Roy Head - Head On! (CD)

All Music Guide

The 15 recordings on Head On were made during a commercial drought following Roy Head's mid-'60s hit streak, but preceding his successful resurrection as a country artist in the early '70s. Although there are a couple of country songs (one of which is a remake of his hit "Treat Her Right"), the rest of the performances fuse James Brown with Mitch Ryder to create high-energy white soul music verging on funk. Head's appropriation of James Brown's vocal affectations is more contrived than exciting, although it is hard to deny that Head had a flair for this kind of music. The formula is most effective on "The Same People" and "Mama Mama," where Head's rock and soul approach foreshadows the music Elvis Presley would make in the '70s (and was just beginning to make at American Studios). Despite its lack of hits, Head On fills a hole in Head's discography for collectors and provides a view of a transitional time in his career.

- Greg Adams, All Music Guide