Molly Hatchett

Flirtin' With Disaster (Epic ’79) Rating: B
Some bands have a brief moment and then fade into obscurity, and though they existed before and after, Flirtin' With Disaster was Molly Hatchett's moment. The classic title track can still be heard on classic rock radio, but though that great groove rocker is clearly the high point here, other solid songs also make this '70s relic well worth having. Sure, the band never really overcomes their reputation as a second rate Lynyrd Skynyrd, lacking the depth and songwriting chops of that superior Southern rock band, but that doesn't mean that Molly Hatchet doesn't have virtues of their own. Their three guitars (played by Dave Hlubek, Steve Holland, and Duane Roland) can really cook on songs such as "Long Time" and "Boogie No More," the latter of which flat out smokes, while Danny Joe Brown's gruff, growling vocal style is very effective. Sometimes their lyrics are even worth paying attention to, too, such as on "Whiskey Man," another obvious highlight that describes the dangers of alcoholism ("you have your highs, you have your lows, nobody knows which way you'll go"), and "One Man's Pleasure," which contains this choice tidbit: "Now when I left this town, it was for her and me, Now I'm all alone, with a paper that says I'm free, I guess I'll hit the road again and do what I do best, To hell with her, to hell with him, to hell with all the rest." Those thoughtful songs are the exceptions rather than the rule, however, as most of these macho rockers are more likely to glorify gambling, drinking, and the general carousing that comes about from being in a band. As such, this can best be appreciated as an "it's Saturday night so let's go rustle up the boys for some drinking" kind of album. However, even then you'd be better off if you had a programmable cd player. Their version of "All Over Now" is solid but superfluous (the Rolling Stones version makes all others superfluous), "Jukin' City" is annoyingly rednecky, and my intelligence seems to shrink with repeat listens to "Good Rockin'." Better are "Gunsmoke" and "Let The Good Times Roll," but even these are merely competently performed, somewhat generic Southern-styled boogie rockers. Still, I'm glad I own Flirtin' With Disaster. After all, I can only listen to so much Skynyrd...

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