Disco de Sweet: “Off the Record [BMG International]”

For a change, the sound of this remastered masterpiece is excellent. The bass range is simply outstanding.

If you like safe, mainstream or commercial hard rock, this will probably not work for you. But if you like genuine music, guts, playmanship and a band with an attitude, then The Mighty Sweet will satisfy you like none other.

This album shows one of the most influential rock bands at its productive and musical peak. Although this album is often overlooked, even by Sweet fans, it shows impressive musical creativity and power. Off the Record has it all: pure rock, riffs, melody, musical dexterity, moodiness, funk, excellent arrangements and even blatant plagiarism ("Windy City" vs. Deep Purple's Woman from Tokyo). Anyway, you are unlikely to find better vocals from any other group from the '70s (even mainstream Queen, which in fact lured former Sweet engineer Mack to their rank). Just listen to songs like "Lost Angels", "Live for Today" and "She Gimme Lovin'" and you'll be convinced nobody has ever played hard rock music like that, even if many wannabes have tried to copy their style. This album also has very rare gems like "Laura Lee" and "Midnight to Daylight", even a very upbeat song in "Fever of Love". Even "Funk it Up" rocks!

The Sweet were highly accomplished musicians and this is proof of a band that really produced some of the best rock music of all time.

THIS ALBUM IS A MUST and my favorite of my 2,000 plus CD collection!

"This musical masquerade has gone to far for four" was put on the album version. You will find out what is really said in song "Live For Today", in what I would consider the greatest album(CD) of Sweet's original effort. The necessary and awesome vocal talent of the now dead Brian Connolly. The killer backup vocal talent of Steve Priest who was best of his time bass playing style, and Andy Scott offering great vocals whilst steady on the steel. The man who defined drumming to me(along with animal)the awesome Mick Tucker. This is the band who defined and created the best hard rock sound,with the best vocal and unique writing talent of the 70's whose clean and well produced sound, many artists in the 80's, 90's and today, attempt to achieve. Young or old, you will definitly agree these guys are awesome musicians who will take you on journeys, with their treasure of music.

This disc features the UK edition of "Off The Record",which lacks "Stairway to The Stars",but not to worry,since it's included amongst the bonus tracks.As for the other bonus tracks,you get the non-L.P. b-sides "A Distinct Lack of Ancient" & "Why Don't You Do It to Me",the alternate "Midnight to Daylight"(which debuted on the German 2-CD set "Sweet Originals"),a Disco mix of "Funk it Up"(A Capitol U.S.A. creation made via tape copy repeats of certain sections.Yawn!),a fine previously unreleased demo of "Lost Angels",and alternate mixes of "She Gimme Lovin'" and "Hard Times" which have been heard on numerous previous outtakes CD's.My only complaint:the tape copy used for "Stairway to the Stars" has audible damage during the first second.Obviously,it passes quickly,but it wasn't present on any previous release of the song.Oh well,it's a mid-price CD....

This was one of my favorite albums from the 70's by my all time favorite group. Bubblegum, to Hard Rock, to Heavy Metal, to Progressive. These guys did it all. And with every album they just kept getting better. This album was sort of in between their heavy/hard rock era and their progressive (which really came on their next album, Level Headed). Fever of Love and She Gimme Lovin' are 2 of the best songs here but there really isn't a bad song on this cd. I like the 2 bonus tracks but there is one thing that is missing and thats the song Stairway To The Stars which is on my original vinyl album and is one of my favorite Sweet songs. I don't know why they did not include it on this import. Anyway I still have to give this cd 5 stars. God Bless Mick and Brian (Miss You Much)

There's a few ignorable tunes on Off the Record, but it remains their most pleasurable listen (surely those detractors in favor of Desolation Boulevard and even the band's early bubblegum era can give some nod here). For example, they really ratchet things up with a heavy, harmonica-assisted Midnight to Daylight. THE blemish on the production is the album's ode to the days of disco, Funk It Up. A little lightweight after all that proceeds it. Not helping matters is the bonus track "Funk It Up (Disco)", as if the original version needed any more of a KC & the Sunshine Band flourish. And for a guy who sadly had his throat stomped on in a street attack a few years earlier (hey, I'm only as good as what I read on Wikipedia), Brian Connelly comes across as polished and capable. It's unfortunate that this album was the beginning of the end for this gifted warbler.