With 4 members from Lynyrd Skynyrd this band continued a southern rock-saga that began in 1973 and ended in 1977 with a planecrash that killed 3 of Lynyrd Skynyrds members. Gary, Allen, Leon and Billy from LS released this album, mostly with Dale on vocals but also Barry sings a few songs. The music is traditional southern rock but with a typical 70's-beginning of the 80's style of rock with a melodic touch that I really like.

Dale Krantz had been a back-up singer for 38 Special before joining this band and in 1982 she married Gary Rossington. Allen Collins surived the plane crash in 1977 but his pregnant wife died in 1980 and another girlfriend died in 1986 in a car crash in which Collins drove the car under influence and hemself got paralyzed from the waist down. He died in 1990. Leon Wilkeson died in 2001. Billy Powell died of a heart attack in 2009.

1)Prime time (8,0) A good rockin' kick off!

2)Three times as bad (8,0) A soulful powerballad with strong vocals.

3)Don't misunderstand me (8,0) Co-vocals with Dale and Barry. Wonderful driving rhythm and just a good song!

4)One good man (8,0) Slow heavy rocker with Dale on topform on vocals. A song with great feeling and a refrain that sends chills down the spine.

5)Opportunity (8,0) A very good rocker with nice guitarsolos and variation in the song.

6)Getaway (8,0) A slow rocker with sensitive and good singing.

7)Winners and losers (7,0) Another slow rocker with a honky-tonk-break.

8)Misery loves company (7,5) Slow start that goes into a good refrain and mixes that way all through.

9)Sometimes you can put it out (7,5)

Score: 7,78

Dale Krantz-vocals

Gary Rossington-guitars (b.1951)

Allen Collins-guitars (b.1952-d.1990)

Barry Harwood-guitars

Leon Wilkeson-bass (b.1952-d.2001)

Derek Hess-drums

Billy Powell-keyboards (b.1951-d.2009)

(See also album nr.3 filed under "Southern Rock")

On this album, ARS 5th, they finally found their sound after experimenting with various styles in rock and pop on the previous albums. They moved towards an Southern Rock-sound similar to The Marshall Tucker Band soulinfluenced and laidback style but with distinctive electric guitarplaying that lifts their songs. The quality of the songs are not yet top notch but they were moving there... An absolutely wonderful cover, really love it! Ronnie Hammond passed away in march 2011.

1)Jukin (7,5) Nice start with a Texan Lynyrd Skynyrd-type of up-tempo. "-it used to be the Texas playboys, now ole ZZs Tops keeps on smokin".

2)Mixed emotions (7,0) A heavy blues with an effective simple riff.

3)Shanghied (7,5) Very good heavy southern rock but the 2.14 minutes is way way too short!

4)Police! Police! (7,0) Just an okey rocksong.

5)Beautiful dreamers (6,0) A ballad. Nothing special.

6)Oh what a feeling (6,0) An ordinary rocksong.

7)Free spririt (6,0) Nice refrain but otherwise nothing happens.

8)Another man's woman (5,5) Almost 10 minutes long and lots of time to do something special at the end of the album but they totally missed the target here. Just some guitarplaying with no soul or feeling that goes on and on...

Score: 6,56

Ronnie Hammond-vocals (d.2011)

Barry Bailey-guitars

J.R Cobb-guitars (b.1944)

Paul Goddard-bass

Robert Nix-drums

Dean Daughtry-keyboards (b.1946)

http://www.atlantarhythmsection.com/index.htm

It was'nt many years ago that I discovered this band from Atlanta, Georgia. Since Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers are among my favourite bands, ARS is also a band that suits my listening pleasure even though they play a softer and more of a pop sound kind of Southern rock that I also have become to enjoy. Their sound is a mix of the mentioned bands and softer bands like Little Feat and Steely Dan. The song So into you on this album rose to number 7 on the charts and was much played on radio in the summer of 1977. They co-headlined a big festival in Atlanta with Bob Seger with Foreigner and Heart as opening acts. This album is ARS's 6th. The singer Ronnie Hammond died in 2011.

1)Sky high (7,5) Strong opener with a strong simple refrain (sky high, sky high...). Rather heavy for ARS to be. Unusual last minute with only guitar and piano.

2)Hitch-hikers hero (7,0) Slow heavy blues with breaks reminding very much of The Allman Brothers well known jazzy/afrikan-rhythm style.

3)Don't miss the message (7,0) This is what makes 70's rock so good; a simple riff, melody, steady drumming etc. Just a simple good rocksong!

4)Georgia rhythm (7,5) The rhythm is a mix of slow rock, honky tonk and country. Very melodic and sweet song.

5)So into you (7,5) Delicious Supertramp-keyboards as the main riff in this slow, sweet and funky rocker.

6)Outside woman blues (Yardbirds) (7,5) A heavy blues again reminding of the Allmans and also Jimi Hendrix. Love it! Such a feeling in the playing on this album and specially here.

7)Everybody's gotta go (6,0) Slow and funky. Nothing special.

8)Neon nites (5,0) Strange slow and mellow countrysong. Don't like it much.

Score 6,88

Ronnie Hammond-vocals (d.2011)

Barry Bailey-guitars

J.R Cobb-guitars (b.1944)

Paul Goddard-bass

Robert Nix-drums

Dean Daughtry-keyboards (b.1946)

http://www.atlantarhythmsection.com/index.htm