FIRST BASE

Babe Ruth's debut album First Base is quite something. An English band from Hatfield in Hertfordshire with a lead singer who was only 19 when the album was released, yet they sound like they've spent their formative years drinking whiskey in ramshackle bars along the US-Mexican border. And somehow the album feels completely authentic. This is an album of pace, energy, emotion - excellent musicianship and an incredible vocal performance. Includes the absolute classics 'Black Dog' and 'The Mexican'. It amazes me that this album is not more well-known.

For me this is a more of a proggy album, then a bone fide progressive rock record - but most tracks are relatively long (5-8 mins), contain experimental sections and show the influence of blues and jazz. There's even a cover of Frank Zappa's 'King Kong'. I give this 4 stars only because I think it's more of a rock classic than a prog rock classic, but if you like classic rock then you really should have this album in your collection.