Piper “Piper”/”Can’t Wait” (American Beat)

by Beverly Paterson in Album Reviews

Prior to seizing the airwaves with prickly pop metal prizes like “Stroke Me,” “In The Dark” and “Everybody Wants You,” Billy Squier fronted a Boston, Massachusetts band called Piper. Signed to A&M Records, the group bore an image akin to something of a cross between Raspberries and Aerosmith. Despite the fact Piper received loads of promotion and press, they fell through the potholes and have largely been forgotten after all this time. Together for a few years, they cut two albums, which have been coupled onto one disc.

Released in 1976, the band’s debut effort, “Piper,” smacked of promise and potential, making it easy to hear why they were given so much credence. Hormones blazing and eyes glazing, Piper was cocky, tight and confident, which were required qualities of any self-respecting rock band of the era. Aggressive, yet incredibly melodic, “Telephone Relation” and “Who’s Your Boyfriend” pretty much define the mood and attitude of the group. Lyrics dealing with love and yearning inhabit the situations, while the axes flash and crash. Hefty harmonies, based along the lines of Sweet and Queen, also cushion a good portion of the material on the record.

Piper’s subsequent album, “Can’t Wait,” appeared in 1977, and was basically an extension of what the first disc offered. Compact hooks perch side by side with incisive grooves, particularly on the title track, resulting in a classic piece of hard rocking power pop glory. “”Comin’ Down Off Your Love” is guitar hero nirvana, where “Bad Boy” and “Drop By And Stay” register as other stand out numbers on the album. The production on both “Piper” and “Can’t Wait” may be slick and clean, but thankfully doesn’t overshadow the actual songs. Piper may not have experienced the kind of commercial success they strived for, but they certainly put their best foot forward, and that’s what counts.