THUNDERMUG — Orbit (review)

Album · 1973 · Hard Rock

3/5 · 2016-01-13
voila_la_scorie

Orbit is the second album by Canadian hard rockers, Thundermug. Following up the success generated with their debut "Thundermug Strikes", the band eased back a bit off its tight and electrifying hard rock and attempted to diversify its sound.

My impression from the first listen and still now after several is that the band gave up some of what made the debut such an exciting and excellent collection of music. The debut could be compared to a skillfully executed fireworks display while "Orbit" to me sounds less precise and less focused on making a solid impression. It seems more like an album where the band let its hair down and tried to have fun. This wouldn't be a bad thing except that there are no songs like "Africa", "Jane J James" or "Where Am I", which made the debut stand out so well.

The title track is also track one, sometimes a warning that it will also be the best track. Indeed, this catchy rocker sticks in my head. Not as good as "Africa", yet it works effectively enough. Joe de Angelis still has his 80's hairband vocal style (this is 1973) and sounds like he could have inspired Axel Rose in one part. There's a perfectly 80's free form guitar solo to close the song. Where did they get this guitar sound in '73?

The rest of the first side has some good moments here and there but clearly shows the band loosening up. "Molly-O" is a vocal duet with de Angelis and guitarist Bill Durst using only acoustic strumming and rapid percussion (no drums). Sounds like a song you could play on the beach.

"We'll Never Forget" is a little bit silly in parts with de Angelis spitting a hoarse, "Sacre bleu!" at the end. "Mickey Mouse Club" is the first song to recapture the tight and quickly-paced style of many of the songs on the debut but is less heavy. "Victoria Muse" must be the biggest surprise on the album as a classically-influenced instrumental that brings the band close to progressive territory.

"The Investigator" from the debut gets a new treatment here and although it recalls the space the band was in the previous year, to me it's not an improvement on the original.

The band go all out heavy for "Bad Guy" and even run a bass overdub through a distortion pedal. A loud, noisy and raucous number, the song is again not as tight as the songs on the debut but it nevertheless shows the band pumping at full energy levels.

Thundermug seem ready to try their hand at an acoustic ballad for the album closer; however, the song is but a tease and wraps up after one line of clever word play.

This is not the best place to start if you are interested in the band. However, if you do get this album first then you may hopefully find the debut even better. Thundermug managed one more album in their career but word is that it is in a more commercial vein. "Orbit" was out of print for a long time but was re-released by Axe Records in 2015 and is available from the label's web site.