The Ties That Bind

by Stephen Thomas ErlewineBy the time Canned Heat recorded the material that comprised Ties That Bind in 1974, the group was falling apart. Founding member Alan Wilson had recently died under mysterious circumstances, the band hadn't changed their style in years, and it had been many albums since they had a hit. Faced with all these problems, Canned Heat simply decided to go ahead and boogie, just like they always did. As a result, Ties That Bind isn't stylstically different than their other records, although it is noticeably lacking in strong songs and inspiration, and it certainly shows why the group imploded shortly after its release. [The 1997 CD reissue includes four bonus tracks which feature the last sessions Alan Wilson recorded with the band.]