• Artist: Mott the Hoople
• Rating:
• Styles: Proto-Punk, Album Rock, Glam Rock
• Track Picks: "Born Late '58," "Crash Street Kidds," "The Golden Age of Rock & Roll"
• Similar Albums: Just Like This, Suck It and See, Only After Dark, ...And I Mean It!, Electric Warrior, Feats Don't Fail Me Now, Dixie Chicken, Sailin' Shoes, Rides Again, Hendrix in the West [1972], The Cry of Love, Crazy Horse

Review

Mott was so good that the sequel, appropriately named The Hoople, has been unfairly dismissed as not living up to the group's promise. No, it doesn't compare to its predecessor, but most records don't. The bigger problem is that Mick Ralphs chose to leave during the supporting tour for Mott, leaving Ian Hunter as the undisputed leader of the group and subtly changing the character of the band's sound. Even with Hunter as the band's main songwriter, Ralphs helped shape their musical direction, so without a collaborator in hand, Hunter was left without a center. It isn't surprising that the record seems a little uneven, both in terms of songwriting and sound, but it's hardly without merit. "Roll Away the Stone," a leftover from Mott, is first-rate; "Crash Street Kidds" rocks viciously; "The Golden Age of Rock & Roll" is a pleasant spin on Bowie-esque nostalgia (think "Drive-In Saturday"); and Overend Pete Watts follows through on that theme with "Born Late '58," a perfectly credible rocker. This all makes The Hoople an entertaining listen, even if it doesn't compare to Mott's earlier masterpieces. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
The Golden Age of Rock & Roll		Ian Hunter	Mott the Hoople
Marionette		Ian Hunter	Mott the Hoople
Alice	...	Ian Hunter	Mott the Hoople
Crash Street Kidds		Ian Hunter	Mott the Hoople
Born Late '58		Pete Watts	Mott the Hoople
Trudi's Song	...	Ian Hunter	Mott the Hoople
Pearl 'N' Roy (England)	...	Ian Hunter	Mott the Hoople
Through the Looking Glass		Ian Hunter	Mott the Hoople
Roll Away the Stone		Ian Hunter	Mott the Hoople

Credits

Ian Hunter (Guitar (Acoustic)), Ian Hunter (Guitar), Ian Hunter (Arranger), Ian Hunter (Guitar (Rhythm)), Ian Hunter (Keyboards), Ian Hunter (Vocals), Ian Hunter (Producer), Sue Glover (Vocals), Sunny Leslie (Vocals), Sue & Sunny (Vocals (Background)), Morgan Fisher (Organ), Morgan Fisher (Synthesizer), Morgan Fisher (Piano), Morgan Fisher (Keyboards), Ariel Bender (Guitar), Ariel Bender (Vocals), Ariel Bender (Slide Guitar), Howie Casey (Saxophone), Howie Casey (Sax (Tenor)), Gary Edwards (Engineer), Dale Buffin Griffin (Drums), Dale Buffin Griffin (Producer), Paul Hardiman (Engineer), Alan Harris (Engineer), Michael Hurwitz (Cello), Jock McPherson (Saxophone), Jock McPherson (Sax (Baritone)), Jock McPherson (Sax (Tenor)), Geoff Michael (Guitar (Rhythm)), Sean Milligan (Engineer), Mott the Hoople (Main Performer), Graham Preskett (Violin), Graham Preskett (Conductor), Bill Price (Engineer), Mick Ralphs (Choir, Chorus), Barry St. John (Vocals), Barry St. John (Vocals (Background)), Peter Swettenham (Engineer), Thunderthighs (Vocals (Background)), Pete Watts (Bass), Pete Watts (Arranger), Pete Watts (Guitar (Rhythm)), Pete Watts (Vocals), Pete Watts (Guitar (12 String)), Pete Watts (Producer), Mike Dunne (Engineer), Sunny (Vocals (Background)), Lynsey de Paul, Jumpin' Jock (Sax (Baritone)), Rockin' Jock McPherson (Sax (Baritone)), Rockin' Jock McPherson (Sax (Tenor)), Michael Geoffrey Ralphs (Guitar (Rhythm)), Tippin's Toilet Trio (Handclapping), Sue (Vocals (Background)), Roslav Szaybo (Design), John Brown (Photography)