January 15, 2020

On this day in 1970, the second LP from the MC5, Back In The USA, was released. The album was the band stepping away from the raw and blown sound of their first full length release, the live album from 1969, Kick Out the Jams.

Depending on what side of the fence your on about the of this record album, producer Jon Landau is to credit or blame in the shifting of the group’s sound for the record and his production of it stemmed from a distaste for the heavy psychedelic rock sound of the time, favoring the more austere vibe of ‘50s rock and roll.

At the time of its release, many fans of the band considered it a dud and it didn't sell very well in comparison of their first album. Time has been much kinder to it though with critics considering it influential on the punk and power-pop trends that eventually followed it.

What are you listening to tonight?

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