Album of the Day

After forming in Colorado in the mid-1980s, Big Head Todd & The Monsters built a strong regional following before signing to Giant Records and releasing SISTER SWEETLY to platinum-certified success. Recorded in Boulder, STRATEGEM was the 1994 follow-up to that breakthrough, and Todd Park Mohr and company perform these roots and Southern rock-drenched originals with understated assurance. The singing and playing here are superb, and the songwriting (inspired in part by Buddhist koans) invites repeated listening, particularly on such highlights as “Magdelina,” “In the Morning” and the title track. Released 25 years ago this week, the Top-30 charting STRATEGEM is recommended to anyone with an ear for no-frills, straight-from-the-heart rock.