Rockets ((Turn Up The Radio)

The Rockets' second album is often regarded as their best for many reasons. First, storied Allman Brothers producer Johnny Sandlin came aboard, worked lots of magic, and had the foresight to see The Rockets cover the old Fleetwood Mac (Peter Green era) song “Oh, Well,” which brought them into America’s heartland and the American Top 40. And because the band had fired its original bassist, legendary Muscle Shoals man David Hood filled in; you can hear magic in the rhythm section. (Rockets drummer/songwriter Johnny Bee is no slouch either.) Plus, they recorded the wonderful “Long Time Gone,” a gift from Bob Seger. Singer David Gilbert bestows upon these already-singable choruses a certain gutsy drama, and ex-Cactus and Mitch Ryder guitar hero Jimmy McCarty plays with tremendous soul and audible charisma throughout. (No surprise, considering he’s one of the unsung greats in all of rock ’n’ roll.) This whole 1978 album is a winning mix of let’s-get-a-hit FM rock and pop, revving R&B, Detroit bar-band grit, and some Southern white-boy soul and blues.