Loaded & Live

Originally formed when Paul King and Colin Earl departed Mungo Jerry in 1972, the King Earl Boogie Band have seen their ups and downs in the decades since then, including the loss of one half of their namesakes in 1996; King departed following a tremendous showing at the Cropredy festival that year, leaving Earl to fly the nomenclatorial flag alone. And it must be said that the subsequent incarnation of the band does lack some of the idiosyncrasy that King brought to the show. This release, however, proves that there was a lot more to the group than him. Originally recorded and released in 2005 for sale at the band's own gigs, this first mainstream release of Loaded and Live sounds like the best little pub rock band you could hope to hear, 13 slabs of rocking boogie wandering from band originals to old-time rockers and stompers — a frenetic "Matchbox," a raucous "What'd I Say," and a positively seething "Who Do You Love" rank among the show's highlights, while Dave Peabody's vocals drape a delicious bluesy authenticity over everything.