A midpoint for the collaboration of
Harry Vanda and George Young and the missing early chapter in
AC/DC's career,
the Marcus Hook Roll Band was an Australian studio creation of the early '70s. Despite the heavy connection to
AC/DC -- it features
Malcolm and
Angus Young on guitars while some of the songs contain musical elements that would later resurface on
AC/DC albums -- it sounds very little like that sleazy heavy rock band and, despite boasting a song called "Goodbye Jane," it doesn't even sound as nasty as the big-booted
Slade. Instead, this is very much in the vein of
the Sweet, tempered with a little bit of the garage rock of
the Easybeats and a lot of slicked-up, radio-ready studio sheen.
Tales of Old Grand-Daddy shows bits of album rock indulgence -- "Silver Shoes" marches like the second side of
Abbey Road -- but it's best when it's all about trashy riffs, big beats, and singalong vocals. Strictly speaking, it's not glam -- compared to all the glitter emanating from the U.K., it's not as sexy or cheap; it's polished and assured -- but it's a kindred spirit and a whole lot of fun. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine