Album Review:

Hot off of their first Capitol Records release, Shut Down, the Super Stocks’ created their first stand-alone album, Thunder Road in the spring of 1964. Borrowing its name from the 1957 Robert Mitchum film song, the group's first album has a much grittier sound than anything their Hawthorne counterparts were coming up with. One part Beach Boys and one part Del-Tones, the debut album of Gary Usher's flagship group, had an undeniably distinct sound.

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The album opens up with an updated take on Robert Mitchum's 'Ballad of Thunder Road' from the film of the same name. As the album's only cover, it is perhaps the weakest track on the album, proving that the Super Stocks were better suited for their own material. The instrumental 'T Roadster' rocks hard with a gritty sax duo and chugging guitars. Conversely, the tame 'Ballad of Bonneville' has the group tackling a short ballad, much in the style of the Beach Boys' 'Spirit of America.' Yet another instrumental, 'Ramcharger,' follows while the falsetto-laden '427 Super Torque' shines as the first uptempo vocal original from the band. The doo-wop-inspired 'Deuce- Gas Chevy' is a great moment for the group. The next two instrumentals, 'Wheel Stands' and 'Trophy Run,' offer some fine playing, while 'Draggin' Deuce' has the group step back up to the mic with a catchy piano hook. Just how 'Hot To Trot' got past the watchful eyes of the executives at Capitol is a mystery though it is a fairly good number in its own right. 'Custom Caravan' is pretty forgettable but adds a fair conclusion to an otherwise strong album.