Poobah - Steamroller (Reissue) (1979/2005)

POOBAH - "Steamroller" LP '79 - (Peppermint, US) - Over the years, "Steamroller," the third album by Youngstown, Ohio's POOBAH has been elevated to "God" status in the small-yet-rabid underworld of obscure hard rock enthusiasts. At the same time, it has been virtually unknown to the record - excuse me - cd buying populace at large, who have never explored any further than the classic works of Sabbath, Purple, Scorpions, etc. This is unfortunate, as the record easily stands among those bands' best efforts, and like it's namesake piece of road-construction equipment, mows the majority of them flat. Now, thanks to this re-issue that you're holding in your hands, the secret is out. If you had walked into a record store in Youngstown around 1979 and seen "Steamroller" on the rack, you would probably have passed, based on the cover. Apparently it did not end up like the band thought it would, and it's easy to see that. Dominating the front of the jacket is a painting of a girl's face. Much smaller photos of Jim Gustafson (guitar / vocals), Phil Jones (bass) & Judd Gaylord (drums) frame this visage, giving it the distinct impression that this might be a female pop diva's LP, with the boys acting as her backing band. Jim told me the original idea was that the girl was supposed to be the "Steamroller lover" referenced in the title song, but the final artwork really doesn't give that vibe. The back of the jacket is simply black printing on a white background and isn't exactly what you'd call "eye-catching" either. What catches the ear, however, is the sound that emanates from the speakers when the needle hits Side One. "You Don't Love Me" is the first track, and it thunders in on prowling guitar riff, overlaid with some excruciating lead. One thing that stands out here is something that is a constant on this record: a guitar tone that is just DEATH. The rhythms are low, guttural and leaden and the solos are piercing and raw, so much so that the overall combination may be the heaviest ever carved in vinyl. "You Don't Love Me" also includes a charging middle section completed by some nice upper range vocals from Jim Gustafson. Next up is a bit of a surprise, "Rock & Roll." Yes, it's a cover of the Zeppelin classic, and to show you the caliber of POOBAH's own material, its far and away the weakest cut on the album! Still, it is plenty good and contains leadwork and vocals that ask for no quarter (sorry, couldn't help the pun!). Following "R & R" is the only instrumental on "Steamroller,"! the oddly-entitled "Integrated Circuit." While it's a pretty short number, it's very long on the kick-ass-quotient, displaying musicianship of a jazz-fusion level from all 3 members. The riff to this one is really original and '70's-sounding at the same time. Side One ends up with "She's That Kind Of Lover," and if your butt isn't pinned to the wall, begging for mercy at the end of this one, it's probably because you've already been beaten unconscious! Based on a simple-yet-catchy riff, the first part of the song comes off as a cool, old bar-room rock and roller being played by Black Sabbath. It kicks plenty booty on it's own, but when it's time for the guitar solo, all hell breaks loose. Streaming plumes of molten electric lead explode like fireworks from Gustafson's axe as he pillages through one of the heaviest exercises in 6-string mutilation ever laid down. You're waiting for the solo to end and let you down, but it just keeps going, building to an amazing crescendo wherein Jim grabs a bottle neck and ventures into what can only be called psychedelic slide from hell, a sort of mutant cross between Duane Allman and Tony Iommi. God!!! Now, what if I were to tell you that Side One of "Steamroller" is the weaker (no, that is not even a fair word!) of the two?!?!?! Uh-oh! Holy hell!!! Side Two opens with the riff all of hard rock and heavy metal was created to produce, the mother of all distorted guitar lines and the epic "Jump Through The Golden Ring"