![]() ![]() The autobiographical honesty in the new recruit’s solo authorship of “Ain’t No Good Life” is worthy of his other co-writes with the vocalist on “You Got That Right” and “I Never Dreamed.” The recently-enlisted Oklahoman’s tune isn’t so far from the cautionary tale of lead singer Ronnie Van Zant’s that is “That Smell” (a slower and more extended rendition than the one eventually issued appears on that expanded package). The latter’s by-the-numbers boogie suggests more covers like this one of Merle Haggard’s “Honky Tonk Night Time Man” might better have populated the long-player, but only at the risk of sounding too self-consciously ‘Southern’ for their own good (as the periodic use of a giant Confederate flag as a stage backdrop would suggest). That carefully-arranged stately semi-ballad is as emotionally complex as Gaines’ “I Know A Little” is glib. And it’s more than the two additional numbers on the aforementioned reissue providing evidence of the band’s purposeful focus: the last-minute addition of “One More Time” comes from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1971 Muscle Shoals demo, further reaffirming this group’s distinction as uncommonly intelligent rock and roll band. In this regard, while King’s studio savvy and arranging expertise were no doubt sorely missed, Skynyrd managed to transcend glib provincial labels as well as the somewhat undue influence of the great British band Free (admiration of whom they shared with Kooper). The prolonged process, including early work with famed producer Tom Dowd (Clapton, ABB, among others), and subsequent independent recording and production, eventually bore the end result(s) Ronnie Van Zant and company were hoping for. Accordingly, the thirty-five minutes or so that comprises the album as issued in 1977 is a distillation of two separate recording efforts. A group thus naturally inclined to go its own way found itself in the midst of circumstances compelling them to do exactly that.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |