Humble Pie's debut album was released only in England. It was called Town and Country and was, for the most part, quiet and basically acoustic and well produced by Steve Marriott. And boring. Peter Frampton and his singing conjured up the image of a third-rate Stevie Winwood copyist who had spent some time listening to Traffic's second album, and his songs were not much different. Steve Marriott, on the other hand—once one of the greatest rockers in rock and roll history—demonstrated that he could now sing like a country boy and write songs about "New Orleans and down the Bayou" and "all those Southern belles." Golly, had he been listening to the Band's album? The entire sum and total of Town and Country amounted to one song, Marriott's excellent "Down Home Again," a spirited rocker.

Safe As Yesterday Is, their first American release, proved that Humble Pie could be boring in lots of different ways. Here they were a noisy, unmelodic, heavy metal-leaden shit-rock band, with the loud and noisy parts beyond doubt. There were a couple of nice songs, "I'll Go Alone" and "Natural Born Woman," and one monumental pile of refuse. The outstanding accomplishment of the album occurred when Humble Pie proved that they could make John Kay's "Desperation" actually kick a little. Budding interpreters! The album was over 50 minutes long, and the basic effect was that of a large migraine headache.

Now, glorious day, Humble Pie has a new album called (what else?) Humble Pie. Now it seems final: Humble Pie is blessed with one of the absolutely worst rock drummers ever and a genuinely irritating instrumental sound. After that, things get worse. This album, more of the same 27th-rate heavy metal crap, is worse than the first two put together, though I know that sounds incredible. Well, if Humble Pie had to listen to themselves, they would probably vomit. For God's sake and your own, don't subject yourself to the same torture. Stay away from this album by all means. (RS 70)

MIKE SAUNDERS