There's something sad about a club band -- especially one as hard working as Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets -- trying to make a commercial record and failing so miserably at it as they do here. This album starts out as disastrously as any album possibly could. On the opening title track, it's obvious that
Sam Myers is singing to a prerecorded band track and that either that band track -- or
Myers -- is woefully off time on every one of the breaks, making this group of road veterans sound like a bar band making their first record. Funderburgh's less-is-more guitar is highlighted on his "Hula Hoop," while the bulk of the originals come from
Myers writing with various bandmembers, turning in throwaway items like "Things Have Changed," "Single Again," and "Willie Jo." As the group negotiates their way through a pile of covers (
Little Walter's "Little Girl,"
Muddy Waters' "Young Fashioned Ways,"
Jimmy Rogers' "What Have I Done,"
Buddy Guy's "$100 Bill") it's obvious that they find themselves on more familiar turf and these end up being the true highlights of the album. Oh yes, a nice version of "Key to the Highway" ends up being a "hidden" bonus track at the end of the album, too. All in all, a very uneven album that really doesn't show this band's strengths. ~ Cub Koda