Though it may seem like ordinary 1970s
hard rock
, this album is interesting for a few reasons. The first is that it was produced by
Jerry Kasenetz
and
Jeff Katz
, the producers behind a string of classic bubblegum hits like
"Yummy, Yummy, Yummy"
"Chewy, Chewy."
The other reason is that the group leader
Bill Bartlett
was formerly a member of
the Lemon Pipers
, a
psychedelic
bubblegum group who scored a hit with
"Green Tambourine"
(which was produced by
Kasenetz
Katz
). All three men put behind their bubblegum past on this album of hard-driving
rock & roll
.
Ram Jam
is best known for its hit single,
"Black Betty"
; this electrifying update of a
Huddie Ledbetter
blues
tune layers on plenty of searing electric guitar riffs and a steady 4/4 drum beat that turns the song into a strange but exhilarating blend of
heavy metal
disco
. None of the other tunes on
surpass the bracing standard set by
"Black Betty,"
but there are some other worthwhile moments for
fanatics;
"Keep Your Hands on the Wheel"
is a stomping, driving-themed rocker in the vein of
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
, and
"Overloaded"
is a swinging rocker built on a taut bassline and a catchy, cowbell-driven chorus. The album also features
"Too Bad on Your Birthday,"
a mid-tempo rocker with a sing-along chorus that was later revived by
Joan Jett
. The one real downside here is that it suffers from a samey production style that makes the songs run together on first listen. Despite this problem, all the songs on
presents a sturdy blend of guitar fireworks and
pop
hooks that any hardcore fan of 1970s
will enjoy. ~ Donald A. Guarisco