Snake in the Grass

Hazzard are a NWOBHM band that only put out one single that I know of. The B-side is great, the A-side could be lost in the masses of NWOBHM that isn't bad, but doesn't stand out. The production is alright, everything is audible, but the drums certainly did not benefit from the recording at all. The performances seem to be captured better on the B-side.

The title track leads in with 30 seconds or so of playing with phasers and effects, then 30 seconds of just the guitar, then it finally gets to the song. The build-up doesn't really lead anywhere. It's a pretty simple song, and the main riff is just descending power chords that don't pair up with the vocals very well. There's a long guitar solo that extends into the chorus repeat (outro) - it is certainly indicative of the 80s, when there were excessive guitar solos despite the guitarists not being able to do a whole lot with them. Sharp, treble-overloaded, searing British overdrive - one of those things that was cool until you had heard enough music that you wanted the guitarist to do more with it, which he did on the other song on here.

The B-side is a charismatic rock and roll song, the type of thing that we love from the NWOBHM movement. It's up-beat and the singer is quite emotive - the vocals are energetic, and they set the tone for the song. The riffs are great, and the guitars and vocals fit together very well - the main part of the song has the guitar laying back under the vocals for each line, then finishing with a nice pentatonic tail to the riff. It's simple, catchy, and energetic - heavy and fast rock and roll. The guitar solo is much less excessive, not nearly as long as on the first side, and much like the riffing and vocals here, it carries the feeling of the song.

The title track is unimpressive, the B-side is impressive.