The Flamin' Groovies

Legendarily called a better record than Sticky Fingers by the Stones themselves, Teenage Head is one of the few moments everything came together for this doomed band. They refrained from punching each other just long enough to get it recorded, and you can get through almost the entire album before the consistency goes out the window and they're tossing some crappy six-minute cover of a '50s song recorded at 5 A.M. in your face. "High Flyin' Baby" hits on Beefheart, "Whiskey Woman" sounds fantastic coming out of a jukebox and "Yesterday's Numbers" is just brilliant.

I've been betting on the Flamin' Groovies a long time. When they used to come on stage at
Golden Gate Park love-ins and all the psychedummies held their noses. I would move up
close to watch. knowing this group had something going for them beneath all that
ineptitude. I was one of the few who bought their first wretched record (Sneakers, an EP
on the Snazz label). And as their albums came out I bought them all, disappointin... More >

Surprisingly bluesy, with a good Robert Johnson cover, a great John Lee Hooker rip, and lots of slide guitar. Plus the title track, an inspired articulation/sendup of "California born and bred" youth rebellion. But "High Flyin Baby," "Evil Hearted Ada," and "Whiskey Woman" fall into the blues-rock trap--not surprising at all. (Grade - B)