Though at the time the album was released I thought the issues I had were with the writing, my impression now is that I just found the shrill, super-compressed sound off-putting, especially compared to the warm and dynamic sound of Amorica. "Go Faster" would actually fit well as a good album track on Shake Your Moneymaker except for forced-sounding backup vocals lifted from Grand Funk Railroad. "Kickin' My Heart Around"**** is so trebbly it's almost painful to listen to, though it has some excellent riffs and with a different production would be a classic track. The angular riffs of "Horsehead"**** are an after-image of Three Snakes..., and show that they still have it in them. "Heavy" is another one that keeps to the rock, this time with a syncopated riff in the vein of late Zeppelin. Which is not to say that the album is by any means a re-hash, as "Welcome To The Good Times" has an easy New Orleans or some kinda southern swing, and other track push far into gospel/R&B territory on "Only A Fool", "Go Tell The Congregation", and the title song, which might be a better idea if the band and producer had an ounce of subtlety. "Diamond Ring" is groovy it seems aimed at top 40 radio, but at least it drops the sonic assault for a bit, and has interesting melodic turns as well. As the exception to the rest of the album, the white hot production is still more suited to the rockers, and the best may be the unabashed cock-rock of "Virtue And Vice"****, like a jacked-up version of "Gimme Shelter", which in the closing position occupies basically the same space both thematically and tonally as "Evil Eye" on Three Snakes...
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