid
hard rock
album that nonetheless feels disappointing because it lacks the consistently high levels of energy and inspiration that marked its predecessor. This time, the
hard rocking
highlights included the title track, a powerhouse tune built on a strong combination of an ascending guitar riff and rumbling bassline, and
"Drivin' Wheel,"
an automobile-themed slab of
boogie rock
that glides along on a stomping, cymbal-accented beat and plenty of fat power chords.
also boasts one of the group's best
ballads
in
"I'll Be Standing By,"
an emotional number that boasts a heart-tugging vocal performance from
Lonesome Dave Peverett
and a skillful arrangement that plays off soaring electric guitar riffs against a lush string arrangement. Elsewhere, the material is energetic but hit-or-miss in terms of its quality:
"Drivin' Wheel"
is a fun but repetitive rocker that lacks any surprises in its rather monotone arrangement, and
"Hot Shot Love"
is an uninspired attempt at creating a radio-friendly midtempo tune. The end result is an album that offers enough highlights to please
's hardcore audience but is too inconsistent to keep the casual listener interested. As a result, neophyte
enthusiasts should probably sample
's highlights on a compilation before deciding whether or not to pick it up. [This
Wounded Bird
reissue includes the bonus track
"New Place to Call Home."
] ~ Donald A. Guarisco