British rock band Sweet enjoyed quite a bit of success in the early '70s, with singles, albums, and tours all garnering plenty of attention for the band as they became one of the most popular acts of the burgeoning power pop/glam rock movement. As the decade wore on, Sweet started to turn into more of a hard rock machine, but still relied on those catchy melodies that gave their songs that immediate impact. With a new record deal and new album, Level Headed, 1977 proved to be a transitional year for the band, but yet again another success story. Level Headed Tour Rehearsals 1977 is a 'live' album of sorts, as the band holed up in Shepperton Studios in England to fine tune their upcoming set list for a new tour, and guitarist Andy Scott has supplied these recordings for release on Angel Air Records, home to many Sweet archival gems from the vault.
Level Headed ultimately proved to be the last album to feature the classic four piece of Scott, singer Brian Connolly, bassist Steve Priest, and drummer Mick Tucker. They are joined here by keyboard player Gary Moberly and second guitarist Nico Ramsden, both of who helped flesh out the sound a bit. The intention was to not include any songs from the very early part of their career, concentrating on the mid-late '70s material along with songs from Level Headed. Along with classic fare such as "Fox on the Run", "Action", "Stairway to the Stars", "Sweet FA", and the rampaging "Set Me Free", you get solid renditions of then new tunes like "Love is Like Oxygen" (which became a pretty big hit for the band), "Dream On", "Fountain", and "Lady of the Lake". The guys really turn it on for "Done Me Wrong Alright", a song that shows they are much more than a glam band, as Moberly's keyboard stylings add a certain Deep Purple/Uriah Heep flair to their sound. All the trademark Sweet vocal harmonies are ever present, as are Scott's chugging riffs, making this a great overall set of some of the bands best material.
The sound quality is quite good, and Angel Air have included in the CD package a great booklet filled with photos & info on the band. As a sort of 'final document' of the classic line-up of the band, this one is a must have for fans.
Track Listing
1) Action
2) Yesterday's Rain
3) California Nights
4) Stairway to the Stars
5) Dream On
6) Lady Starlight
7) Lady of the Lake
8) Fountain
9) You're Not Wrong for Lovin' Me
10) Fox on the Run
11) Air on a Tape Loop
12) Done Me Wrong Alright
13) Love is Like Oxygen
14) Set Me Free
15) Sweet FA
16) Windy City
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