Montrose (1974) - Starliner - LOST 70s GEMS

Paper Money the sophomore album from California hard rockers Montrose starts off with the melodic pop of Underground, which has a pretty middle eight of "one by one they'll all taking up my space and time" with a steady lead in back to the main body fo the song like Zeppelin; the track is distinguished by the more harmonious vocals and shimmering guitar work though the jagged stop/starts and airey distortion keeps the aerial crunch of the debut album. The droning multi tracked slide guitar melody that opens the next track, Connection, is gorgeously beautiful before it leads to a placid folk acoustic verse that reflects Gong to California by Zeppellin, no doubt a towering influence of all bands circa 74 and thereafter. Nobody balanced these elements of acoustic guitars, mellotrons, chiming arpeggios and building up drum beat like Zep, but Montrose were by far the closest to their British idols; the refined vocal melodies and more variety of playing makes this a solid followup from the gigantic hard rock expanse of their debut album. The Dreamer is unimaginative track ironically, but Starliner returns to the semi-Prog space rock of Space Station #5 with it's gooey guitar and reverb soaked guitar whooshes, some quacky wah wah synth ala P Funkedelic and enough speed drumming to hint at the bright prog pop of the Who and Yes. Ronnie Montrose delights in multi tracked guitar melodies and droning like Brain May, who was also just getting started. Question; just how many bands took form Montrose? 

  Spaceage Sacrifice is another mix of flights of space rock and solid hard rock grooves, though We're Going Home's Mellotroned ballad lacks the sincerity to really drive home the winsome melancholy it aims for with it's tragic blues solo. Paper Money starts with dramatic rolls and sliding power chords for backing to the money troubles of the lyrics; from the drama to the down-to-earth; and just listen to the strangled, mangled heavily fuzz guitar solo that symbolises the ever-intensifying financial anxieties. But it's the quality of the melodies and songwriting which explains why this album, though not loved by fans nor critics was their highest charting.