Essentially, Hot Tuna were a live act - can you get anymore ostentatious than a Flying V bass? - and their recorded output verified that: the essential live Double Dose is easily their greatest album; but as studio albums go, I think this is by far the best of the bunch.Having dispensed with their hillbilly, American outlaw, jug-band kind of sound, Kaukonen and Casady had a rethink, and before our very ears, Hot Tuna morphed effortlessly into a smart, hard-rock boogie band.
Phosphorescent Rat (1973) suggested where it was going, and by the time they arrived at Yellow Fever (1975) their sound had hardened; tightened; become heavier; with the band playing much more as a single unit rather than that loose homestead feel associated with their earlier incarnation.Yet despite it's heavier vibe, this is a feel-good, upbeat album - I mean, just look at the artwork: no mean blues album this.
I guess to say it's typical of mid-seventies' San Francisco hard-rock would be a cop out, but with Kaukonen spanking the plank, and Casady - just dig that bass-man! - constantly dueling with him, this is archetypal, and not really typical at all.
Hot Tuna - Yellow Fever (1975)
Baby What You Want Me To Do
Hot Jelly Roll Blues
Free Rein
Sunrise Dance With the Devil
Song for the Fire Maiden
Bar Room Crystal Ball
Half/Time Saturation
Surphase Tension
Excellent rip from cassette @320kbs
Canned Tuna here
