Kentucky Headhunters On Safari (Plowboy Records) I have been
telling my friends that I would be just fine if I could only listen to two records from now
until 2017, the new Blackberry Smoke and this one. Now I have always loved the Ken- tucky Headhunters, all the way back to the time they were in the country Top 40, at a time when I myself was a country DJ. I loved all of the albums that followed, especially Soul, where the guys dipped the music into the vat filled with Muscle Shoals soul. As much as I loved that record, none of their al- bums has ever rocked my world like On Sa- fari. From the opening notes of the country-
rocking “Beaver Creek Mansion” it is obvious this is going to be quite a ride. I could almost hear Richard Young saying “please keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times and until we come to a complete stop.” “Deep South Blues” adds to the feeling that
the Headhunters are playing some serious Southern Rock here, with gruff vocals and some amazing guitar from Greg Martin, who keeps his axe chopping on “I Am the Hunter.” Of course, the next track caught me by sur- prise and I leapt from my seat screaming “Heck yeah!” You see, back in the early ‘70’s I was a huge fan of Alice Cooper. I never dreamed that a lifetime later I’d hear a band from Glasgow, Kentucky rip it up on one of Cooper’s album cuts, but indeed they do! The Headhunters tear into Michael Bruce’s “Caught in a Dream.” That song was the B- side to one of Cooper’s 45s I owned, and I loved it even more than the A-side. Good choice, guys. “Crazy Jim” is a great song about a neigh-
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borhood guy. A celebration of strong person- ality kind of like Skynyrd tribute “Curtis Leow.” You’ve got to love it. “Lowdown Mem- phis Blues Again” is another standout track on the record, featuring a super soulful sound, a great melody and a hook you could hang a 40-pound bass on. “Jukebox Full of Blues” is an awesome
track with a distinct ‘50’s rock and roll sound, some slinky slide guitar from Greg Martin and a nostalgic lyric that brings to mind the days of pink and black, penny loafers and bobby socks. Slick back that D.A. and get your dancing shoes on. “God Loves a Rolling Stone” is an amazing
country song and by all rights it should be on country radio. The music and the lyrics com- bine to paint a perfect country hit, part Garth Brooks, part David Allan Coe, all Kentucky Headhunters. On Safari is a winner all the way around.
But don’t take my word for it. Check it out yourself and get you some Southern Rock goodness.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
Paul Hornsby Red Hot (Muscadine Records) Paul Hornsby is a true music veteran. Formerly a member of the Men-Its with Eddie Hinton and Hourglass with Duane
and Gregg Allman, Hornsby went to work for Capricorn Records in Macon, Georgia, first as a member of the house band, The Capricorn Rhythm Section, and then as record pro- ducer, where he worked with The Marshall Tucker Band on all of their original albums as producer and keyboard player. He also pro- duced the Charlie Daniels Band, Wet Willie, Eric Quincy Tate and many others. Through-
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