By 1987,
T.S.O.L. had completed its transformation from a dark, gloomy skate-metal outfit to a bluesy bar band. Musically,
Hit and Run would fit in comfortably with
the Cult's
Electric (which is fitting since
the Cult underwent a similar transformation) or
Guns N' Roses'
Appetite for Destruction, a rather odd fit from a band that was earlier compared to
Bad Religion and even
the Dead Kennedys. Unfortunately,
T.S.O.L. lacks the clever songwriting, outstanding personality, and superior production that those two albums had. Though there are occasional standout moments, like the harmonica in the cover of
Leadbelly's "Good Mornin' Blues," the sometimes poignant lyrics to the power ballad "You Can Try," and the hard rocking "The Name is Love," they are few and far between. Too much of this is generic, run-of-the-mill hard rock, without any distinction. Singer Joe Wood is appropriately raspy, but he lacks the charisma of
Ian Astbury (let alone Axl Rose) and his lyrics are mostly forgettable. The rest of the band is even more anonymous, competent but hardly earth-shattering.
Hit and Run is fairly accurate in representing
T.S.O.L.'s later career, but probably won't be of much value to anyone but hardcore fans. ~ Victor W. Valdivia