User Profile
Tom Kellar
I enjoy several types of music, but mostly rock of all types: Southern, metal, progressive, grunge and more. Of course, user reviews tend to be higher. We do not get our music for free and are not paid for our opinions. Unless we are given an album, or try an experiment, we are buying works from artists that we have enjoyed. But I plan to be very stingy with full 5-star ratings, saving them for flawless masterpieces which are ALL KILLER NO FILLER. I expect to be giving many 3 to 4.5 scores.
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Tom Kellar's Album Reviews
This is the last of the trio of essential albums from the Southern rock standard bearers, along with "Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd" and Second Helping". Skynyrd finally replaced departed Yankee guitarist Ed King with Okie guitarist/vocalist Steve Gaines. His playing and writing helped revitalize the band and provided the original incarnation with a strong last statement.
The cynical, tongue-in-cheek road story "What's Your Name" makes a great start, followed by one of their hardest rocking songs, "That Smell". Warnings about drink and drug excess were a recurring theme for the group, even if they often didn't follow their own advice. That's a powerful one-two punch after which comes the romance gone bad ballad "One More Time". Skynyrd kicks up the tempo again for the boogie tune "I Know a Little", and the high-energy "You Got That Right". Steve joins vocalist Ronnie Van Zant at the microphone for this track. I'm always in favor of bands with multiple singers using them as often as possible, it helps to keep the sound fresh and interesting. "I Never Dreamed" is a beautiful ballad about Ronnie's new-found appreciation for the importance of wife and family. Their cover of "Honky Tonk Night Time Man" is another great upbeat jam. Alas, even the best Skynyrd albums always have one clunker. The closing "Ain't No Good Life" is the only filler on this album. That's a shame for several reasons. It is the only song Steve sang solo, and it doesn't make a good finish to the album ("I Never Dreamed" would have been perfect for that). But it's also the last song heard before the plane crash that grounded the band for years.
My old LP has the censored cover that was made after the tragedy. The CD I own has the original image of the band surrounded by flaming buildings. Steve looks eerie standing in the center, eyes closed, with fire moving around his face and shoulders. Guests include once and future Skynyrd members Ed King, Rick Medlocke (credited as "Medlock") and Greg Walker. There are 5 bonus tracks which don't add much: alternate takes of "You Got That Right" and "I Never Dreamed"; "Georgia Peaches" and "Sweet Little Missy" which were dropped from the album, and "Jacksonville Kid", which takes the music from "Honky Tonk Night Time Man" and changes the lyrics to be more about Ronnie. He tells how when he returns to his hometown, he doesn't feel welcome and encounters nothing but disco and high-heeled boys. There are photos and an essay about the band and album.
"Street Survivors" is an excellent example of Southern rock. Lynyrd Skynyrd was playing at their peak and went out strong. It would be a long time before the free bird would fly again.
The cynical, tongue-in-cheek road story "What's Your Name" makes a great start, followed by one of their hardest rocking songs, "That Smell". Warnings about drink and drug excess were a recurring theme for the group, even if they often didn't follow their own advice. That's a powerful one-two punch after which comes the romance gone bad ballad "One More Time". Skynyrd kicks up the tempo again for the boogie tune "I Know a Little", and the high-energy "You Got That Right". Steve joins vocalist Ronnie Van Zant at the microphone for this track. I'm always in favor of bands with multiple singers using them as often as possible, it helps to keep the sound fresh and interesting. "I Never Dreamed" is a beautiful ballad about Ronnie's new-found appreciation for the importance of wife and family. Their cover of "Honky Tonk Night Time Man" is another great upbeat jam. Alas, even the best Skynyrd albums always have one clunker. The closing "Ain't No Good Life" is the only filler on this album. That's a shame for several reasons. It is the only song Steve sang solo, and it doesn't make a good finish to the album ("I Never Dreamed" would have been perfect for that). But it's also the last song heard before the plane crash that grounded the band for years.
My old LP has the censored cover that was made after the tragedy. The CD I own has the original image of the band surrounded by flaming buildings. Steve looks eerie standing in the center, eyes closed, with fire moving around his face and shoulders. Guests include once and future Skynyrd members Ed King, Rick Medlocke (credited as "Medlock") and Greg Walker. There are 5 bonus tracks which don't add much: alternate takes of "You Got That Right" and "I Never Dreamed"; "Georgia Peaches" and "Sweet Little Missy" which were dropped from the album, and "Jacksonville Kid", which takes the music from "Honky Tonk Night Time Man" and changes the lyrics to be more about Ronnie. He tells how when he returns to his hometown, he doesn't feel welcome and encounters nothing but disco and high-heeled boys. There are photos and an essay about the band and album.
"Street Survivors" is an excellent example of Southern rock. Lynyrd Skynyrd was playing at their peak and went out strong. It would be a long time before the free bird would fly again.
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