Bloodshot
is
the J. Geils Band
's third studio album and their first Top Ten (and last until 1982's smash
Freeze Frame
). The band sounds tighter, meaner, and funkier than on their first two releases, frontman
Peter Wolf
is looser and wilder than ever, and
J. Geils
positively rips things up on guitar. This newfound power could be down to the band blanketing the country and honing their craft in sweaty bars and concert halls. The positive response to their raw and alive live album
Full House
may have helped too. Whatever the cause,
fairly jumps through the speakers on flat-out rockers like their cover of obscure
soul
stomper
"(Ain't Nothin But A) Houseparty,"
the lean and nasty
"Back to Get Ya"
(which features a classic
Wolf
aside, "Scramble my eggs, honey!"), and concert fave
"Southside Shuffle."
The band also shows their range with hokey but fun
blues
shuffle
"Struttin' with My Baby,"
bopping
jump blues
(
"Hold Your Loving"
), and very convincing heartbroken balladry (
"Start All Over Again"
). The band also delivers their first self-penned classic, the
reggae
-influenced
"Give It to Me,"
which starts off as a tight and tough
pop
song and spreads out into a funky jam that equals anything similar
the Stones
ever attempted. Along with it being a hit,
is the first
Geils
album to stake a claim on the major leagues of
rock & roll
. ~ Tim Sendra