While other bands in the Bay Area were into their spaced out, unfocused drivel, the Flamin’ Groovies were honing their skills on straight ahead, power driven, rock and roll. Probably the best American band that should’ve, but didn’t hit the big time. The Groovies made some fine records, but Teenage Head remains their crowning achievement. This recording is as fresh today as it was when it was released in 1971. The song writing duo of Cyril Jordan and Roy Loney were probably the best in the business at the time, and the only real challengers in the field were Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. In fact comparisons of Teenage Head to the Stones Sticky Fingers LP were often pointed out. After hearing Teenage Head Jagger stated that the Groovies did a better job than the Stones did on Sticky Fingers. So why is Teenage Head such a great album? First of all, the material on the record varies from the hard driving Proto Punk anthemic title cut, to taut acoustic blues numbers such as a revamped version of Robert Johnson’s 32–20 and City Lights, then moves into areas such as the high energy rockabilly number Evil Hearted Ada, or the easy going cool of Doctor Boogie, while containing a couple of power ballads such as Yesterdays Numbers and Whiskey Woman, along with a couple of no nonsense rockers like Have You Seen My Baby? and the fantastic High Flyin’ Baby. What really makes this recording something special is the consistent high caliber of musicianship throughout the whole affair which makes Teenage Head a virtually seamless masterpiece of manic rockin’ out. Rarely does a record meet with its intended purpose as well as it does on Teenage Head. The seven added bonus tracks of raw, well played, unapologetic, rock and roll, on the 1999 Buddah CD reissue, only leaves you wanting more. Teenage Head is not just a very good record, but it is a great record. It is still influencing the more serious, no nonsense bands and musicians of today. This is a seminal rock and roll record which still is the definitive album in this genre. I suppose the comparisons to some of the Stones albums of the early seventies are warranted, but the Stones never did make an album this good. No sloppy, over the top theatrics on Teenage Head; just some tight, nicely crafted songs, which are played extremely well. Does that sound like any Stones album released? You owe it to yourself to see how it really should be done. God knows it isn’t being done today! The title track alone is worth the money and after hearing it you’ll wonder how in the hell didn’t these guys hit the big time?
Well, that is a long and strange tale, and just be thankful they managed to get this magnificent work down on wax, before their unfortuante end, as we knew and loved them at least. This is America’s premier lost classic Rock and Roll album. Hands down!!!