When I last checked a few years ago, Boston’s self-titled debut album, released in 1976, was the best-selling debut album in history, by any artist. I don’t know if this remains true today, but it is easy to see why this album was on the No. 1 perch for so many years.
Boston’s music can be classified as hard to heavy rock, with distinct pop overtones. What sets this band apart from other artists from the same genre is their attention to melody and harmonics. There is also something clearly distinctive about the sound of this band–it’s one that no group has been able to emulate, although many bands have been clearly influenced by the Boston sound.
The biggest component of the Boston sound is the band’s leader, Tom Scholz. Scholz holds a degree in mechanical engineering, and this knowledge enabled him to design and build his own special effect pedals and guitars. This knowledge, coupled with an innate talent for mastering the tools of the studio, helped this group to achieve their unique and distinctive sound.
The members of Boston, and their contributions to the album, are as follows:
Tom Scholz, lead and rhythm guitars, acoustic guitar, special effects guitar, bass guitar, organ, clavinet and percussion
Brad Delp, lead and harmony vocals, acoustic twelve-string guitar, rhythm guitar and percussion
Barry Goudreau, lead and ryhthm guitars
Fran Sheehan, bass guitar
Sib Hashian, drum and percussion
The songs on the album and my comments about each follows.
1. More Than A Feeling–This song is probably the most recognized rock n’ roll anthem of the 1970’s. A vibrant twelve-string acoustic guitar provides the backdrop for the verses, and the electric guitar, complete with effects, takes over in the choruses, which have a somewhat syncopated rhythm. Scholz dazzles with a brilliant solo, complete with a little double guitar. Brad Delp really hits the high notes well. This tune is a perfect example of this band’s attention to melody. It’s really a pretty piece, even when it gets “hard”.
2. Peace of Mind–An acoustic guitar that’s literally thrashed provides the momentum for this song. It’s nicely accompanied by a cool lead guitar riff, and the formula is pretty much straight rock n’ roll. The message of the song is contained in the title–it’s all about peace of mind and the frantic lifestyles that prevent most of us from achieving it. The electric guitar solo demonstrates a few of the effects that Scholz uses to achieve his unique sound. The double guitar parts are just as much a part of this sound as the effects.
3. Foreplay/Long Time–A jamming, improvisational, jazzy organ, backed by the other players, provides an extended introduction to this offering. The song is rather long at almost eight minutes but the musicians playing off of one another is more than entertaining. After the instrumental Foreplay part of this medley, Brad Delp provides some great high range vocals and harmonies. His voice is not overpowering, but it suits the band’s style just the same. A supple acoustic guitar is showcased after the verses, and Scholz really does some dazzling guitar work in his solos.
4. Rock & Roll Band–This song is autobiographical and gives us a somewhat abbreviated history of this band, in a pure rock n’ roll form. All of the musicians turn in excellent performances, with the electric guitar and bass providing most of the impetus. A key change precedes the electric guitar solo, and it provides the uplifting effect that this trick of musical composition was designed for. Delp really screeches the vocals, and what more can you say about Tom Scholtz and his electric guitar?
5. Smokin’–Another straight up rocker. The guitar riffs, doubled by the bass, put a different face on the rock n’ roll form. The organ solo is compelling in this song, and provides the feel of a good jam with a minimum of rehearsal. This song is made by the way that the players accent the licks at just the right time.
6. Hitch A Ride–This is my favorite song on the album. The acoustic guitar is the basic layer of this song, which is somewhat subdued until the orgiastic organ solo. The song closes with an extended melodic guitar solo in which Scholz shows us how his band melds hard rock and melody. He also demonstrates just how many effects he’s created to make the Boston sound. This solo is one of my all-times favorites, it’s just that good. The acoustic guitar helps this song just die out at the end.
7. Something About You–A murky guitar part and a voice begin this song in a subdued fashion, but a double guitar riff backed with a bouncing bass line pick up the tempo. The tune is just good hard rock n’ roll, and the message is about self-perception. Sholz’s guitar solo walks “up the ladder” in one of his finest performances on the album. The song ends with the same double guitar riff that started it.
8. Let Me Take You Home Tonight–The album ender. At first blush, it doesn’t seem like such a good choice, with the acoustic guitar part and the almost laid-back air of the song, but it gets hard and uptempo at the end. Delp’s vocals are his best on the album, and Barry Goudreau’s lead guitar solo is a marked departure from the style of Scholz, although a few licks are contributed by the latter. As I said, the song gets harder at the end and provides a satisfactory end to the album.
Boston’s debut album was a smashing success, and it’s easy to see why. At a time when a lot of people were mourning the passing of the 60’s and the death of rock and roll, this band provided a new, refreshing perspective on the art form. I highly recommend this album and the albums that followed by Boston.
