A double-disc collection of unheard live performances from
Robin Trower
's commercial peak of the late '70s,
State to State: Live Across America 1974-1980
divides pretty neatly into an eight-song set from Philadelphia in 1974 on disc one, supplemented with three California cuts from the same year, then six songs from Illinois in 1976 on disc two, rounded out by two 1977 Oklahoma tracks and six cuts from Missouri in 1980. The states alone suggest how deep in the trenches
Trower
was in the '70s, playing venues -- and states -- that weren't glamorous but certainly had a yen for his elongated
Hendrix
ian blues rock.
State to State
spans locations and years, not to mention bandmembers, but there's a unity to the 24 songs because each cut captures a guitarist eager to dismiss the basics of a song and get down to the chords so he can just jam. For those
fans who enjoy endless solos and overamped blues rave-ups, this shouldn't be missed. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine