The J. Geils Band - Freeze-Frame (1981)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a cassette tape, later replaced by a CD.

A big hit album released when I was an easily influenced 15 year old nudnik. As a confused adolescent, I was definitely the target audience for the album's "screw school, let's get drunk and laid!" lyrics. Plus the combination of rock and New Wave synths was almost novel at the time; but it's when the synths get out of the way that the band gets goin'. This album was good enough for me in '82, but not so much these days except for nostalgia's sake. Rolling Stone gave the album a rare 5 star review (see below); I just don't hear it. Fortunately, it introduced me to the band and I went on to find their better live albums.

Press of the time:

• Rolling Stone (★★★★★): "maximum R&B with all the trimmings"
• Smash Hits (7½  out of 10): "ill-mannered, flashy and more than a little calculated" 
• Robert Christgau: B+
• Billboard: "holds few surprises but few disappointments either"
• CashBox: "good time, house party R&B rock"
• Record World: "the bad boys from Boston are getting a warm pop and AOR welcome"
• High Fidelity: "tough, bracing, and often brilliant"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #1
• Billboard Rock: #1
• CashBox: #1
• Rolling Stone: #1

Tracks:  I still like the hits Centerfold and the title track. The rest is pretty much filler, but better filler than most. Since the hits and better filler were on side 1, side 2 was neglected most of the time. Still, the only tracks I skip are River Blindness and the Top 40 hit Angel In Blue.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  On the weekend of March 26, 1982, I traveled with my church's youth group a few hours to the northeast of town for a weekend retreat at a church camp. Being a preacher's kid, I was wrongly held to a different standard than the other knuckleheaded teenagers on the trip or maybe that was just my self-centered perception, anyway. Those inappropriate expectations, coupled with my "you can't tell me what to do" attitude (which I still have, for better or worse), led to some camp hijinks that landed me in some mild trouble with the camp staff. Upon return home, I knew I could expect a severe punishment from the folks. However, I had somehow contracted the measles, started showing symptoms during the weekend, and by the time we got back to town, I was in bad shape. I spent the next week (March 29 - April 2) at home, the sickest I have ever been in my life: high fever, disorientation, hallucinations, the whole nine yards. So I suppose my illness served as my punishment, since my parents never mentioned my camp troubles. Maybe they never find out? I wish I could blame my camp capers on the measles, but I know it was just typical teenage foolishness.

So what's all this got to do with Freeze-Frame? Before we left on the church trip, I picked up this cassette along with a copy of Ghost In The Machine at the local Radio Shack which was but a block away from the church.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Showtime! (1982)
"Live" Full House (1972)