Good ole Southern Rock! Its roots probably go back to the Allman Brothers and the Jacksonville Florida area – as they had their first jam in a park there. Now, Moly Hatchet also hail from the same area, and they too, have that almost country vibe to their sound, but they probably have more in common with Lynyrd Skynyrd and their three guitar attack. These guys have been around since ’71, but it wasn’t until ’78 that they got to record this, their debut album, after signing to CBS. I bought this in its first week of release as I heard the opening track Bounty Hunter on the radio, I was already a fan of Skynyrd and when I heard this I had to dive in.
Second track in Gator Country has that country/rock feel going down with some tasty lead guitar to top it off. Big Apple is an ok track, followed by the almost funky groove of The Creeper – again, with a great lead brea. Then into the Side 1 closer The Price You Pay, with a very funky/blues feel and again more geetar!!!
Side 2 starts with the epic Dreams I’ll Never See – a Gregg Allman penned tune, which lends itself perfectly to MH style of southern grooves with some great trade offs with all three guitarists. I’ll Be Running is next up with a choppy staccato feel and a very Allman vocal from Danny Joe Brown – and even more GEETAR!! The only throw away track is next in, Cheatin Woman, and then into album closer Trust Your Old Friend – a trademark Hatchet tune.
Not their best album as that would come with their next release. If you were listening to this for the first time and didn’t look at the cover – you would know where these guys came from – the influences are that obvious – but I like it. The band still tour today, even though there are no original members left making them a tribute to themselves.
8/10 from The Grooveman.
I still play it every now and then.
Good man!!🎸🎸