Retro Reviews: The J. Geils Band: Love Stinks

 I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. 

The J. Geil’s Band – Love Stinks (1980)

***

Producer: Seth Justman

Musicians: Peter Wolf, J. Geils, Magic Dick, Seeth Justman, Danny Klien, Stephen Jo Bladd

Songs: Just Can’t Wait, Come Back, Takin’ You Down, Night Time, No Anchovies Please, Love Stinks, Tryin’ Not To Think About It, Desire (Please Don’t Turn Away), Till The Walls Come Tumblin’ Down

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    This northeastern band has spent the 70s putting out some solid records, but their great strength has been as an electrifying band live, their last album Sanctuary was a well-done recording, it also pretty much felt like a product of that era. They have been well regarded by peers for such albums as Bloodshot - there's a lot of goodwill. Their new release, Love Stinks has a few surprises. Singer Peter Wolf still has his Jagger mannerisms and remains more a party vocalist, but some tracks feel like they are stretching out. While the band’s namesake is guitarist Geils, it has often been Keyboardist Seth Justman that drives the direction of the band. The rhythm section of Klien and Jo Bladd, and the varicosity of Magic Dick (Richard Salwitz) has always given the band it’s color. The addition of synths has not just been done for coloring but has opened their sensibilities into new wave; and the bludgeoning post punk.

    This has helped them to find a new focus and leaves one curious about the new decade for them. The band had used a roster of Producers from the prior decade, but now that Justman is behind the board, it feels different. There’s a story that when musician Prince was singed to Warner Bros, there was a condition he would produce and have full control – it’s a smart move, and Justman and the band may have seen that now. This might pay off.

    The opener sets the tone - a fun rocker, “Just Can’t Wait”, the follow up “Come Back” has an even more new wave dance feel. “Takin’ You Down” has a clever false start before shifting into another up tempo number. “Night Time” has a RNB ‘Cool Jerk’ feel to it with a great harmonica lead. The spoken “No Anchovies, Please” opens like a Springsteen ballad, be shifts to an old radio, comedy narrative, with nice saxophone leads. The title track became the perennial single, “Love Stinks” has a darkly humorous, pop post punk vibe. The surprisingly guitar heavy opening to “Tryin’ To Not Think About It” shifts to more dynamic blues RNB feel, where there is an interesting drum breakdown towards the heart of it. “Desire (Please Don’t Turn Away” has the most contemporary feel as a moody ballad. The closer “Till The Walls Come Tumblin’ Down” has a swing blues feel to it, it also might remind people of Ray Charles ‘Hit The Road Jack’.

    There’s the old adage; ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tracks’, yet in their case with the band, these ‘old dogs’ have managed to add some new tricks. There’s nothing more to add, it’s all pretty straightforward. While none of this is particularly profound, it is a fun spin.