For their second album, the Spacemen's left their astronomical territory aside and firmly planted themselves back on Earth amidst the hot-rodding and dance cultures of the time. 

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'Night Rumble' is a repetitious yet enjoyable number with lots of Cole's signature twang sprinkled throughout. It had also previously appeared as 'Bike Talk' on Motorcycles U.S.A.. Some wild percussion distinguishes 'Border Run' from the others, while the amiable 'Mr. Big Wheels' boasts some fine guitar licks. 'Hot Rod Queen' is a worthwhile bouncy shuffle. 'Stinger' again possesses Cole's unique style of playing. 'Roadster Run' is one of the standout tracks on this release. By the time we get to the imaginative 'Boss Dance,' it seems obvious that Cole was scraping the barrel in order to come up with trendy dance-related titles for his instrumental compositions. This song had appeared under various other titles, the earliest of which was 'Stripped Gears' from the Hot Rod Alley album. 'T. Roadster Rock' is a quintessential hot rod rock that deserves more credit than has been given and would've fit nicely on the group's follow-up album, Surf Age. 'Dancing Mags' doesn't offer much in the way of originality, though 'Driving Little Deuce' is quite good in its own right. 'Night Drag' acts as a capable closing to the album.

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If you enjoyed Outer Limits, then Hot Rod Dance Party will likely please as well. It's a lesser alternative that feels and sounds as if it were cut from the same cloth as its successor. While there are a few uninspired moments among this 11-track collection, it's still an easy recommendation for those seeking an overlooked gem in the same vein as the more-discussed Capitol Records recordings.

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For a breakdown of all Coles Songs click here: