|
|
Post by Jesse on Jun 11, 2018 19:55:50 GMT -5
I've shared this privately with a few people, but I am working on a book of my own reviews of Southern Rock (and Southern Rock associated) albums. I'm not gonna post everything, but if you wanna read my opinion on a certain album, let me know and I'll post it here. if nobody cares, I'll just post some of my reviews at random.  |
|
|
|
Post by duojett71 on Jun 11, 2018 20:10:29 GMT -5
I love a lot of Southern Rock....but I was probably more into in the 90's and early 2000's. There are certain bands I will always love like The Outlaws, early ZZ Top(although they were more Blues/Rock/Boogie and not country to be Southern Rock IMO), early Molly Hatchet, Lynyrd Skynryd(more the deep tracks)......but I don't listen to as much of it today. I know Harvey Dalton Arnold of The Outlaws a little....every time I see him I love to ask him questions about being in that band and touring in the 70's. He's a really cool guy.
....but yeah dude...would love to hear your take on Southern Rock....it's a very interesting genre.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jesse on Jun 13, 2018 17:29:30 GMT -5
I love a lot of Southern Rock....but I was probably more into in the 90's and early 2000's. There are certain bands I will always love like The Outlaws, early ZZ Top(although they were more Blues/Rock/Boogie and not country to be Southern Rock IMO), early Molly Hatchet, Lynyrd Skynryd(more the deep tracks)......but I don't listen to as much of it today. I know Harvey Dalton Arnold of The Outlaws a little....every time I see him I love to ask him questions about being in that band and touring in the 70's. He's a really cool guy. ....but yeah dude...would love to hear your take on Southern Rock....it's a very interesting genre. I thought Harvey Dalton Arnold and Freddie Salem should've been involved when the Outlaws regrouped in 2005. It was my understanding that Salem was going to be invited, but Henry Paul shot that idea down. I don't think Arnold was ever considered. Oh, and I think early ZZ Top is very much Southern Rock. -Tres Hombres ***** ZZ Top can try to distance themselves from the term "Southern Rock" all they want, but the fact is, they pretty much perfected the style right here on Tres Hombres. 4, blatantly obvious, Southern Rock must-haves here in "Waitin' On The Bus", "Jesus Just Left Chicago", "Beer Drinkers And Hell Raisers" and "La Grange", but I would argue that "Move Me On Down The Line" and "Precious And Grace" are just as good and also "must-haves". Killer chunky guitar riffs, steady, yet quirky drum beats with pounding bass lines describes the songs on most of this album with Billy Gibbons playing all sorts of licks that the boys in Skynyrd and Hatchet only wish they had come up with. Very clean sound and solid production for 1973, especially when compared to the releases of other Southern Rock acts that came out the same year (Skynyrd, Tucker and Charlie Daniels in particular). The original album's sound holds up very well even with modern recordings. |
|
|
|
Post by duojett71 on Jun 18, 2018 22:48:06 GMT -5
I just finished listening to Blackfoot's 'Tomcattin' album. I had not listened to it in years. I broke out my vinyl and threw it on the turntable tonight and did not remember this album being so good. Blackfoot are such and underrated band. They were this badass southern hard rock band....probably the heaviest in the genre, and they did it with class. The same type of class that early Van Halen had. They had a little but of ZZ Top and Molly Hatchett....but really had their own sound and style. The closing song "Fox Chase" is among some of the best rock n roll album closers of all time. Not a week song on the record. Rickey Medlocke was a great frontman and he and Charlie Hargrett were a kickass guitar duo.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jesse on Jun 20, 2018 19:58:11 GMT -5
I just finished listening to Blackfoot's 'Tomcattin' album. I had not listened to it in years. I broke out my vinyl and threw it on the turntable tonight and did not remember this album being so good. Blackfoot are such and underrated band. They were this badass southern hard rock band....probably the heaviest in the genre, and they did it with class. The same type of class that early Van Halen had. They had a little but of ZZ Top and Molly Hatchett....but really had their own sound and style. The closing song "Fox Chase" is among some of the best rock n roll album closers of all time. Not a week song on the record. Rickey Medlocke was a great frontman and he and Charlie Hargrett were a kickass guitar duo. I love Blackfoot! For a long time, I considered them my favorite. That said, you probably wouldn't like my "Tomcattin'" review  . "Fox Chase" does kick some major ass though! |
|
|
|
Post by Jesse on Jul 24, 2018 19:26:45 GMT -5
I don't know if the 2 or 3 people who still check in here are into the Marshall Tucker Band, but here's a review I did for one of their albums a few weeks ago. I tend to listen to the albums as I am writing my reviews and this one I had thought I knew what I was going to say and what my rating was going to be for it, but as I'm listening, I decided that it was a whole lot better than I originally thought. I went from thinking it was about a 3-3 1/2 star album to finding it to be a 5 star album and, probably, the best studio album in the Marshall Tucker Band catalog. I dunno, maybe not everybody "gets" Marshall Tucker Band like I do, but I still think this is their most definitive album. Here goes:
-Tenth *****
Yeah, I can't believe, out of all the great Marshall Tucker Band albums, THIS is the one I'm giving 5 stars. The single "It Takes Time" stalled at #79 on the Pop charts and I don't think any of these tunes stayed in their setlists for more than a year or two after it's release, but here we are, this is a killer album! Believe it or not, "Tenth" picks up right where "Together Forever" left off as if "Runnin' Like The Wind" never happened. Lead track "It Takes Time" is really "I'll Be Lovin' You" kicked into overdrive. Catchy, driving chord progression, excellent drumming, killer Doug Gray vocal and some screamin' leads from Toy Caldwell. "Without You" and "If I Could See You One More Time" sorta foretell the more adult contemporary direction MTB would go in on future albums. "Without You" may drag a bit, but "If I Could See You One More Time" benefits from an emotional vocal from Gray. "Cattle Drive" is another catchy chord progression that leaves room for the Tucker boys to jam out on for 6 minutes. "Gospel Singin' Man" is pure Southern Rock soul. "Sing My Blues" is a heavy interpretation of ZZ Top's "Tush" brought to another level with MTB's musicianship and one of the lost gems in the Tucker catalog. But really, this whole album is a lost gem. Toy Caldwell gives us his last vocal spot on a Tucker album with "Save My Soul" and truly saves his best vocal for last. Beautiful, semi-ballad song with amazing dynamics. "Jimi" is as good of a tribute to Jimi Hendrix as you'll find and another surprisingly great, guitar-heavy tune from Marshall Tucker.
Tenth, in a lot of ways, is really the culmination of all of their albums thus far, plus a bit of a look into the future as to where they would go in the '80's. The boys are really grooving on this one and all the instruments and vocals gel together on every song in ways only heard on select songs from previous albums. More than any other MTB album, Tenth, from start to finish, is truly what Marshall Tucker Band is all about. Unfortunately, this would be the final album of the original line up Marshall Tucker Band as bassist Tommy Caldwell would perish after a car accident shortly after the album's release and MTB would never quite have the same fire in the belly again.
Note: This is the chronologically 9th studio album by Marshall Tucker Band, but their 10th release including the Greatest Hits album released in 1978, but I don't own that one and didn't review here.
|
|
|
|
Post by duojett71 on Jul 31, 2018 0:44:00 GMT -5
That's a band I really need to check out more. I always loved that song "Fire On The Mountain". What little I have heard the musicianship is stellar. I think I have an old vinyl of their's laying around somewhere. Nice review as always Jesse.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jesse on Aug 8, 2018 19:19:00 GMT -5
That's a band I really need to check out more. I always loved that song "Fire On The Mountain". What little I have heard the musicianship is stellar. I think I have an old vinyl of their's laying around somewhere. Nice review as always Jesse. The live "Stomping Room Only" is the album you should check out first. |
|
|
|
Post by duojett71 on Aug 8, 2018 23:14:03 GMT -5
That's a band I really need to check out more. I always loved that song "Fire On The Mountain". What little I have heard the musicianship is stellar. I think I have an old vinyl of their's laying around somewhere. Nice review as always Jesse. The live "Stomping Room Only" is the album you should check out first. I will check it out for sure...thanks man... |
|
|
|
Post by Jesse on Oct 14, 2018 19:54:32 GMT -5
I did this review last week, I still am getting a kick out of it
THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND
-Brothers Of The Road ***
First two songs, the title cut and "Leavin'", are must have, classic Allman Brothers Band. High energy, good hooks, solid performances and just great all around Southern Rock. From there, this feels like corporate heads are steering the ship into more Pop-friendly waters. Original drummer Jaimo was swapped out for guitarist Dan Toler's brother Frankie and, in order to "get with the '80's", they added keytarist Mike Lawlor. This is definitely a decisive shift in sound, much moreso than Reach For The Sky. "Straight From The Heart", "Maybe We Can Go Back To Yesterday" and "Two Rights" all find the Allman Brothers trying to out Michael McDonald the Doobie Brothers for their share of the Yacht Rock pie. "Never Knew How Much I Needed You" is a particularly soft rock acoustic number. Now this doesn't mean that they don't play this style of music well, but who needs to listen to this stuff outside of your dentist's waiting area? To the extent that Allman and Betts have to pursue this musical avenue, "Straight From The Heart" and "Two Rights" are both acceptable and there's a few more decent songs scattered through here ("The Judgement" is pretty good). Also, it is my belief that the first two cuts make up for any subpar tunes on this set and I will hold fast to the line that the Allman Brothers Band never made a bad album. But if they did, it would sound like this.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jesse on Oct 22, 2018 7:31:13 GMT -5
I feel like I did two of my best reviews yesterday. Had to keep editing them because I couldn't type as fast as the thoughts were coming out of my brain so I made a lot of spelling and grammatical errors. I think I fixed most of them. Funny thing is, I shot my wad. These two reviews came so easy, then I started on a third and totally drew a blank! Anyhow, here's the two I did yesterday:
Mother's Finest
-Black Radio Won't Play This Record **** (M)
Well, the year is 1992 and the schitzophranic, hard to figure out, no-labels-quite-fit Mother's Finest are back at it with a solidly good Heavy Metal album. Black Radio Won't Play This Record is heavier and more metallic than Iron Age by far even when factoring in the changing definition of "Heavy Metal" in the 11 years between those albums. Perhaps woken up by younger, better marketed acts like Living Color, Mother's Finest cranks out a truly excellent funk metal album here that shits all over anything others mave have attempted around this time or in the years since.
Original members Joyce Kennedy, Glenn Murdock and Jerry Seay (AKA Wyzard) reunite and round out the band with drummer Dion Derek and guitarist John Hayes (original guitarist Moses Mo would rejoin a few years after this album). The new line up is extremely tight and very funky and metallic here. Murdock and Kennedy's vocals are both in top notch form throughout this set. Production is clean and mixed loud! Songwriting is solid, in your face and politically incorrect with the liberal pearl clutching "Like A Negro" leading the pack, showcasing an artistic talent that just doesn't give a shit who they offend. "Crack Babies" also mines a similar attitude with a slightly better hook and a smoother, less frantic performance.
Not a damn thing Southern Rock about this album and, once again, maybe this is one I should've left out of here despite their (slightly) Southern Rock roots. But if you "get" these guys and girl in the least and are open to funky heavy metal, this is the album where I feel it all comes together for them. Ballad "Cry Baby" is the only thing even in the ballpark of Southern Rock and worth checking out for Joyce Kennedy's Rock'n Roll Hall Of Fame-worthy vocal alone! Most of the rest of this album can best be described by the song title "Head Bangin' And Booty Shakin'", another highlight of this album with it's politically charged lyrics, heavy riffs and dancable beat. Album ends with the majestic anthem "Love, Peace And Freedom" featuring another excellent vocal by Kennedy that probably would've been a hit had they released it a few years earlier.
As it turned out, black radio didn't play this record....and neither did white radio for that matter. They never were a big seller, but Mother's Finest has always had a small, yet dedicated, cult fanbase that has kept them going through the years. Thank God, cuz the world is a better place when this band is out there doing their thang.
The Allman Brothers Band
-Seven Turns *****
After taking nearly a decade off, the Allman Brothers Band is back just in time for a resurgence of Classic Rock and renewed hunger for new music by artists of the 1970's. Unlike others, however, the Allmans truly bring it with Seven Turns, a delicious dish of 70's styled Southern Rock with late 80's/early 90's polish complete with vocal and instrumental hooks, twin guitars, slide guitar, honky-tonk piano, double drumming and majestic arrangements. Seven Turns really brings back everything the Allman Brothers were doing right on Enlightened Rogues and Reach For The Sky, but does it with better songwriting, better perfomances, better production and a more talented band.
All four surviving original members are back: Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks and Jaimo. With them for this go 'round is bassist extraordinaire Allen Woody and, from Betts' solo band, guitarist Warren Haynes and keyboadist Johnny Neel. Haynes especially fits in well, providing slide guitar, twin leads and back and forth leads with Betts in a way that harkens back to the days when Duane Allman was still alive. Neel adds great piano lines, fills and solos as Chuck Leavel had done on the classic Brothers And Sisters and Win, Lose Or Draw albums. Betts, perhaps pushed to his limits by Haynes, finds himself cranking out some of his best, most memorable solos since "Ramblin' Man" and "Jessica". Drummers, Trucks and Jaimo provide the dual drumming backbeat often mimicked, but never matched reminicent of their early 70's hey day. Betts' and Allman's (especially Allman's) vocals are as good as ever. Aged to perfection, perhaps rougher, but with more depth than ever before.
Songwise, they just belt out one instant classic after another. Three sizable hits came from this album, opener "Good Clean Fun", "Shine It On" and prophetic (as they would go on, relatively steady, for another 23 years!) "It Ain't Over Yet". However, the also-rans here are every bit as good. The title song, written and sung by Betts is pure Southern Rock gold. An acoustic road song at first, the song moves on to some classic twin leads and slide guitaring, climaxing at the end with call and response vocals between Betts and Allman. "True Gravity" is, hands down, their best instrumental piece since "Jessica", begun with a galloping bass riff which gives way to a tasty twin lead guitar melody. The tune then slows down and coasts for a surreal slide guitar solo from Haynes, then gets back into gear for a blazing honky-tonk piano solo that blends into a truly genius Betts solo coming up over the horizon like the sun rising on a beautiful Fall morning. Definitely the highlight of an already outstanding album.
Other stand out tunes are the bluesy "Low Down Dirty Mean", the Haynes-sung "Loaded Dice" and "Gambler Roll". "Gambler Roll", sung with the rough soul of Allman in a way in which only he can is heavy blues. Mid-tempo, but steadily plodding, this is another song that builds and builds and is a vehicle for some absolutely screaming guitar work from both Haynes and Betts (but mostly Betts on this one).
Not a damn thing to not like on this one. This is classic Allman Brothers, Classic Southern Rock, but produced and packaged for the slick early 1990's and that not a bad thing. Skynyrd, MarshalL Tucker and others made similar attempts at repackaging themselves for the new decade, but completely fell on their faces doing so, losing any and all traces of the bands they once were. No so here with the Allman Brothers Band, the original flagship in the 1970's, again paving the way in the 1990's for Southern Rock, setting the bar for excellence extremely high for those still playing the game.
|
|
|
|
Post by duojett71 on Jan 14, 2019 0:56:07 GMT -5
Jesse I assume you are at least a casual Skynyrd fan like I am.....my favorite album of their's is probably 'Nuthin Fancy'.....probably because it has more deep cuts on it. What's your take on that album? I always dug songs like "On The Hunt", "Am I losin" and "Whiskey Rock A Roller". The whole album is really good I think....but I like that the one hit "Saturday Night Special" is the only song you hear in regular rotation....and that is a great song and one I never got tired of.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jesse on Jan 14, 2019 21:21:06 GMT -5
Jesse I assume you are at least a casual Skynyrd fan like I am.....my favorite album of their's is probably 'Nuthin Fancy'.....probably because it has more deep cuts on it. What's your take on that album? I always dug songs like "On The Hunt", "Am I losin" and "Whiskey Rock A Roller". The whole album is really good I think....but I like that the one hit "Saturday Night Special" is the only song you hear in regular rotation....and that is a great song and one I never got tired of. Love Skynyrd! However, "Nuthin' Fancy" is probably my least favorite of their '70's studio albums. Doesn't mean it sucks, it's more of a testament to how great the rest of their '70's albums were. Anyhow, here's my review: (1975)-Nuthin' Fancy ***1/2 Beginning with the bang of "Saturday Night Special", one gets the idea that Skynyrd has sharpened their collective songwriting skills and are focusing on a hard rock approach to their 3rd album. "Saturday Night Special" is the heaviest hard rocker they've recorded yet and is an instant classic with loud guitar riffs, screamin' leads and powerful hooks. Easily among their best ever. Beyond that song, though, Nuthin' Fancy settles down into a collection of songs that sound like filler in comparison. "Cheatin' Woman" is decent blues, "Am I Losin'" and "Railroad Song" are good Country Rock ("Railroad Song" sounding a bit like one of Merle Haggard's rockin' moments.) "Made In The Shade" sounds like a hippie attempt at Country/Bluegrass. "On The Hunt" and "I'm A Country Boy" are catchy semi-funky riff-rockers that sound similar, but pre-date the likes of Molly Hatchet's "I'll Be Runnin'" and "The Price You Pay". "Whiskey Rock'n Roller" closes out the album and is the only solid Southern Rocker in the bunch and the only other live staple besides "Saturday Night Special". Overall, this is a good notch or so below the high standards set by the song groups on their previous two albums and this is probably my least favorite of Skynyrd's six '70's albums. That said, these songs are still quite good and keeps one grooving through 40+ minutes (though "Made In The Shade" is really pushing the limits of my attention span). Strong 3 1/2 stars. |
|
|
|
Post by duojett71 on Jan 15, 2019 0:32:29 GMT -5
Interesting review.....and I agree at why it probably was not one of their more popular albums. I like where they went with the album and 'On The Hunt ' is one of my favorite Skynyrd songs. I don't see the album as super radio friendly and maybe that is why like it so much. You makes some great points in your review Jesse. Thanks!
|
|
