SKYNYRD!!!!
Okay, I was born in 1975... so the majority of Skynyrd's band members were already dead by the time I was born. Skynyrd has always been a joke to me ... ya know, yelling, "SKYNYRD!! FREE BIRD!!" at every opportunity (watching a high school choir concert, Christmas carolers, etc.). I figured that since all hardcore Skynyrd fans were half-shirt-wearing-beer-guzzling-mullet-headed-mesh-hat-wearin'-stuck-in-the-seventies-camero-drivin' losers, Skynyrd must be just as bad as their fans. Besides, any band that plays the outdoor festival of Stillwater's Lumberjack Days (Badfinger, Air Supply, America) has to be lame.
After digging the subtle southern-rock behind my recent favorites of Orange Goblin, Moist Boyz, and Blood Duster, I figured I'd find the source and give 'em a listen. The source was Skynyrd, so as dirty as I felt--I had to buy a best-of CD and check it out.
Oops. Skynyrd is awesome. SSSSKKKKYYYYNNNNYYYRRRDDD!!!
I reckon that the Texas boogie is America's equivalent to Germany's polka--you can't help loving the happy, bouncy style. Skynyrd perfected the crossover between the southern boogie and rock 'n' roll (mix in some electric blues for good measure). It's good, fun rock 'n' roll that you just can't help tappin' yer foot ta. The triple-guitar attack provides simplistic yet powerful solos (whhee nee nee wheee nee nee wheee nee nee) that manipulate the pentatonic/blues scales to perfection. No solo is a throw-away. They all provide a melody with meaningful bends and slides.
Skynyrd rocks, but their best songs have all been tarnished by jokes (FREEEBIIRRRD!), beer commercials, or classic rock radio overplay. Behind their image, though, is a wonderfully addictive band that has a hard time leaving my CD player as of late.
Rating: ****** outta 8
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