Out Now: Foghat, The Complete Bearsville Albums Collection

Foghat came into existence when “Lonesome” Dave Peverett, Tony Stevens, and Roger Earl left the ranks of Savoy Brown in 1970 to start their own musical endeavor, and when guitarist Rod Price joined the gang just as the year was coming to a close, the lineup was complete. The band spent the majority of a decade and a half on Bearsville Records, during which time they scored major success both with studio albums and, most notably, with a very popular live album. We’ve put them all together for this big ol’ box set, one which will provide you with all the boogie music you can stand.

Here’s the full list of the albums included, along with a bit of info about each one:

Foghat (1972): The band’s debut album, featuring the studio version of their cover of Willie Dixon’s “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” which hit #83. Rock & Roll (1973): If you really want to get technical about it, this is the band’s second self-titled album, but given the cover art of a rock sitting next to a roll, we’re going with popular opinion and calling it by its more familiar title. “What a Shame” was released as a single and hit #82, so it was technically a bigger hit for the band. Energized (1974): Alas, the band’s cover of “That’ll Be the Day” failed to chart, but this nonetheless became Foghat’s first gold album, so it’s got that going for it. Rock & Roll Outlaws (1974): The chart placing of this album was actually less than its predecessor, which was doubtlessly a little disheartening, but the big breakthrough was just around the corner. Fool for the City (1975): Foghat’s definitive studio album, thanks partly to the title track but predominantly because of the unstoppable awesomeness of the single “Slow Ride.” Night Shift (1976): You might be surprised to learn that this album’s first single, “Drivin’ Wheel,” was actually a more substantial chart hit than the title track from the previous album. Live (1977): You won’t find many Foghat fans who deny that the band is at their best when they’re in concert, and this album proves it. It also may be why it’s the band’s best-selling album. Stone Blue (1978): A classic that’s been a little too underrated in recent years, so you’ll want to be sure you don’t miss it. The combination of the band and producer Eddie Kramer caused sparks to fly, which might’ve been a problem on a personal level but led to some amazing music and a top-40 title track. Boogie Motel (1979):: The band’s last top-40 album. You might remember the hit “Third Time Lucky (First Time I Was a Fool),” which – next to “Slow Ride” – was the band’s highest charting single, hitting #23. Tight Shoes (1980): The last album to feature Rod Price for the better part of a decade and a half. The opening track, “Stranger in My Home Town,” was the album’s single. Girls to Chat and Boys to Bounce (1981): An interesting experiment worth hearing, with the band adopting something approximating new wave musical sensibilities alongside their usual bluesiness. In the Mood for Something Rude (1982): Another slight shift in sound, but you’ve got to respect a band that covers both James Brown and Rodney Crowell on the same album. Zig Zag Walk (1983): Finally, just as the band was finishing its tenure on Bearsville, they started to return to more of a proper boogie sound. Be sure to check out their cover of “Choo Choo Ch’boogie.”