Garage Sale Vinyl: Head East
Flat As A Pancake / A&M / June 1975
by Christopher Long
More than 50 years on, we still hear so much about the chicken-fried southern rock rage, the dolled-up New York scene, and the golden-haired west coast sound. While oodles of amazing bands were birthed in those locales, a strong case can be made for the heartland bands being the true backbone of that magical ’70s rock era. Before sinking neck-deep into the provolone distribution industry, Styx and REO Speedwagon were both authentic, dyed-in-the-wool Midwest rock bands. And there were others: Chicago, the James Gang, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, and so many more, including one of the heartland’s mightiest, yet oft-overlooked troupes, the Illinois-based brigade Head East.
To a rock-crazed, homesick Midwest kid meandering around Florida record stores in the summer of 1975, the debut Head East LP, Flat As A Pancake, seemed to be one of those records that was everywhere. Particularly cool radio stations also had the lead-off single “Never Been Any Reason” in somewhat frequent rotation. But with so many Carly Simon albums on the market to buy, and being a tween of limited means, Flat As A Pancake never quite made it to the checkout counter. Truth be told, I’m ashamed to admit that the record wouldn’t actually find its way into my personal collection until a dear friend gifted me a CD copy for my birthday, several years later.
However, recently, another dear friend gifted me her entire vintage vinyl collection, for FREE! Among the bounty of bangers contained in that massive UPS shipment was The Dream Weaver, Pieces of Eight, Frampton Comes Alive!, Dreamboat Annie, AND a seasoned copy of Flat As A Pancake. SCORE!
Produced by Head East keyboardist Roger Boyd, the nine-track collection held all of the right cards necessary to guarantee a winning hand. An irresistible Midwest feel-good, Flat As A Pancake burst with alluring lyrics, brought to life by magical melodies and skin-tight vocals, stacked on a rock-solid foundation of Dan Birney’s super-fat bass lines, Mike Somerville’s punchy Les Paul-fueled riffs, Steve Huston’s powerhouse drum work, and layers of Boyd’s keyboards that seemingly knew no boundaries.
Brimming with abundant fist-pumping cowbell and heart-stopping arena rock keyboards, and fueled by the high-octane tag team lead vocals of Huston and John Schlitt, “Never Been Any Reason” remains one of the 1970s’ most iconic FM rock staples. But wait, there’s more! Driven by Boyd’s Sunday morning organ and piano work, “One Against the Other” was a down-home delight, while the infectious, acoustic guitar-kissed “Love Me Tonight” was pure audio sunshine. Other personal favorites include the Joe Walsh-flavored “Loving Me Along,” the honest and pure heartacher “Ticket Back to Georgia,” and the gospel-soaked “Brother Jacob.”
When I first heard this record, I was a bright-eyed tween. Today, I’m a woebegone senior. However, 50 years later, Flat As A Pancake STILL wants to rock. Conversely, all I want is to nap. Oy vey!
5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Flat As A Pancake Track List
SIDE A
1. Never Been Any Reason (M. Somerville) – 5:10
2. One Against the Other (J. Schlitt) – 3:47
3. Love Me Tonight (M. Somerville) – 4:27
4. City of Gold (S. Huston) – 3:41
5. Fly By Night Lady (S. Huston) – 2:47
SIDE B
1. Jefftown Creek (S. Huston) – 6:41
2. Lovin’ Me Along (M. Somerville) – 5:25
3. Ticket Back to Georgia (S. Huston) – 4:02
4. Brother Jacob (S. Huston) – 3:10
