Mott: Triumph of the Dudes
MOTT THE HOOPLE Mott (Columbia) Mott the Hoople have been threatening to pull a masterpiece on us ever since their first album, a strong slow tide of outtakes from the headwaters of Blonde on Blonde. Later they proved they had mania to burn too; the wildest of Brain Capers was as fettle a spew of rage as we've known.
RECORDS
Mott: Triumph of the Dudes
MOTT THE HOOPLE Mott (Columbia)
Mott the Hoople have been threatening to pull a masterpiece on us ever since their first album, a strong slow tide of outtakes from the headwaters of Blonde on Blonde. Later they proved they had mania to burn too; the wildest of Brain Capers was as fettle a spew of rage as we've known. It was uneven, sure, but the laggard interludes — half-realized cover versions, fuzzy originals, overlong jams -were more than compensated by the rushing plasma thick force of the totally realized Mott sound: "Sweet Angeline", "The Moon Upstairs." And besides, it was good to have all those ganglial rough edges sprawling everywhere. Because this was a real blustery do-ordie band, see, they still knew how to break down doorsand maul the joint right. Their old producer Guy Stevens was a wired up Sardonicus, and they personally liked to destroy and overextend. Which they did until it was almost too late.