Freddie Salem & the Wildcats – Cat Dance
Rock Candy Records
www.rockcandyrecords.com

Rating: B

Freddie Salem is one of those guys who shuuda/cudda been a contender.  He is most famous for replacing Henry Paul in the Outlaws in 1977, but he also spent time with The Chamber Brothers, as well as heavy metal icons The Godz.  

In 1982, he got a chance to record his own album and the result is a great mix of classic style hard rock, southern fried rock and meat and potatoes guitar oriented melodic hard rock.  Freddie had the goods for the solo album, but the label didn’t deliver as hoped.  Thousands of jobs were chopped at the major label that signed him and before long this album became lost in shuffle. 

Now, Rock Candy Records has done an outstanding job of shining up this diamond in the rough.  There are great liner notes written by UK rock scribe Malcolm Dome that feature an in-depth and fascinating interview with Salem.  There are never before seen photos and the, most importantly there is a lot of great music.  The entire album rocks but for classic rock aficionados the Todd Rundgren penned Nazz classic “Open My Eyes” is remade to rock and roll perfection.  

Dark Horizon (1:30)
London Town (6:53)
Open My Eyes (3:35)
Long Gone (3:42)
Sunset (4:09)
Got The Feelin' (4:10)
Evil For Evil (4:28)
Rock 'N' Roll Woman (4:38)
Monica (3:43)

By Jeb Wright