Review Summary: An electrifying way to find your footing
On first glance; the legendary Motörhead’s 1977 self-titled debut feels rather cobbled together compared to the subsequent releases that would make them iconic. The album reflects the group’s early struggles, having had a false start in 1975 that would later be released as On Parole with this album having been done in a two-day studio session in lieu of recording what was set to be their final show. The material itself is also a mixed bag, consisting of numbers from previous bands, a stray cover or two, and a couple originals that had been put together in the meantime.
But what really matters is that the band had their signature style more or less in place from the get-go. The production is rawer than future releases with more of that overt seventies flavor throughout, but their personality already shines through. Lemmy is immediately established as the domineering force with his sharp bass tone driving most of the songs and his voice having that gravelly snarl even if it’s a little more melodic here. Of course, the other members don’t slouch as Fast Eddie Clarke’s soloing provides a bluesy edge and Philthy Animal Taylor’s drumming is still loose though still working on the wild factor.
This contrast from everything else going on at the time is perhaps best demonstrated by the three songs that Lemmy had originally recorded with Hawkwind, all stripped down and made even dirtier. As much as I love the respective violin and horns on the original versions of “Motörhead” and ”Lost Johnny,” these takes bring out the riffs more and hit harder. I’m not quite sure if “The Watcher” has enough of an anchor to fully translate from spaced out acoustics to a driving rocker, but it still keeps that ominous cynicism.
And with that, the album’s strongest moments come with the fresher material. “White Line Fever” is a powerful burst of energy with its most infectious riff set and ”Keep Us on the Road” keeps to a steady groove. “Iron Horse/Born to Lose” may be the most impactful track of the lot, perhaps the most enduring behind the band’s self-titled song and the closest that the band gets to their psychedelic roots. ”Vibrator” is another noteworthy track as the raunchy lyrics are pretty on brand for not having been written by Lemmy.
Overall, Motörhead is an interesting case as far as awkward debuts go. The songwriting reflects their jumbled early years and the style has more traces of their background than the forward momentum they’d get after this. However, the band certainly knew how they wanted to sound and brought plenty of attitude. It’s not out of character as the debuts from bands like Rush or Judas Priest, but there’s still plenty of developments to come. At the very least, it’s an electrifying listen for fans who want to see how the band found their footing.
