Road Food

Digitally remastered and expanded edition of this 1974 album from the Canadian rockers. Two previously unreleased, stripped down versions feature as bonus tracks, and spotlight the band's ever-present musical chemistry. Artistically, The Guess Who had successfully reinvented themselves as an album oriented band with the records recorded after Randy Bachman's 1970 departure. But commercially, The Guess Who was in decline by 1974. Simply put, the band needed a hit. Road Food provided two: The rollicking "Star Baby" earned the band it's first U.S. Top 40 hit since "Rain Dance," while the celebratory "Clap for the Wolfman" (featuring DJ Wolfman Jack) brought The Guess Who all the way into the Top 10. Elsewhere, Road Food presented typically eclectic fare, with bassist Bill Wallace in particular making a strong showing with the title track and "Straighten Out." Burton Cummings reflected on the band's recent history in the epic "Ballad of the Last Five Years," while life on the road also informed "Attila's Blues" and "Pleasin' for Reason."