SAMMY HAGAR – Musical Chairs (1977 Capitol)

A second album in 1977 for Sammy Hagar!  Swiftly following his self-titled record, Sammy was back with another collection of originals and covers featuring Bill Church and Alan Fitzgerald.  New to the band this time out were drummer Denny Carmassi, and Gary Pihl on guitar.  With Denny on board, it’s Montrose without Ronnie.

This review is based on my notes for an excellent episode of Tim’s Vinyl Confessions, and so does not follow my usual review format.  By all means, check out his Sammy Hagar book Red On Black for more details.  Let’s take ’em all track by track.

1. “Turn Up the Music” (John Carter, Sammy Hagar 3:35)

One of the Sammy songs I have known for ages, being on a 1989 “special markets” compilation called Turn Up the Music!  Very cool intro guitar lick, one of Sammy’s catchiest solo tracks.  Cool lyrics referencing the working day, and shouting out to past rockers like “Johnny B Goode”.  An ode to music making you feel better, helping you get through the day.  “Heavy metal music, oh that feels alright.”

2. “It’s Gonna Be All Right” (Hagar 4:11)

Laid back with cool synth riff by Fitz, and great punchy horn section.  Catchy and fun.  Youthful.  “We may be young, but we are strong, we can’t be wrong.  We’ve only just begun to be right!”  I remember feeling that way!  The horn section really gives the song a unique flavour for hard rock, and it just blasts!

3. “You Make Me Crazy” (Hagar 2:47)

Lovely little ballad with great keyboards and female backing vocals.  Very mellow in a 70s sense.  I picture a wintry chalet with a fire roaring.  Tommy Bolin vibes, circa “Sweet Burgundy”.  While it doesn’t really fit the Hagar oeuvre (especially on an album featuring the lyric “heavy metal music”), I do like this song.  Maybe it would be called adult contemporary in some circles…but not mine.

4. “Reckless” (Hagar 3:32)

One of Sammy’s heaviest!  Smokes from start to finish.  Guitar/organ riff is killer.  Heavy metal music indeed!  A true head banger.  Primitive Hagar music, with all the punches intact.

5. “Try (Try to Fall in Love)” (Norman Des Rosiers 3:11)

A cover of a sappy piano ballad.  Full of strings and adornments, flutes, and woodwinds, but a bit too mushy.  No rock.  Very lush, and Sammy attempts a nice falsetto, but it’s not a favourite.  And that song title?  It reminds me of “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You (Tonight)” by Spinal Tap.  Why “Try (Try)”?  Why?  Oh that’s too much now.

6. “Don’t Stop Me Now” (Carter, Hagar 3:12)

Back to form, thankfully!  Nice crunchy simple riff here, and catchy guitar licks.  Punchy, simple and crunchy.  Nice chorus.  Listen for “red” reference – “I’m turnin’ red.”  This one strikes me as Kiss outtake quality.  Think Simmons’ Vault.

7. “Straight from the Hip Kid” (Liar cover – Norman Tager, Paul Travis 3:09)

Funky clavinet is a nice touch; thanks Fitz!  This is a cover tune by Liar, a contemporary 70s band who put out their own version of the track two years earlier.  Hard rocking, but with a slight touch of funk.

8. “Hey Boys” (Hagar 2:50)

OK song.  Light but not particularly memorable.  Chorus feels like it doesn’t fit.  Good keyboard solo work, very atmospheric.  “We’re all playin’ musical chairs, of but a change is gonna come,” lyric comes from this song.  Nice light rock.  Yacht rock?

9. “Someone Out There” (Hagar 3:01)

Enjoy the upbeat rock stylings of this song.  Light background organ is very nice.

10. “Crack in the World” (Hagar 5:11)

Slow rocker.  Goes epic in a soft kind of way, but the chorus doesn’t quite fit, which is a problem plaguing this record.  Good keyboard and guitar solos for what it is.  Kind of ends prematurely.

Not a spectacular album, with only two real serious rockers.  There are a few good light rockers too, but fans expecting the “Heavy Metal” Hagar will be sorely left with something they won’t understand.

3/5 stars