BALLAD OF A ROCK'N'ROLL LOSER

This album indicates a dramatic change in "Titanic" music. From a very good heavy prog, the band has turned into some bluesy, country oriented music ("Honky Vigrant"), even soul ("Ricochet") or basic American rock music ("The Cripple", "Following A line").

It is hard to believe that this band released such good albums so far. This has NOTHING to do with "Titanic". A weak blues-rock record, with one fine rock ballad (accordingly called " Ballad of a Rock 'n' Roll Loser") and that's it.

There were some changes in personnel between "Eagle Rock" and "Ballad?". Gone are the great Hammond sounds and the participation of John Williamson (an English blues guitar player) certainly oriented the band in this direction (he co-wrote six songs here). This album doesn't hold any prog moment (nor even related) and was quite a disillusion.

One star, no more. This was an enormous deception.

"There's icebergs on the starboard bow, won't you dance with me" (Harry Chapin)

Having successfully plotted a path through the icebergs of major line up changes prior to recording their previous album "Eagle rock", Titanic found themselves back on a similar path when it came to recording this album. Gone after just one album was keyboard player Helge Groslie (he does play piano on the title track though), but this time the band did not bring in a replacement in that role. Given that the Titanic sound was until now based around the driving power of the Hammond organ, this inevitably meant a change of direction.

Unfortunately, this time that direction change sees the Titanic heading straight for said iceberg. All of a sudden, the songs are much more light-weight affairs, with twangy guitars and southern rock drawls. Part of the problem appears to be that no one is willing to step up as leader of the band, the songwriting credits being spread thinly among the remaining members. This only serves to emphasise the contribution made by the departed bassist Arica Siggs in that department.

The title track is a pleasant Blood Sweat and Tears like affair, but it is a million miles from the mighty power of "Underbird", the superb prog of "One night in Eagle Rock", or the organ driven excitement of "Sultana". "Ricochet", which closes side one, appears to be a half hearted effort to create another "Sultana", but it's more of a withered raisin really.

"Following a line" sounds for all the world like a song by Family, Roy Robinson doing a passable impression of Roger Chapman. The best track is the closer "Don't turn around", which has a slightly more considered arrangement, a decent melody, and some good (but sadly unaccredited) synth.

It really is difficult to remain positive about this album. Expectations were high as a result of the quality of the previous releases. We could have forgiven the band if they had produced something which rested on their laurels, but "Ballad of a rock'n'roll loser" is all too appropriately named. To be fair, this album may have formed the fulfilment of a contractual obligation to CBS records, as they left the label after its release.

Worth avoiding.

2.5 stars really!!!

After a series of good but directionless albums, Titanic apparently chose to finally get their act together and choose a musical direction; and from the looks and sounds of it, it was going straight down the drain or the bottom of the ocean. All kidding aside, the least we can say is that the album is fairly aptly named after the musical content, but the group has got some excuses since there are further line-up changes, including the departure of bassist and main songwriter Siggs and drummer Llorck. Apparently the group had even come to separation and the rebuilding process was not that smooth, which would explain why this came out in 75. But clearly the time to sail for that boat had gone, and although the album is not as bad as one collab makes, it's definitely a letdown compared to previous works. Trouble is that when the singer becomes the main songwriter, you're usually not heading in the prog direction., .

True that there are no killer heavy Hammond-driven hard prog track like Eagle Rock in this album, and there could be half the tracks on Ballad Of A RnR Loser that could claim the quality of ballad like the opening almost-good Riding Shotgun, the rather-good title track and the delicate album-closer Don't Turn Around, which is probably my fave on this album. There is still the odd Latino feel track like Richochet, but we're far from Sultana. All of the other tracks are bluesier or countrier tracks: Honky Vagrant, The Crippler, Following A Line , Buckshee Woman, Gambler Dealer and Fly Alone. Hell, you'd think you're almost on a mid- 70's southern rock album with slide guitars, rowdy rednecks and confederate flags?.. and the good musicianship of the group makes it quite credible in that direction.

The repertoire re-issue holds the accompanying single with the non-album Sliding Down Again, an average neutral rocker, and a different version of the title track. Definitely more guitars and fewer guitars on this album, Groslie plays piano on the few tracks, but the organ goes unaccredited, but it could be him as well, but why isn't he listed as a group member then? The shorter songs are not helping much either since the space for interplay is reduced by the normal song format. Anyway here's an album for SouthernRockArchives.com, but for progheads, it's better shunned.