DESCRIPTION:
Here is One Way Records double album CD of Pat Travers, "Putting It Straight" & "Heat In The Street," in that order.

Note that the song order is different on "Putting It Straight" than it was originally released.

The below review for "Putting Straight," is reviewed in order of orignal album realease song order.

5 Stars = Masterpiece

Pat Travers "Putting it Straight" 1977

Since 1977, have I've been spinning this album. I've went through three vinyl copies & have a Japanese import CD, now I also have a double album CD which "Heat in the Street" is also included. It maybe redundant at this point to say that "Putting it Straight" is not just my favorite PT album, but my favorite album of all time! It still sounds as everybit fresh today as the day I popped it on my record player, so many years ago.

"Putting it Straight" starts off with the speeding mammoth, shiny metallic freight train that is "Life in London." PT's last word on the punk scene that was consuming London at the time. Fast, hard, & metallic, "Life in London" is a juggernaut stomping on the lifeless corpse that punk would be in a couple of years. The second & third songs, "It Aint What it Seems" & "Speakeasy," are rollicking guitar riff driven tunes that speak of goodtimes & bad. "Running from the Future" (my favorite song off the album) is a monster of Jazzy metal heaviness with guitar breaks that bring tears to my eyes. The sound he gets out of his guitar is just incredible on this song & the album as a whole, truely unique. "Running from the Future's" subject is also as forboding as it is heavy. PT speaking of his drug use, knowing it will lead to nowhere. "Lovin' You" is a keyboard driven song of love & regret. The funky instrumental "Off Beat Ride" demonstrates PT's fusion side not unlike Jeff Beck's "Wired," it also shows PT's considerable keyboard talents. The giant funky metallic riffery & time changes of "Gettin' Betta" is a immortal PT classic. It draws you in like a set of white water rapids, full of bumps & grinds, you have to hang on! The last song, "Dedication" is gorgeous. It's melody takes you away. It's lryics about friendship & kindness are truly heart-felt & warm. There is no doubt that PT knows how to write important personal songs of life & how to live it, a masterpiece.

This is the last album to feature the tremendous drumming of future Iron Maiden drummer Niko McBrain. Next would be Tommy Aldridge!

5 Stars = Masterpiece

Pat Travers Band "Heat in the Street" 1978

I just loved the cover photography of this album, showing PT & band relaxing, having a cool one in a downtown Miami street parking space. As a matter of fact, my friends & I liked it so much we were going to do the same thing here in our town, Cedar Rapids, with a big sign of "Heat in the Street" with the song blaring in the background. Alas, we never did, so much for the exuberance of youth.

PT added a second guitarist the smokin' Pat Thrall & new drummer, the brilliant Tommy Aldridge for a live band that would be feared as an opening act to end all headlining acts, & even though this is a studio effort, one could tell already this was a band to be reckoned with. "Heat in the Street" opens with the monsterous self titled musician extravganza. Guitars, bass, drums, flowing at high speed down a musicscape of perfection, as one densely tuned unit. "Killer Instinct" romped & rolled all over my ears. "I Tried to Believe" is an heart-felt proffession of unrequited love. "Hammerhead" was a instrumental milestone of speed & aggression, truly one of a kind at the time. "Go All Night" may well be the fastest & funkest PT song to date, a perpetual creation of heavy funk rock motion. "Evie" is just a plain all out party rocking monument to partying. Last, but not least, another beautiful song in the tradition of "Putting it Straight's "Dedication," the love song "One for Me & One for You."

With this third studio album PT made no doubt that his was the most sophisticated Heavy Metal band in his day. Very few trodded down the path of his marriage of instrumental perfection, writing skills, & funk/metal, to put it over the top. A true visionary!

"Putting It Straight"

1. Life In London
2. Gettin' Betta
3. Runnin' From The Future
4. Off Beat Ride
5. It Ain't What It Seems
6. Lovin' You
7. Dedication
8. Speakeasy

"Heat In The StreeT'

1. Heat In The Street
2. Killer Instinct
3. I Tried To Believe
4. Hammerhead
5. Go All Night
6. Evie
7. Prelude
8. One For Me One For You