HOTLEGS: THINKS - SCHOOL STINKS

"Thinks: School Stinks" is the debut full-length studio album by UK rock act Hotlegs. The album was released through Philips Records in March 1971. Hotlegs formed in 1970, had a hit single with "Neanderthal Man", released "Thinks: School Stinks" (which includes "Neanderthal Man"), and then in 1972 morphed into 10cc (which shared three members). A repackaged version of the album with an alternate tracklist was released in December 1971 under the title "Song" in an attempt to bring some attention to the album again. It was all to no avail though, and the band soon folded.

The music on "Thinks: School Stinks" is no surprise if you´re familiar with 10cc (although not of the same high quality). Pop/rock songs with silly humorous lyrics (you decide if that´s a good or a bad thing). "Neanderthal Man" opens the album and quite frankly it´s a bit hard to understand why that song became a hit single. It´s very repetitive and silly composition, featuring a high in the mix drum sound, which is a bit annoying really. "Um Wah, Um Woh" is not much better but there´s some quality to tracks like "How Many Times" and "Take Me Back" (this one is actually quite brilliant). The album is overall inconsistent and is a mix of silly and more serious songs. The only thing resembling the artsy/semi-progressive nature of some of 10cc´s future work is the 12:53 minutes long "Suite F.A.: On My Way/Indecision/The Return". Mostly acoustic driven but with some string arrangements too. It´s a decent quality track, but nothing more.

For the time "Thinks: School Stinks" features a relatively well sounding production, and the musicianship is also on a high level throughout the album. So upon conclusion "Thinks: School Stinks" is a decent quality release by Hotlegs, but if you come to the album expecting this to feature the quality of 10cc you´ve come to the wrong place. It´s not that you can´t find moments here and there which will remind you that it´s basically all members of 10cc playing here, but the quality just isn´t up to par with what they would produce with 10cc. A 2.5 star (50%) rating is warranted.