HACKENSACK UP THE HARDWAY HEAVY BLUES ROCK SAMSON

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U.S. BUYERS SHIPPING MEDIA  $ 5.50    PRIORITY $ 7.00   ADDITIONAL RECORDS $ 1.50 .  BOTH WITH A TRACKER. INTERNATIONAL BUYERS PAY ACTUAL COST   ( ESTIMATE $ 16.00 - $ 17.00) ADDITIONAL RECORDS ( $5 ) COMBINED SHIPPING ALWAYS HONORED WITH MUSIC ITEMS ONLY .   COVER MINT MINUS. RECORD MINT MINUS MINUS WITH ORGINAL RECORD SLEEVE .  LABEL POLYDOR RECORDS  1974 UK . CATALOG # 2383 263 STEREO  . PICTURES MON/TUES. 

Anyway, moans about packaging and lack of info out of the way, it turns out that some of the personnel from Hackensack actually became quite familiar. Vocals are courtesy of Nicky Moore, later of Samson and Mammoth fame whilst guitarist Ray Majors subsequently turned up in “Mott”, the post Ian Hunter version of “Mott The Hoople”. Simon Fox (drums – later of Be-Bop Deluxe) and Stu Mills (b) make up the rhythm section.

Musically this album is something of a corker! “Up The Hard Way” struts forth and introduces itself as an instant blues-rock classic. Simple but hugely effective its a smoking, mid-tempo number that’s very much in the Free mould then explodes for a wild guitar only solo that even has hints of “Eruption” years before Van Halen’s début. The slower, heavier blues of “A Long Way To Go” is introduced by a fantastic, melancholic guitar sound and delivered with a fine vocal that really doesn’t need the female, gospel style backing. “Goodbye World” is a darker, some would say miserable, lyric that combines beautifully with the sad, country-rock guitar and just in case you were getting suicidal the excellent boogie-blues tribute to a “Lazy Cow” lifts things back to a higher tempo and injects an element of humour. Think Skynyrd’s “Gimme Three Steps” on this one and you’re not far off.

As the album drifts towards it’s conclusion the mood gets slower and more restrained. The instrumental guitar showcase “Angels Theme” segues into the dirty hard-rock of “Goodboy Badboy” (or “Goodbye Badboy” if you believe cddb over the cover!) before the gentle yet superb ballad “Blindman” mellows proceedings. “Northern Girl” too is initially a slower song that again gives spotlight to some great and superbly economic blues guitar work whilst a rip-roaring finish borrows a tune that I can’t for the life of me put a name on, but will forever bug me until I do. The final song again reprises that country feel but this time for a bar-room sing-along entitled “Hot Damn Home-Made Wine“.