Consuming the Tangible

Oh, look: I’m reviewing a progressive/classic rock album from the 70s. New year, same old shit, in other words. But I have zero problem with that: it feels a little like coming home after a long trip. And because it’s brief (only two albums) we’re kicking off with the self-titled debut from Dillinger, a Canadian hard rock outfit with some progressive proclivities. Think Grand Funk Railroad with more keyboards and a bit more of a chip on their shoulder, especially considering this is a debut album. What do I mean by that? You’ll have to read the rest below the jump.

Formed in Toronto in 1973, Dillinger is the brainchild of the Harrison brothers – Jacques on keyboards, vocals, and various woodwind instruments, and Robert on drums and percussion. Together with Paul Cockburn (guitars) and Terry Bramhall (bass), Dillinger itself is an odd debut, comprised of only four songs, including a cover of “Nature’s Way” from Spirit, and a 17-minute loose jam called “Live and Return” which I think is half live…maybe? It’s hard to tell when a band decides their debut is the perfect place for a three-minute drum solo that goes nowhere, but I’m not going to hold that against the band or the album…that much.

Dillinger opens with “People” and it’s a fun rocker. Lots of organ, and Jacques gets a nice flute solo in at the track’s end. It’s the kind of non-threatening, perfectly serviceable hard rock with some prog touches – early Tull without their wit and personality. It’s not precisely dull, but it comes and goes with little impression. There’s a bit of a sharper edge to “City Man” and the bass is really up front in the mix, a good bounce behind it. Sweet harmonies on the chorus, too – I get a little bit of a Chicago vibe, which only serves to remind me that I don’t really know any Chicago beyond the hits. Their early stuff is considered very proggy as well, though I suspect the term’s being used in the same vein as here. The middle solo break has a nice jazzy element, making it the highlight of the album for me.

That leaves the band’s cover of “Nature’s Way” and…it’s fine? A little more soporific than Spirit’s original (you can hear it here), it’s just an odd choice for a debut this slight (it’s only 32 minutes) to have one of its four tracks be a cover of a song that only came out a few years earlier, and one without a lot of oomph to it. As for the epic finale, depending on where you and how you hear it it’s named differently. On streaming it’s called “Medley (Live, Return)” though on the original vinyl and subsequent CDs it’s called – more accurately based on the song itself – “Live and Return”. As mentioned it’s got a loose, shaggy feel to it, and I think for the most part it works. For a debut maybe I would have tightened up the arrangement, allow it to rise and fall and flow through its different sections. During the “brand new day” section it gets really slinky with an R&B vibe, and Cockburn lays down a sweet solo.

And then we get to that drum solo. Which completely derails the track. I 100% don’t get it – it’s like they didn’t have enough material for an LP so tacked this on to take up LP space. Another cover would have been preferrable or, better yet, take a little more time and write another song or two: we know two years the band would return with a second record (although wait until you hear the covers on that one…), so it’s not like the ideas weren’t there.

Anyway, there you have it. Dillinger, or as I like to say Grand Funk on prog steroids. It’s okay – filtered through a playlist of classic 70s rock it’s even enjoyable. As a debut and a standalone LP? Lacking.