Earthshaker

Earthshaker is effectively a fresh restart and an early signature work, released after the band renamed itself Y&T. Thick guitar riffs, an honest rhythm and Dave Meniketti’s emotional singing bind strongly, winning through the heat of playing that pushes the songs forward and an urgency that recalls the stage, rather than flashy ornament. With the name change, their music comes into sharper focus. On “Dirty Girl,” “Rescue Me,” “Hurricane” and “Squeeze,” the linear momentum of hard rock and a firm melodic sense balance at a high level. In particular, the long-form ballad “I Believe in You” is a fine song that showcases Meniketti’s expressive singing, strongly impressing the band’s lyrical side. Combining aggression and melodic sense, it is still highly regarded as a sincere, hot hard-rock work leading toward later American metal.