This, the 3rd album from USA:s 38 Special, consists of more stadiumorientated melodic adultrock than it's two former albums. Although they stayed true to their southern rock-roots they also managed to create big hit-songs. I really like this album, it has some killer songs.

Larry Junstrom was one of the founding members of Lynyrd Skynyrd with whom he played between 1964 and 1972. he joined 38 Special in 1979, the same year this album was released.

1)Rockin' into the night (7,5) Heavy and melodic rocksong. Killer singalongrefrain.

2)Stone cold believer (8,0) Very simple but effective riff, good singing and good attitude in this slow rocker. I like it!

3)Take me through the night (7,0) A sentimental calmer song with nice guitarsolo. Okey, but it could have been better.

4)Money honey (7,5) Midtempo honkeytonkrocker variating between slow and faster. Nice melody, vocals and piano played by Billy Powell from Lynyrd Skynyrd.

5)The love that I've lost (9,0) Absolutely great southern rocker! Great singing, guitarplaying and melody!

6)You're the captain (7,5)

7)Robin Hood (7,0) Instrumental.

8)You got the deal (7,0)

9)Turn it on (8,5) Rock'n'roll!

Score: 7,67

Donnie Van Zant-vocals (b.1952)

Don Barnes-vocals and guitars (b.1952)

Jeff Carlisli-guitars

Larry Junstrom-bass and guitars (b.1949)

Jack Grondin-drums

Steve Brookins-drums

+

Billy Powell (Lynyrd Skynyrd)-piano

Terry Emery-piano

Dale Krantz (Lynyrd Skynyrd)-background vocals

The southern rock/country-band Outlaws was formed as early as 1967 by Hughie Thomasson and some others. Frank O'Keefe came in in 1968 and Monte Yoho in 1969. They had then made two albums but none of them were released. In 1971 Henry Paul together with Monte Yoho and Frank O'Keefe formed the band Sienna, which soon changed their name to Outlaws. This, their debutalbum is a mix of rock and country, containing three guitarrists and they sure used the guitars in the best possible way in their different types of songs and in their southernrocksstyle guitarduelling and fantastic soloing. The songs are among the best southernrock/countryrocksongs I have ever heard and this albums is one that I often listen to, it's a perfect partyalbum!

This is one of the best albums I have ever heard!

Hughie Thomasson died in his sleep of an heartattack in 2007.

Billy Jones comitted suicide in 1995.

Frank O'Keefe also died in 1995.

1)There goes another love song (8,5) Superb uptempo countrrocker.

2)Song for you (8,5) Starts with guitarduelling going into twinguitarplaying and a solo before the superb a capella singing ang guitarsolinging again. Incredible!

3)Song in the breeze (9,0) Absolutely great singing by Paul and the guitarplaying and a capella-singing are just fantastic in this melodic countryrocker.

4)It follows from your heart (9,5) A sweet ballad with exellent melody and sensitive and incredible singing. Great solo at the end.

5)Cry no more (8,0) An uptempo rocker.

6)Waterhole (7,5) A fast countryrocker with as fast guitarduelling! Instrumental.

7)Stay with me (8,0) Another countryrocker. Very melodic and a capella-singing.

8)Keep prayin' (9,0) Paul and Jones sings this heavy uptempo boogierocker. Just incredible sense for melody both in singing and guitarplaying!

9)Knoxville girl (8,0) Uptempo countryrocker.

10)Green grass and high tides (10,0) The absolutely best song that I have ever heard! 10 minutes of absolute and pure pleasure. The best partymoodlifter you can ever think of as the song builds up and to end with furious guitarduelling!

Score: 8,60

Hughie Thomasson-vocals and guitars (1952-2007)

Henry Paul-vocals and guitars (b.1949)

Billy Jones-vocals and guitars (1949-1995)

Frank O'Keefe-bass (?-1995)

Monte Yoho-drums (b.1952)

After some good albums, the southern rock-boogie band Point Blank started to become more pop-oriented. Some songs still had good quality but there are some that just aint as good as they used to be. For the first time John O'Daniels did not sing but Bubba Keith made a good job on the vocals. Keith was the vocalist in The James Gang 1975-1976. Mike Hamilton had replaced Karl Berke on the keyboards.

See also:

36)Point Blank-Point Blank 1976 7,81

48)Point Blank-Second Season 1977 7,94

68)Point Blank-The Hard Way 1980 7,25

1)Let me stay with you tonight (6,0) A very melodic and poppy song aimed for the toplists but the ending has a good solo.

2)Walk across the fire (7,5) Very cool riff and superb wild and energic singing in the vein of the former vocalist O'Daniels.

3)Nicole (6,5) The band's best known song but it's just a melodic bluesrocker with a boring  and catchy refrain.

4)Go on home (3,0) Ouch, this is really terrible poppy and strange.

5)The getaway (6,5) An okey song with a toned down guitarriff and a very ZZ Top-ish solos.

6)The way you broke my heart (7,5) A short and bluesy melodic rocker that would have been perfect for Foreigner.

7)Restless (8,0) Really nice driving, groovy and heavy rhythm, strong singing and background vocals.

8)Cadillac dragon (7,5) Cool harp-riffed heavy blues.

9)Do it all night (6,0) A rocking end but nothing special.

Score: 6,50

Bubba Keith-vocals, guitar, percussion and harp

Rusty Burns-guitars

Kim Davis-guitars and harp. Bass on 4. (1952-2010)

Bill Randolph-bass

Buzzy Gruen-drums

Mike Hamilton-keyboards. Drums on 4 and lead vocals on 8.

More info on the band; see also 48) Point Blank-Second Season 1977 and 36) Point Blank-Point Blank 1976, both filed under "Southern Rock".

This, the 4th album from Texans Point Blank somewhat kept to their 70's sound but with a slightly poppier sound. An okey album that I play sometimes.

1)Turning back (8,0) Superincredible mainriff and furious singing from mr. O'Daniel but way too short.

2)The hard way (7,0) Midtempo rocker.

3)On the run (6,5) The vocals sounds like it's recorded in a metalcan, otherwise it's a nice jazzy and funky song.

4)Highway star (8,5) Liveversion of the Deep Purple-song. It may seem strange to have it on a studioalbum but I understand why, it doesn't get much more rock'n'roll than this! It's a fantastic version of the old classic and the crowd is going nuts!

5)Rock'n'roll soldier (6,0) Happy happy times!

6)Guessing game (7,0) Tempochanging and twinguitarsoloing!

7)Wrong to cry (7,0) Live again and this is a slow blues.

8)Thank you mama (8,0) Live, uptempo bluesboogierocknroller!

Score: 7,25

John O'Daniel-vocals

Kim Davis-guitars (1952-2010)

Rusty Burns-guitars

(Wild) Bill Randolph-bass

Buzzy Gruen-drums

Karl Berke-keyboards

Point Blank's second album was even better than the first. They managed to keep their boogie/bluesrockroots and developed it into a more heavier feetstomping mood in some songs and also keep their sense for good melodies. This is a superb album that I really recommend.

See also: 36) Point Blank-Point Blank 1976 (Filed under Southern rock)

1)Part time lover (8,5) A cool heavy uptempoboogie with great acoustic guitarplaying.

2)Back in the alley (8,0) A heavy slowblues where O'Daniels sings his lounges out!

3)Rock and roll hideway (7,5) A rocknroller about rock'n'roll!

4)Stars and scars (7,5) A sweet acoustic ballad and electric guitarsoloing the last 3-4 minutes.

5)Beautiful loser (6,5)

6)Uncle Ned (9,0) Heavy riff! Furious singing and superb change of tempo leading to a blistering solo. Superb!

7)Tattooed lady (8,5) Slow ZZ Top-ish bluesboogie with a superb riff!

8)Nasty notions (8,0)

9)Waiting for a change (8,0) A beautiful ballad.

Score: 7,94

John O'Daniel - Vocals

Rusty Burns - Guitars
Kim Davis - Guitars (1952-2010)
Phillip Petty - Bass (1951-2010)

Buzzy Gruen - Drums

(See also albums no.3 and 8 by Atlanta Rhythm Section, filed under "Southern Rock")

This, the 4th album from ARS, began to find it's way towards the typical ARS-sound that the band would be known for. There are some okey songs here but it's an very uneven album. Some songs just ain't good and all songs could have been so much better. The keyboardsound is very much Supertramp-style. Their sound was a mix of soulish, even poppy at times, mixed with soft southern rock.

1)Crazy times (6,5) Soft rock with a soulful chorus.

2)Boogie smoogie (7,5) An 8-minute story about rough days in Jacksonville. First slow boogie and then they rock the last 4 minutes. Must be great live!

3)Cuban crisis (4,5) Some kind of calypso-softrock. Not very good.

4)It just ain't your moon (6,0) More 10 CC than southern rock, but that's just ARS.

5)Dog days (7,0) First a beautiful ballad and then chaos at the end. Why did they destroy an otherwise good song?

6)Bless my soul (4,0) A rather boring instrumental.

7)Silent treatment (6,0) An okey southern rock-song but there's something missing in the songs. The guitarplaying in this one is not very good.

8)All night rain (5,5) An a-capellaballad.

Score: 5,63

Ronnie Hammond-vocals (-2011)

Barry Bailey-guitars

J.R Cobb-guitars (b.1944)

Paul Goddard-bass

Robert Nix-drums

Dean Daughtry-keyboards (b.1946)

Point Blank from Texas, USA was formed in 1974 and released this selftiteled album in 1976 as their first. They had toured heavily before the album was recorded and continued to do so. They were produced by Bill Ham, more known for his work with ZZ Top. The sound on this album is also close to ZZ Top's with their heavy bluesy boogie-rock deeply rooted in the american south. Compared to the ZZ's this album is harder and with a rougher rockfeel to it and Rusty's and Kim's twinguitarplaying is really really good. When I heard the album for the first time a few years ago I bought it right away and i have loved the band since and I've seen them live twice, something I recommend everyone to do because these guys can still rock! Sadly Phlip Petty died of cancer in 2010 and the original guitarrist Kim Davis also passed away the same year from a shotwound he caused himself. But this album smokes!

1)Free man (8,5) High octane southern rock with a crazy singer, heavy riffing and changes from midtempo to fast that incluedes some great guitarplaying.

2)Moving (8,0) Short, heavy and intense.

3)Wandering (7,0) Varies between nice ballad and chaotic guitarplaying which gets a little too much.

4)Bad bees (8,0) Short and cool boogierocker.

5)That's the law (8,0) A great midtempo southern rocker.

6)Lone star fool (7,5) Slowtempo and as always strong vocals that fits and lifts the music.

7)Distance (7,5) A beautiful ballad that builds up to an chaotic ending.

8)In this world (8,0)

Score: 7,81

John O'Daniel-vocals

Rusty Burns-guitars

Kim Davis-guitars (1952-2010)

Philip Petty-bass (1951-2010)

Peter Gruen-drums

This is the 2nd and last album from this southern-rockband that featured several Lynyrd Skynyrd-members. For more info on Rossington Collins Band, see album number 27. The members on this one is exactly the same as on the 1st album and the music continues in the same southern rock-flavoured 70's rock as on the 1st album and is almost as good even thoug it looses tempo here and there. Seems Like Every Day is the best track.  

1)Gotta get it straigth (7,5) A rockin' start!

2)Tashauna (8,0) Already as 2nd track is this absolutely wonderful ballad with great singing from Dale.

3)Gonna miss it when it's gone (8,0) A fine midtempo southern-rocker with great sounding guitarplaying.

4)Pine box (7,5) An accapella with a great melody.

5)Fancy ideas (7,5) Barrys strong vocals lifts this heavy rocker.

6)Don't stop me now (7,5) Just a good rocker.

7)Seems like every day (8,5) Nice riff and lovely guitarplaying and strock vocals.

8)I'm free today (7,0) Barry sings an acoustic song including banjo.

9)Next phone call (7,0)

10)Means nothing to you (7,5)

Score: 7,60