Album of the Day

Who you gonna call when in need of sweat-soaked, R&B-inspired houserockers? In the mid-'70s, you'd want The J. Geils Band on your speed dial - the Boston sextet was guaranteed to get the party started. HOTLINE, the group's seventh studio set, was released on this day in 1975 and showcases the boys' many talents on an infectious mix of covers (“Love-itis,” “Be Careful (What You Do)”) and Seth Justman-Peter Wolf whammer-jammers (“Easy Way Out,” “Jealous Love”). Having spent countless hours honing their chops in bars and dives, these guys were all virtuoso performers, and every note here comes straight from the heart. Out of print for years, this is surely the most underrated J. Geils Band album, but HOTLINE smokes nonetheless.