HUMBLE PIE - As Safe as Yesterday Is (1969-2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Humble Pie, known as boogie hammerheads, at least once achieved American popularity in the mid-'70s. Its origins were quite different, however, and its debut album, As Safe as Yesterday Is, is a visionary blend of hard blues, crushing rock, pastoral folk, and post-mod pop. It would be even more impressive if the group had written songs to support its sound, but it seemed to have overlooked that element of the equation. Still, there's no denying that the sound of the band isn't just good, it's quite engaging, as the band bring disparate elements together, letting them bump up against each other, forming a wildly rich blend of hippie folk and deeply sexy blues. Musically, this set a template for a lot of bands that followed later -- Led Zeppelin seemed to directly lift parts of this, and Paul Weller would later rely heavily on this for his '90s comeback -- and it's very intriguing, even rewarding, on that level. But it falls short of a genuine classic, even with its originality and influence, because the songwriting is rarely more than a structure for the playing and the album often sounds more like a period piece than an album that defined its times. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine   
Tracklist:
1 Desperation 6:28
John Kay
2 Stick Shift 2:24
Peter Frampton
3 Buttermilk Boy  4:21
Steve Marriott
4 Growing Closer 3:12
Ian McLagan
5 As Safe as Yesterday Is 6:07
Peter Frampton / Steve Marriott
6 Bang! 3:27
Steve Marriott
7 Alabama '69 4:37
Steve Marriott
8 I'll Go Alone 6:18
Peter Frampton
9 A Nifty Little Number Like You 6:12
Steve Marriott
10 What You Will 4:22
Steve Marriott
Bonus Tracks
11 Natural Born Bugie 4:14
Steve Marriott
12 Wrist Job 4:15
Steve Marriott