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ARTIST: Kracker
ALBUM: Hot
LABEL: Dash Records
SERIAL: 30003
YEAR: 1977
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: 
LINEUP: Victor Angulo - guitar, background vocals * Art Casado - drums, vibes, synthesizer, background vocals * Carl Driggs - lead vocals, percussion * Carlos Garcia - bass, background Vocals * Chuck Francour - piano, organ, synthesizers, lead vocals
TRACK LISTING: 01 Woman * 02 Live And Be Happy * 03 Lucky Are Those * 04 Lady Of My Life * 05 Alarm Clock Blues * 06 Back In My Arms Again * 07 Looney Tunes * 08 Gentlemen Of Men |
BackgroundFormed in 1970, Kracker were originally from Florida, paying their dues in the steamy Miami area when offered a series of club dates at Chicago's legendary 'Rush Up' club from a vacationing music manager. The original three week stint turned into an incredible seven months, a first record produced by Jimmy Miller best known for his work with
The Rolling Stones and a Top 40 single 'Because Of You'. Tours with
Styx,
REO Speedwagon and
J. Geils Band solidified their position for a second album 'Kracker Brand' which was released in Europe on Rolling Stones Records imprint. An inevitable move to London brought a brace of high-profile gigs on the continent with the Stones on their 'Goats Head Soup' tour, but it was four years before anyone heard of Kracker again.
The SongsA move back to the States, the band signed to the Miami based Disco label T.K. Records who were riding high on the success of
KC & the Sunshine Band. Released on the label's subsidiary Dash Records; Kracker were the company's token rock act although with its very erotic front cover art and back band photo complete with porn star mustaches, white silk bow ties and hairy chests, there's no telling just what audience Dash Records, or Kracker for that matter were playing at. The album starts off with the breezy pop of 'Woman' and I'm not that impressed. Wrapped in Chuck Francour's cheesy synths and funky grooves; 'Hot' is sadly an album that sounds like a Holiday Inn lounge band with a record contract. I suppose
Exile on their disco-ish pre-country album 'All There Is' can be a left-field comparison, but even the cover of the
Holland/Dozier classic 'Back In My Arms Again' lacks sparkle and fizz and trust me when I say, it doesn't come close to the superior
Michael Stanley Band version.
In SummaryOf note Chuck Francour went on to release a solo album on EMI in 1980 and scored a radio hit with 'Under The Boulevard Lights', but in hindsight 'Hot' is best left to the dust-bin of AOR history although I'll keep it just for the sleeve..
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