Product Description

"Rocky Mountain Way", the tune that opens Joe Walsh's sophomore release (and remains one of his best-known songs), is atextbook example of Walsh's strengths. The song is driven by a slinky hard rock groove that boasts crunchy, distorted guitars, barrelhouse piano, wiry solos, and a catchy, singalong chorus--proving Walsh's penchant for mixing rock elementsand radio-ready accessibility with a sense of wit and fun. The rest of SMOKER YOU DRINK, PLAYER YOU GET follows suit, with the mid-tempo rock ballad "Bookends", the bouncy, Latin-tinged "Happy Ways", and the airy, wistful "Dreams" keeping the stylistic mix lively.
Walsh is flanked here by Kenny Pasarelli on bass and Joe Vitale on drums, keyboards, and flute. Production help from Bill Szymczyk helps give the record its signature sound--simultaneously chunky and slick--and brings the effects-heavy sound of Walsh's guitar to the fore. But this is ultimately Walsh's show: he knows how to rock,lilt, and craft a pop hook, all the while maintaining levity with his off-hand vocal delivery and playful lyrics. SMOKER YOU DRINK, PLAYER YOU GET is a solid slice of FM rock fare, and is still one of the standouts in Walsh's solo discography.

Track Listing

1. Rocky Mountain Way
2. Bookends
3. Wolf
4. Midnight Moodies
5. Happy Ways
6. Meadows
7. Dreams
8. Days Gone By
9. Daydream Prayer

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #303956 in Music
• Released on: 1992-04-01
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

A classic
His undisputed classic, brimming with that magic combination of everything coming together ~ the compositions, the playing and the whole feel of it. Really, this album should have been credited to the Joe Walsh Band rather than just JW, as it was definitely a group effort in all respects, not least compositionally, rather than a solo project (which is probably why none of its successors was as good). That aside, it's one of those albums with several great numbers such as Rocky Mountain Way and Meadows and that ingredient X ~ atmosphere. A must have ~ if you were around in 1973, of course.

Nowadays, the seemingly slight-of-frame but big-nosed Mr W has short hair and wears rimless spectacles, but he's still a fine and respected guitarist, despite that unfortunately thin and whiny nasal voice. However, that doesn't intrude much here as he didn't overstretch himself and vocal duties are shared with other members of the band. The original transcript to CD is good enough that digital remastering is unlikely to improve it much. But you never know, so if I ever saw a copy with the magic sticker, I'd probably snap it up on sight.

Buy this one along with its predecessor Barnstorm and its successor So What and you have the classic Joe Walsh trilogy. If not, Smoker in its own right is a classic of its time and genre by any measure.

His last great LP
Joe walsh is one of those artists who are well known for one of two numbers that are not entirely representative of their material. One of these tunes, Rocky Mountain Way, with its bluesy guitar licks and famous 'voice box' solo kicks off this, Joe's second offering.

In fact this and his first release the 1972 'Barnstorm', are actually the fruits of a trio including Joe, Joe Vitale and Kenny Pasarelli. Its a highly eclectic affair with a quality of musicanship and arrangements sadly missing in today's heavily marketed and largely univentive rock scene.

Those who know Joe's earlier work with the James Gang and the Barnstorm lp will know he has a lighter more melodic almost country rock side. There is evidence of this on the acoustic guitar echoes of 'wolf' and the closing (almost gospel) 'Daydream prayer'.

The real gems of the LP involve Joe's guitar with the brilliant joe vitale who as well as being a superb drummer, also plays flute and piano. His flute work alongside Joe's riffs on the instrumental 'midnight moodies' and particularly 'days gone by' are stunning.

Overall this lp as a laid back and very wistful feel and Joe's heavy chords make only an occasional impact. The best cut, 'Meadows' (continuing the frontier feel of Barnstorm)shows just how godd Joe's acoustic work can be.

This was Joe's last really good lp. 'So What' has some good moments, but this one has the consistency.

Rocky Mountain Daydream
Much has been said about Joe's "strangulated weasel" voice, but he does produce some treasures and classics. It has to be said, in between some vin ordinaires.

The opening track on this collection, "Rocky Mountain Way",is a classic in its way. Strong but not too heavy rock with a captivating hearbeat. Listen to it a few times and his guitar "voice tube" bits, can even stop grating.

He can sometimes sink into schmaltz, like the next track "Book Ends", but with enough musical bite to compensate.

Some Eagle-like notes at the start of "Wolf" shows how Mr. Frey and the rest thought he could fit in well.

Is he being serious with "Midnight Moodies". Yes, serious as jazz.

At this point the album is drifting a bit into dreamland "Happy Ways" should be the sole property of the Hare Krishna fellowship. Not in any way decrying their musical nous, of course.

"Meadows" starts with a boogie scream, then jogs along quite nicely into its pastoral blue skied poetry.

A gradual fade, for the rest of the collection, into Hippy/Poppy reflections and dreams is ok with me, but where is the real Joe Walsh?

I don't know. I'm just and ordinary average....