Album Review:

If catalog numbers are anything to go by, then Big Hot Rod is the first of the Crown hot rod releases born from the guitar of session musician Jerry Cole. 

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The vocal 'On the Track' warns of the legal liabilities of street racing. Similar to many of Cole's other hot rod vocal numbers, the overdubs here bring this particular up a notch over the others. 'Fine 39' features the typical ascending chord progression from many other Crown releases, though it isn't a bad composition in its own right. '27 Tub' is another passable hot rod composition filled with 60s car jargon. The instrumental 'Super Charged' is an early version of what would be recycled as 'Power Surf' from Capitol's Surf Age. 'The Screamer' isn't much more than a jam. 'Red Hot Rod' is perhaps the best of Cole's vocal tunes; while most are painfully void of backing harmonies, the limitation actually works here. The weirdest tune on the album has to be the ghoulish 'Spirit of America,' in which the spoken-word delivery is performed very much in the style of Roger Christian's tunes on Hot Rod Rally under the pseudonym "Hot Rod Rog."If you're going to pick this one up, it'll be for this track. 'Drag Shoot' is a dull tune with racing noises interstitially inserted during the breaks. This also appeared on other Crown releases. 'Wild Willy's' is one of Jerry's groovier tracks, and would later morph into 'Mr. Wobble Wheels' from Hot Rod Dance Party, and 'Down on the Turn' from the uncredited Sounds of Big Irons. 'The Creamer' makes for an excellent closer with it's growly low early fuzz tone.

If Big Hot Rod was truly the first Hot Rod-themed Crown release recorded, it would mean it was the earliest appearance of these tunes. Either way, it's a slightly above-average Crown release with more highlights than lowlights ('Spirit of America,' 'The Creamer,' 'Red Hot Rod,' and 'Wild Willys').