The J. Geils Band – Blow Your Face Out

Blow Your Face Out is the second live album by American rock band The J. Geils Band, released in 1976.

The album was recorded at two concerts held in November 1975. The first was at Boston Garden, in the band’s hometown, on November 15 and was recorded by Record Plant East Remote and David Hewitt. The second was recorded by Metro Audio Detroit four nights later at Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan, the same city as their other two live albums 1972’s Live Full House and Showtime! of 1982.

Live double albums came into vogue in 1976, when Peter Frampton’s sales surpassed any record for A & M Records, Bob Seger rose to fame with Live Bullet on Capitol Records, and the J. Geils Band released their second live album within four years Blow Your Face Out.

There is a lot of power in the grooves of this double LP and the main thing is that there is no overlap in the tracks with the other live albums of the group, i.e. Full House and Showtime.

The Rhino Records CD edition features Jeff Tamarkin’s liner notes, while the original Atlantic Records album has an exquisite sleeve full of photos and invaluable band notes.

The first and second sides of the LP are excellent and the third and fourth even better. “Detroit Breakdown” is a wild rock storm, with tons of applause from the audience. The band’s lead singer Peter Wolf’s glossy monologues take the lead as the music flows into “Chimes,” a track from their 1973 album Ladies Invited. About three and a half minutes longer than the five-minute original, it’s one of several highlights the album and is a precursor to the 1977 track, “Monkey Island”. “Chimes” gives this otherwise enigmatic band a chance to slowly jam with a terrific beat, which is abundant on this album with tracks like Eddie Floyd’s “Raise Your Hand,” Sno-Cone ” by Albert Collins from their first album and the Bachman-Turner Overdrive punchline “Truck Drivin’ Man”. The producer of B.B. King, Bill Szymczyk does a masterful job of tying everything together.

“Must Of Got Lost,” “Where Did Our Love Go,” and “Give It To Me” are here in all their glory, a different glory than the studio versions.

Through this amazing album I select, what else, “Chimes”.
 
Tracklist

A1. Southside Shuffle 4:11
A2. Back To Get Ya 4:32
A3. Shoot Your Shot 4:42
A4. Musta Got Lost 4:18
B1. Where Did Our Love Go 3:47
B2. Truck Drivin’ Man 1:44
B3. Love-itis 3:52
B4. Intro (Lookin’ For A Love) 2:03
B5. (Ain’t Nothin’ But A) Houseparty 4:50
C1. So Sharp 4:15
C2. Detroit Breakdown 5:28
C3. Chimes 8:27
D1. Sno-Cone 3:05
D2. Wait 3:27
D3. Raise Your Hand 3:56
D4. Start All Over 2:27
D5. Give It To Me 5:02