Like many debut albums, the self-titled opening salvo from Toronto hard rock trio Goddo is the band's least polished effort. Not that 1977's Goddo is inferior; it just doesn't offer the musical craftsmanship and sonic ingenuity of the band's later work. But what it lacks in presentation it makes up for in power, propulsion, and plenty of '70s hedonism and ego. Laying out the ground rules the band would follow for much of its career, Goddo delivers a hard-rocking set of smirking fantasies about sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. "Drive Me Crazy" and "Twelve Days" are choogling boogie-rock odes to foreplay and touring; "Let That Lizard Loose" celebrates groupies; "The Bus Driver Blues" thumbs its nose at a former drummer who quit the band for a day job. The nudge-nudge lyrics are matched by the musical aplomb of drummer Doug Inglis' in-the-pocket wallop, guitarist Gino Scarpelli's Jimi Hendrix and John Lee Hooker-inspired licks, and singer/bassist Greg Godovitz's glammy hamminess and endearingly hoarse vocals. Godovitz wipes the grin off his mug for the overblown power ballad "I'm Losing You" and the superior "Under My Hat," a Latin-tinged slow burner. But his humility is short-lived; by the end of the adrenalized rock-dream closer "Hard Years," he's crowing, "this band's moving on an uphill ride. Believe it." Goddo obviously did, and that's a big part of this album's charm. It was reissued in 2001 by Canadian label Bullseye. ~ Darryl Sterdan|

Rovi