The 1981 Listening Post - Pat Travers - Radio Active

Pat Travers - Radio Active 

#375

1981 Housekeeping

Pat Travers

Radio Active

Genre: Rock

2.75 out of 5

Highlight:

Untitled

You know what I think of when I hear the opening track? Like your really talented uncle hates all this “New garbage music!” And decided to write a song deriding it while playing the shit out his guitar to prove that it was better in his day!

Travers comes across, as a singer at least, about as good as Jim Steinman. As a songwriter he’s kind of all over the place and really could use a producer who has some sense of song construction. 

He could also use a lyricist. 

So, in essence, he shouldn’t write his own lyrics or sing his own songs and he should have someone arrange them.

Maybe he should just shut up and play his guitar. 

Man…did I have a bowl of cranky flakes or what? 

The instrumental “Untitled” is the best track here and that speaks volumes. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/radio-active/1474274771

The 1980 Listening Post - Pat Travers Band - Crash and Burn

Pat Travers Band - Crash and Burn

#72

1980 Housekeeping

Pat Travers Band

Crash and Burn

Genre: Blues Rock

3.5 out of 5

Highlights:

Snortin’ Whiskey

Born Under a Bad Sign

Requisite 80s cover: 

Bob Marley’s “Is This Love”? Perfectly fine white guy blues bar version. Stick with the original. 

When I was younger I used to get Pat Travers and Pat Matheny confused. 

And, when I say, “younger” I mean last week.

Part of that is that I never really listened to either. 

So, Travers…he’s a rock n blues guitar slinger, eh?

This album reminds me of Nashville Pussy’s Let Them Eat Pussy. A terrifically titled record with a ribald cover and a scorching hot song called, “Fried Chicken and Coffee” which was nominated for a Grammy. 

I love that song. Never really cared for the rest of the record.

This one has a track called “Snortin’ Whiskey” and it’s a neat little Blues Breaker. And there’s a few of them on this album, but I think ZZ Top does what Travers wants to do better and renders him a bit redundant. 

Regardless, it’s Travers’ voice that is the weakest thing here. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/crash-and-burn/285494559