The 1981 Listening Post - Y&T - Earthshaker

 Y&T - Earthshaker

#245

By John Tommasinno

Y&T

Earthshaker

Genre: Hard Rock

Allen’s Rating: 4 out of 5

John’s Rating: 3 out of 5

Highlights: 

Dirty Girl

Young and Tough.    

You never forget your first rock concert. It's often a great conversation point that tells you a little something about your friends. So when it comes up with me, I usually just blurt out "Motley Crue, 1985" and then I either hang my head in shame or just leave the room. Kidding. But technically, the very first band I saw live was Y and T , who were the opening act that night. I remember them as solid, guitar driven sub-metal with an array of Rock anthems. And that's exactly how this album, Earthshaker sounds... solid, guitar driven and it contains several rock anthems. Hard rock for sure but not heavy enough to be considered metal. There's nothing particularly outstanding here but it's not a bad record either. Three solid stars is my rating. And maybe the next time someone asks me about my first rock concert I will just say "Y and T".

https://open.spotify.com/album/6PpL2939IlbBGbF6OJyzwE?si=e3cyXis6TGiQOdbHBj8ksA

The 1985 Listening Post - Y&T - Down for the Count

Y&T - Down for the Count

#446/1081

November 9 1985

Y&T

Down for the Count

Genre: Rock

2.75 out of 5

Highlights:

Anytime At All

You know what killed Rock? People singing about how they have to Rock. 

Born to, in the name of, live for, etc. 

That said, this is the most energetic and fun Y&T offering. But it’s also a desperate attempt to mine the AC/DC vein. 

Like they really wanna play to a stadium filled with fist pumpers. So, what does it mean when your biggest sellout is also your most fun and accessible?

I don’t know. I know that I could cruise the California freeways with the top down in 1985, playing this on blast and feel like I owned the world. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/down-for-the-count/670908521

The 1984 Listening Post - Y&T - In Rock We Trust

Y&T - In Rock We Trust

#202

July 1984

Y&T

In Rock We Trust

2.5 out of 5

Highlights:

Keep on Runnin’

Your Love is Driving Me Crazy 

There’s something sad about this opening track. “Rock and Roll’s Gonna Save the World” is such a pander to a stadium full of head banging, t-shirt clad, parking lot heroes cuz we all know that it’s the anthem of those who have run out of ideas. ‘sides, singing about “rock and roll” is AC/DC’s jam, guys. If you’re gonna sing about it you better bring the fire. Not until they start sounding like Hagar Halen later into the second side (“Don’t Stop Runnin’”) does the album sound like they are having a good time. Why wasn’t this released as a single? And the Hagar continues with “Your Love is Driving Me Crazy” and I wish the album felt more like this. 

I bet they sound(ed) great live. And these songs, if you bothered to learn them would be fun to sing along to in concert. 

But, here they mostly just sound like rehashed rawk. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-rock-we-trust/670904414

The 1983 Listening Post - Y&T - Mean Streak

Y&T - Mean Streak

1983
Y&T
Mean Streak
2.5 out of 5

12 albums. How is it possible that Y&T recorded 12 albums of what seems to be the same song over and over? That’s not really fair, I’m just being mean. I liked’ Earthshaker from 81 but I really didn’t care for Black Tiger. On the other hand there is some downright finger-picking great axe work on this otherwise phoned in offering from Yesterday & Today.
We really only need one Sammy Hagar so there’s no need for Y&T…unless you really really really miss Montrose.