Pros: Rare album remastered and re-released, some good/great songs...
Cons: A bit inconsistent, quality wanes toward the end...
The Bottom Line: Smokin' O.P.'s is Seger's rare, remastered 1972 album. If you're already a fan then you probably already want this highly-sought-after album.
lambchops's Full Review: Smokin' O.P.'s [Remaster] by Bob Seger
Michigan is a state dominated by the automobile industry. This is a population built on the car and the hard-working spirit is what has always permeated native Bob Seger’s unique brand of rock n’ roll.
Seger was raised in Ann Arbor (the home of University of Michigan) and his father worked at a Ford plant. His father also was once part of a barbershop quartet. This love of music tricked down to the young Seger who formed his first band the Detroit-based Decibels at age 16. He worked hard at his craft and toured with his band incessantly. He was the kind of regular joe one would hope could succeed in music. He also worked with the Ann Arbor band the Town Criers before forming The Bob Seger System and scoring a deal with Capitol.
For 30 years, Seger worked with Capitol. From the moment he recorded his first album for them, 1969’s Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man it was clear that this was a guy who’d work his butt off to stick around. That album scored two modest hits and paved the way for a string of albums. While none of them was nearly as popular as his late 1970’s and 1970’s work, each had something special and different to offer. Seger proved himself to be one of the music men to watch.
This early discography has been relatively unavailable for years. It’s only as of recent that Capitol has seen fit to revisit some of these early recordings. The first one on the docket is 1972’s Smokin’ O.P.’s. When originally released, it was hard to find and its rarity has grown substantially in the last 30 years. His fifth album, Smokin’ O.P.’s is a collection of seven covers and two originals. It’s short piece, but packs a punch especially early on. It is without question a must-have for fans of Bob Seger but still should appeal to those who appreciate his sound and musical era.
Bo Diddley, If I Were a Carpenter and in particular Love The One You’re With are the strongest offerings of this disc. These songs show Seger as a man talented at blending roots rock with blues. This is of course the direction that has made him an American classic. Fans will be impressed by Bo Diddley which combines that Ellas McDaniel classic with another notable song, Who Do You Love. It’s a fresh, entertaining, and unpredictable jam song. If I Were A Carpenter (written by Tim Hardin and famously performed by Johnny Cash, Bobby Darin, and The Four Tops among others) is an emotional, beautiful, and groovy recording. However it is track 2, Steven Stills’ Love the One You’re With, that really gets to me. The up-tempo blues rock is a duet between Seger and Pam Todd/Crystal Jenkins. The creative arrangement and forceful vocals are what make it something special.
Smokin’ O.P’s continues with Leon Russell’s Hummin’ Bird. The dark, classic blues song is still well done but doesn’t catch me quite as much as the previous three. Similarly, Let it Rock (E. Howard Anderson/Chuck Berry), Turn On Your Love Light (Deadric Malone/Joseph Wade Scott), and the traditional folk song Jesse James don’t do as much for me.
As the newly released and remastered album wraps up, Seger provides two original songs. Someday and Heavy Music aren’t available anywhere else outside of this album so fans will be particularly interested. The first is a melodramatic piano-driven ballad. It’s nice, organic, and a good contrast to the rest of the album. Heavy Music is a typically upbeat Seger song. I like it fine enough, but in comparison to the other songs it wasn’t give the same attention in the remastering.
Smokin’ O.P.’s may not be one of Seger’s most impressive or entertaining albums, but what it lacks have in quantity or originality is made up for in energy. One last little trivia bit—despite the fact that there is a box of Lucky Strikes depicted in the tray, the title actually refers to Smokin’ Other People’s (music).
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Bo Diddley (medley with Who Do You Love)
02. Love The One You’re With
03. If I Were a Carpenter
04. Hummin’ Bird
05. Let It Rock
06. Turn On Your Love Light
07. Jesse James
08. Someday
09. Heavy Music
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