Genre: country-rock
Rating: 1 star *
Title:  Sky Hawk
Company: Courtney
Catalog: AW 14012
Year: 1976
Country/State: US
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: --
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 6188
Price: $30.00

The Album World family of labels offered up a seemingly endless supply of anonymous talents covering the entire spectrum of musical genres. The mysterious band Sky Hawk provided one of the label's entries into the Southern rock genre. As you'd expect from a tax scam label, 1976's "Sky Hook" provided absolutely no information on the band. No production information, no performance information; nothing ... Even the artwork was cheapo - the image credited to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency which opens up the likelihood these guys were a studio entity looking for a bit of quick cash. Musically the album offered up a mixture of popular mid-1970s hits, most given Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen-styled country-rock arrangements. Hard to believe but there wasn't a single original thought or note to be found across these ten tracks. This was simply an example of music as product rather than art and stands as one of the few albums I've heard with absolutely nothing to offer of interest ... it simply isn't even bad enough to be good. 

- To their credit, these guys didn't totally destroy Chris Kenner's 'I Like it Like That', rather managed to turn it into a lukewarm slice of Southern rock. Imagine hanging out in a third rate dive bar on a Friday night and this is one of the songs that band would be trying to fight their way through rating: ** stars
- Can't say I ever really liked Peter Rowan's ode to the early-1970s Southern California music scene, but this countrified version is pretty dreadful. Give me The New Riders of the Purple Sage version any time (for anyone interested, I think it's found on "The Adventures of Panama Red" album.) rating: * stars
- 'The South's Gonna Do It Again' was another one where you might as well buy the original version. The Charlie Daniels original simply shredded this lame version. If this had been the South's call to arms they never would have stood a chance. rating: * stars
- Yeah, 'Ain't Nothing To Me' was more country than rock, but the vocal was pretty good and the keyboards were even better. Of course the benchmark for comparisons was pretty low. Still two stars are better than one. rating: ** stasr
- 'Diggy Liggy Lo' was possibly the lamest zydeco song I've ever heard ...   How they managed to turn a dance track into something fitting for a funeral march is beyond my understanding.  rating: * star
- Cute country songs like 'Fishin'' merely irritate me ...   rating: * star
- Their cover of 'Danny's Song' managed t take a crappy song and make it even crappier.  rating: * star
- Save yourself the frustration, don't bother with their cover of Chuck Berry's 'Memphis - just go download a copy of the original. rating: * star
- Their second Charlie Daniels cover wasn't much of an improvement over the first - 'Texas' was essentially second rate Commander Cody. rating: * star
- Stuff like 'She's No Angel' is the reason I'm not a big country fan. Yech. rating: * star

So who in their right mind would be interested in hearing this one? Frankly I don't know. Even tax scam collectors would probably have issues with this one.  

"Sky Hawk" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) I Like it Like That (Chris Kenner) - 2:26
2.) Lonesome Country L.A. (P. Rowan) - 3:18
3.) The South's Gonna Do It Again (Charlie Daniels) - 2:01
4.) Ain't Nothing To Me (Johnny Winters) - 2:44
5.) Diggy Liggy Lo (J.D. Miller) - 2:31

(side 2)
1.) Fishin' (A. Bishop) - 3:02
2.) Danny's Song (Kenny Loggins) - 3"14
3.) Memphis (Chuck Berry) - 1:59
4.) Texas (Charlie Daniels) - 2:13
5.) She's No Angel (W. Ballman - J.W. Arnold) - 2:55