Bachman-Turner Overdrive II

I originally bought this album, on vinyl, in June of 1975. On July 5, 2014, I bought this album, in CD format, from Amazon. I'd like to review this album, as follows:1. "Blown"...This opening song is okay, but it's my LEAST favorite on this album.2. "Welome Home"...Because of THIS song's title, I think that this should have been the OPENING song, in my opinion. I think that this song is great, in every way possible. I really LOVE this song.3. "Stonegates"...This song is pretty good. I can remember when it was the Flip Side of the 45 r.p.m. single "Takin' Care Of Business". This song seems to have a country rock feel to it.4. "Let It Ride"...I always LOVED this song too, but it took me awhile to discover that it was Bachman-Turner Overdrive, until I bought THIS record, in 1975. "Let It Ride" climbed all the way to #23, on the TOP 40 Charts, in 1974.5. "Give It Time"...This song is pretty good.6. "Tramp"...I really LOVE this song. It reminds me, in certain parts, of BTO's earlier song "Don't Get Yourself in Trouble", which is a little more INTENSE than "Tramp" is. Another song that kind of reminds me of "Tramp" is the song "On The Radio", by Cheap Trick, from their 1978 album "Heaven Tonight".7. "I Don't Have To Hide"...This song is pretty decent. It almost feat. an Indian or even a Voodoo beat to it, making this song rather eerie @ times. But it's fun to listen to, anyway.8. "Takin' Care Of Business"...Here is the hit single that introduced me to Bachman-Turner Overdrive. I loved this song right from the very start. It will always remind me of when I just graduated from High School, in 1974. This hit climbed the TOP 40 charts to #12, in June 1974. I STILL think that THIS song is GREAT. And it seems as though I was hearing "Let It Ride" almost around the SAME time, that I was hearing "Takin' Care Of Business".This album was originally released in December 1973, making this album over 40 years old, now. And it sure brings back a lot of memories for me. This "Bachman-Turner Overdrive 2" album is highly recommended, by me.

Bachman-Turner Overdrive is most likely the most under-rated Rock Band of the 1970's. After leaving the Guess Who in 1970 and the failure of Brave Belt to capture any attention, Randy was about left for dead by the Record Companies and Rock Audiences. Burton Cummings was going on in the Rock Magazines about Randy being: "All Washed-Up" and/or a: "Has-Been".Well, with C.F. Turner on great gruff vocals and brothers Robbie and Tim on drums and guitars, Randy still had the Talent, and with these players, all that was missing between him and the Top of the Charts were the right songs.This second record by BTO has the Songs, and they are Classic Rock Songs. Some of the best Rock of the 1970's. Song's that are still remembered today, as some of the best of that Decade, are right here on: "Bachman-Turner Overdrive II."With: "Blown", "Welcome Home" "Stonegates","Let It Ride" & "Takin Care Of Business" all together on one Record, it is easy to see WHY this Record sold millions of copies. There are more Great Songs on this One Record, than many other Bands could muster-up over a 10 Year time span.Things do get a bit Sub-standard on Side B with: "Tramp" & "I Don't Have To Hide" being weak tunes. The reason for the inclusion of those two, is simple...this Album was rushed out quickly after the release of BTO {The 1st}, if Randy & Fred, had a bit more time to write Tunes, these two wouldn't have made the cut. But to cash-in on the Steamroller that the Band was becoming, Live Concerts were generating lot's of new Fans in 1973 {I saw them in September of that year, and they were Rock Solid Excellent.}. The sales of the first LP were constant, it was selling more copies every month. This Band was on the edge of Major Stardom, we knew it and the Record Company was aware that Teenagers of 1973 were starvin' for some plain & simple: "ROCK" Music. Groups such as Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer were the most popular acts of the day, and in-between those Synths sneaks in a Group of Guitar Slingers that HAD the riffs and Leads that we were waiting for. Randy Bachman is a real smart Guy, the reason for Bachman-Turner Overdrives MASSIVE success in 1974 was that he was wise enough to KEEP IT SIMPLE !!! This is Music that we could try to play in our garages, and Randy just like John Fogerty of CCR knew that, this Music was the Key.Yeah, there are some clinkers on this one, but it is almost a: "Greatest Hits" Record, all by itself. BTO Became big, Big, BIG because of this Record and the one that came next. Burton Cummings had some egg on his face when Randy started collecting Gold Records by the Truckload & Wheelbarrels full of cash because of these songs.This is a Great Record, this is Great Rock Music, Randy had his Day and this is it.Four Stars !!!

I had to buy BTO II twice because of this, but still this is a good idea putting the two albums together. The material is short and to-the-point so to see them packaged together here gives the listener more to take in and it doesn't leave you wanting more like a single album would do. The first album, with the exception of "Gimme Your Money Please" and "Blue Collar" (a pair of songs I've heard on the radio once VERY late at night) is nothing but deep cuts. The second album is the breakthrough and is a shining example of what good rock n roll in the 70's is about. "Welcome Home", "Let It Ride" and "Takin Care of Business" are FM classics that are still playing today and well worth the spins.

This is the breakthrough and is a shining example of what good rock n roll in the 70's is about. "Welcome Home", "Let It Ride" and "Takin Care of Business" are FM classics that are still playing today and well worth the spins. If you read into the history of this band you can hear Randy Bachman tell the tale of how he really had to re-establish himself and get out of the Guess Who's shadow and THIS was the album that did it. Short, simple and to-the-point this is a shining example of what a good album should be, even with some daft tracks in the middle; a capsule of what was going on at the time and simultaneously timeless.

Most people consider "Not Fragile" as the best album Bachman-Turner Overdrive ever did, but Bachman-Turner Overdrive II was a very underrated album. It has two good hits (Let It Ride & Takin' Care of Business), and very little filler. The band really told the truth in "Welcome Home" and "Tramp" will always be a song you will hear in the most unlikely places. I consider this there best effort. Go ahead and get their Greatest hits, but if you don't have this one, you will miss some jewels.

BTO were never going to change the face of rock music but what they did they usually did well. Their biggest asset was Randy Bachman's ability to conjure up a polished production without losing any of the band's powerful, crunching dynamics. The lyrics and music are for the most part cliched, but it's that feelgood factor that counts. This album is largely in the same vein as their major hit, 'You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet', which they would record the following year, its bassy, hard rocking sound laced with funky guitar rhythms.'Welcome Home' and 'I Don't Have To Hide' are the only tracks that deviate from the usual formula. The former is alternately mellow and loud with some inexplicable jazz at the end. The latter is reminiscent of the feel of songs like 'Witch Queen Of New Orleans' and 'Indian Reservation'.'Let It Ride' is one of the two better-known tracks on the album. Though one of BTO's lighter items, it regularly features on their hit compilations. The outstanding track is 'Takin' Care Of Business' with its delicious Stones-like opening bars. Status Quo recognised the song's potential, including it on one of their covers albums.'BTO II' isn't essential by any means, but should be a welcome addition to the collection of any fan of good-time 1970s rock.

excellent.

With the good songs there are enough not that great.

As a life-long BTO "Gearhead", I was very overall pleased with this album, "Let It Ride" baby."Let it Ride" was the first song I played with my new Shure V-15 Type 3 phono cartridge.A different in sound quality from my old ceramic stylist.My only complaint about this album is how "bright" sounding the the vinyl and original cd was ... woof !!The first song "Blown" almost blew my ear drums with how tinny (bright) that song started with.I've not heard a "re-mastered" cd or vinyl of this album yet. I pray the "mastering and pressings" get better.

Nachdem man vor einiger Zeit die LPs "Not Fragile" und "Four Wheel Drive" von Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) auf einer CD zusammengefasst und veröffentlicht hat, wurde dieses nun auch mit den ersten beiden Releases dieser Band (BTO I & BTO II) vollzogen. All das macht Sinn, weil hier die Spieldauer einer CD (knapp 80 Minuten) ziemlich ausgeschöpft wird und man somit zwei Alben einer Band auf einer (1) CD erhält. Vor allem das erste BTO-Album (BTO I) war bis jetzt nur sehr schwer und zu einem relativ hohen Preis zu bekommen. Das Problem hat sich nun erledigt.Beide LPs wurden in der Besetzung Randy Bachman (g, voc), Tim Bachman (g, voc), Rob Bachman (dr) und C.F. Turner (b, voc) eingespielt. Nach der zweiten LP verlies Tim Bachman die Band und wurde durch den Gitarristen Blair Thornton ersetzt.Da für beide CDs (BTO I & BTO II) bereits Rezensionen vorliegen, möchte ich mich - was die Musik anbelangt - nur auf das Wesentliche beschränken. Nachdem mit der ersten LP der Weg bereitet worden war (hervorstechende Songs: Gimme Your Money Please / Hold Back The Water / Stayed Awake All Night / Don't Get Yourself In Trouble), konnte man mit einigen Songs auf dem zweiten Album vor allem in Kanada und den USA bereits zwei Single-Hits verzeichnen (Let It Ride und Taking Care Of Business). Weitere gute Titel auf BTO II sind das ziemlich harte Give It Time und auch Welcome Home. Den europäischen Markt knackten BTO aber erst mit ihrer dritten LP "Not Fragile" und den Single-Hits "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" und "Roll On Down The Highway". Der Erfolg dieser dritten Scheibe führte dann auch dazu, dass vor allem in der BRD die Nachfrage nach den ersten beiden BTO-Platten enorm anstieg und die Band Mitte der 70er Jahre schon fast einen Superstar-Status bei uns genoss.Vier (4) gute Sterne halte ich für dieses Double-Pack für angebracht.Die ersten 5 Alben von BTO sind für die Fans dieser Gruppe sowieso Pflicht !Meine Empfehlung: Kaufen !