It seems rather evident to me that Ronnie Montrose was not too interested in repeating the rock classic of a year previous. He'd done it, and now he seemed to have the elbow room to pursue other textures (plainly even by adding keyboards to the line-up.) As imperfect as it is, the album in some sense is more rewarding than the first. Listen to the reworking of "Connection" by Jagger and Richard. Sung much more beautifully, the acoustics heartrending. "Spaceage Sacrifice" is "Space Station # 5" turned inward. More moody, atmospheric...even troubled. Then for sheer straight ahead Ronnie, you've got "I Got the Fire". It may require more patient listening than the first, but I believe you'll be amply rewarded. Kudos to Montrose for not repeating the formula, and branching out onto some new aural scapes in the sophomore effort. Paper Money
I don't think this album is better than Montrose's 1973 debut, so don't be mislead by the title of this review. I bought Paper Money on vinyl the day it hit the stores in '74 and remember my disappointment. The first album was a heavy metal freight train from the first song to the last - Paper Money did not pick up where the first album left off. Over the past twenty-seven years Paper Money was seldom removed from the old peach crate.However, over that same period of time I became a huge Ronnie Montrose fan collecting the CD's of everything he did from the early Montrose days to his most recent instrumental "guitar music." Recently examining a Ronnie Montrose discography, I realized I never bought Paper Money on CD. I bought it, and after all these years listened to it again. Even though I am no longer influenced by the anticipation of waiting for the second Montrose album, not to mention a more mature listener of music, I must say I still felt something was wrong with this album. I soon found the answer I was looking for, with a little help from what is called the Program Function, available on most CD players.What a differce it makes when you listen to this album in a different order. If I had the chance, I'd ask guitarist Ronnie Montrose and lead singer Sammy Hagar why "Underground" written by Rappaport, and "Connection", written by Jagger and Richards, were choosen as the first two tracks. They are both good songs, but all the momentum built up by the first album came to as screaching halt. Here is a suggestion, start off with track 8, the title track, a song actually written by Montrose and Hagar, but more importantly a song that gradually introduces the listener to a band that is evolving. Experiment from here, I like this order: 8,7,3,5,1,2,6,4. Come to think about it, I do think this album is better than the first.
What do you do after an amazing first record.Do you make the same record again or....Well Montrose kind of did. This record starts of with the least good tracks and it is kind of unfortunate because the the balance of this record gets all wobbly.The good tracks here are incredibly good and make this a great buy.This is pure Montrose-Hagar heavy.Another reviewersuggested putting these songs in a different order,I agree with that.I think I am walking in circles here,if you like heavy get the first one and if you like the first one get this one for sure.
I bought this album the only time I've ever seen it on the shelves... and this was at a book store no less! I loved the Montrose debut album and decided to give this one a go without even so much as hearing one song from it before hand. I was not disappointed! "Paper Money" includes more layers and complexity than its predecessor, but also has enough truly great hard rock moments to make it another classic. If you liked the debut, check this one out. I know some reviewers felt that this was a significant drop off from their 1st release, but I don't see it. Just listen to "I've Got the Fire" and the title cut for a jolt!
Montrose's sophomore recording appeared in 1974 and used the same partnership for production/engineering with Ted Templeman and Donn Landee. There was a slight change in the line-up with new bass player Alan Fitzgerald who also plays synthesizer replacing Bill Church while the three remaining members are the same: Sammy Hagar on vocals, Ronnie Montrose on guitar, and Danny Carmassi on drums.
Instead of cloning the pure hard rocking '73 debut, the band deiced to expand its range adding ballads, synths, and even a mellotron; all three appearing for the first time on this record. Although this may have led to Hagar's departure from the band, still this is an excellent album!
The experimentation is already apparent right from the beginning with Montrose's guitar being filtered through a leslie organ speaker on their cover of Chunky, Novi & Ernie's song called "Underground" that displays a pop sensibility that was not featured in the debut. I really liked the bridge with the 'one by one...' lyric featuring drummer Carmassi on lead vocals! For me, that bridge is more memorable than the chorus!
Next comes another cover, this time it's the Rolling Stones composition "Connection" from the 1966 "Between The Buttons" LP. While the original was an up-tempo rock/pop song, here the band turns it into a soulful ballad that lasts for about five minutes and a half. Well executed! The mellotron is played by session musician Nick DeCaro.
In the heavy rocker "The Dreamer" you can hear a Mountain influence giving off a "Mississippi Queen" vibe. In the middle it quiets down and it is Fitzgerald's opportunity to play a synth solo on top of an arpeggio. An unexpected turn follows with "Starliner" being the band's first ever instrumental. A very good one it is! The synths add a psychedelic touch to this up-tempo hard rock composition with Motrose delivering some inventive lead guitar and riffs. The hard rock continues with "I Got The Fire" which is the closes this album gets to the style in the debut with a scorching solo from Montrose in the middle. It was later covered by the metal group Iron Maiden for one of their b-sides.
"Spaceage Sacrifice" is a spacey number with fine vocals from Hagar, an atmospheric chord pattern on the guitar during the verses and a blues/rock groove in the chorus. Another ballad written and sung by Montrose himself follows titled "We're Going Home. This time the mellotron is much better incorporated here than it was in "Connection". Montrose plays the best solo in the album on this track too. The title cut brings the LP to a close. The highlight here is definitely the percussion from Carmassi and Hagar's vocals. Before the fade out, Montrose adds some tremolo arm feedback effects.
In conclusion, this sophomore recording may lack the hard rock quality of the debut, but it is a good companion to it. Get it and hear the experimental side of this underrated band called Montrose!
Thanks for taking the time to read!
Later... - Album-oriented Rock - Vintage Metal - Montrose - Hard Rock'
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