Humble Pie - Home and Away

The 2004 double-disc Humble Pie release Home and Away is a classic case of false advertising. With a classic shot adjourning the cover (circa the group's latter Clem Clemson era) and it's title, you'd think that the release is a vintage live performance, right' Wrong. What it turns out to be is none other than a compilation of the group's first two albums from 1969, "As Safe as Yesterday" and Town and Country - an era when soon-to-be teen heart throb, Peter Frampton, was still supplying lead guitar. While the two albums didn't spawn any renowned Humble Pie classics (in other words, no "I Don't Need No Doctor," "Stone Cold Fever," or "30 Days in the Hole"), there are still several highlights. But be forewarned - it's not always the straight-ahead, dirty boogie that soon became the group's trademark. Instead, you get tracks that hint at the group's promise (especially evident in Steve Marriott's vocals), but tracks such as "As Safe As Yesterday" and "Take Me Back" show the group had a folk side early on. That said, tracks such as "Buttermilk Boy" would have fit in well on latter day Humble Pie releases. Greg Prato

1) Natural Born Bugie
2) Wrist Job
3) Desperation
4) Stick Shift
5) Buttermilk Boy
6) Growing Closer
7) As Safe As Yesterday Is
8) Bang?
9) Alabama 69
10) I'll Go Alone
11) Nifty Little Number Like You
12) What You Will
13) Greg's Song
14) Take Me Back
15) Sad Bag of Shaky Jake
16) Light of Love
17) Cold Lady
18) Down Home Again
19) Ollie Ollie
20) Every Mother's Son
21) Heartbeat
22) Only You Can See
23) Silver Tongue
24) Home and Away