ATLEE – Heads A Flying
This Californian quartet produced just one album, 1970’s ‘Flying A Head’, but it is a great slice of hard rock. Atlee Yeager is responsible for writing all of the songs, and opener ‘Rip It Up’ is a fine example of what they do. Swamped by fuzz guitar and going at a storming pace, this is hard rock at its best. ‘Swamp Rhythm’ is taken at a slightly slower pace, but still has a subdued power to it. ‘Painted Ladies’ is slower still, but I would hesitate to call it a ballad as when the chorus kicks in it still rocks. ‘Jesus People’ is not too complimentary about the folk of the title, but musically this is a good hard rocker, with the addition of organ to flesh out the sound and offer up a tasty solo. ‘Let’s Make Love’ throws everything into the mix to fill its six minutes, with a rocking verse followed by a slow chorus and including a searing guitar solo. Unusual and effective. Rolling piano introduces ‘Will We Get Together’, and the farfisa organ backing and jaunty melody make this one of the more commercial tracks on the album. ‘Dirty Old Man’ is another good rocker, with a chorus that sounds remarkably like the beginning to Three Dog Night’s ‘Mama Told Me Not To Come’, and even though it includes the obligatory drum solo at least they keep it short. The bar-room piano makes a return for ‘Ain’t That The Way’, another good rocker featuring the usual stirling guitar-work. The album ends with the Bo Diddley stomp of ‘Dirty Sheets’, closing a fine hard rock album. Although the music is raw and unrefined, that is what gives this album its charm. It is the sound of a band enjoying themselves playing the music that they love and it comes over just like that on the record. Give it a listen and see if you can feel the energy.