Released in April 1980 on Polydor Records, Crash and Burn stands as a testament to the Pat Travers Band’s creative peak and commercial impact. It became the band’s highest-charting studio album, reaching No. 20 on the Billboard album chart — a deserved milestone for a record that radiates confidence, groove, and sheer rock passion
Who are Pat Travers Band?
The Pat Travers Band emerged in the mid-1970s as a fiery force in blues-infused hard rock. Led by Canadian guitarist, singer, and songwriter Pat Travers the band quickly earned a reputation for intense musicianship and high-voltage live shows. Travers’ blend of blues sensibility and hard-rock attack, paired with dynamic collaborators like bassist Peter “Mars” Cowling, guitarist Pat Thrall, and powerhouse drummer Tommy Aldridge, helped define their signature sound through the late ’70s and early ’80s. Their live energy translated into platinum success and a devoted fanbase on both sides of the Atlantic.
Crash And Burn – The Album Review
Released in April 1980 on Polydor Records, Crash and Burn stands as a testament to the Pat Travers Band’s creative peak and commercial impact. It became the band’s highest-charting studio album, reaching No. 20 on the Billboard album chart — a deserved milestone for a record that radiates confidence, groove, and sheer rock passion.
Right from the taut groove of the title track, the album announces itself as more than just a blues-rock blowout. Travers and company explore a wider palette here — with keyboards adding texture, swooping bass lines from Mars Cowling locking in with Aldridge’s explosive drumming, and Travers’ vocals shifting effortlessly from gritty to soulful.
The undeniable highlight — and what became a radio staple — is “Snortin’ Whiskey”, a rollicking, no-apologies anthem that encapsulates the band’s rough-and-ready ethos and Travers’ guitar prowess. Its infectious energy helped propel the album’s success and remains a crowd favorite decades on. But Crash and Burn is far from one-dimensional. The band’s take on Albert King’s “Born Under a Bad Sign” brings blues tradition into the hard-rock fold with grit and flair, while their adaptation of Bob Marley’s “Is This Love?” is both respectful and refreshingly inventive, proving Travers’ ability to reinterpret across genres.
Tracks like “(Your Love) Can’t Be Right” showcase a tighter, R&B-tinged rock groove, and deeper cuts such as “Love Will Make You Strong” reveal a thoughtful side to the songwriting. There’s a balance here between swagger and sophistication, and it’s that interplay that keeps Crash and Burn compelling from start to finish. For listeners seeking raw energy wrapped in tight musicianship and spirited songwriting, this album still hits with the same punch it did upon release.
The Vinyl Review
Another £2 purchase that turned out to be a bargain in the truest sense of the word. The cover is in decent condition and the record plays perfectly without any flaws. Very happy to pick this one up especially as I had heard about pat Travers for many years but never really took the step to listen to his music properly. I’m glad that I now have done and the PT journey will continue.
Donnie’s Rating: 9/10
