Lost/Forgotten Album #167

[Jon]

Fourthly, I want to thank........oh, forget it. I doesn't make a difference anymore. I think I've made my point.

Somebody (probably me) came up with a brilliant idea for October. That somebody (probably me) thought it would be a good month for Southern Rock. What do0es October have to do with Southern Rock? Absolutely nothing! That's what makes that person's brilliance (probably mine) that much more, well, brilliant!

However, there does have to be some eerie things going on since this is October. WIthout any collusion at all whatsoever, Rjhog posted a Dixie Dregs' album this week, while I have posted an album by Outlaws aka The Outlaws. Don't know why "The" was dropped, but dropped it was (I guess).

So, what's so eerie about our posts this week? Take a look at the name of the band Rjhog posted this week and then look at the title of the second song on this album. Eerie, huh? Aren't you spooked? Again, there was absolutely NO collusion.

I guess some folks had an issue with last week's post. They were complaining that it wasn't Southern Rock. For all complainers out there, is this better? Huh?

Let's have allmusic.com give a brief rundown of this album:

"Perhaps more so than any other point in music history, Southern rock was the furthest off the map circa the early to mid-'90s, as several other popular rock styles were dominating the charts and airwaves (namely, alternative and grunge). But it was at this precise time that the Outlaws opted to release their first studio album in nearly ten years, 1994's Diablo Canyon. And to their credit, they didn't reappear with detuned guitar riffs, Doc Marten boots, and flannel shirts. Instead, they stuck closely to the sonic path of their prior albums. And despite the long layoff between studio sets, Diablo Canyon manages to be an impressively lean and rockin' album -- cut directly from the unmistakable Southern rock cloth."

My thoughts? If you like (The) Outlaws, or Southern Rock, you'll like this album.

Diablo Canyon

1. Diablo Canyon
2. Dregs Fall To The Wicked
3. Let The Fingers Do The Walkin'
4. Steam On The Blacktop
5. Macon Blues
6. New Frontier
7. Brother Travis
8. The Wheel
9. Freedom In Flight
10. Alligator Alley

Availability: Used starts around $12. Wow. The "Playin' To Win"/"Ghost Riders" CD is going for over $400-$875 new? Damn. Used from $80-$715? Double damn. 

[Scott]

So Ive been left out of Theme month yet again...

[Jon]

[Scott]

[Jon]

[RJhog (Admin)]

Sorry Scott, the theme of October is Southern Rock...I told Jon to tell you, he must have forgotten.

My thoughts:

• The opening track sounds like King Of Hollywood by The Eagles at the beginning.  The geetar on this song and throughout the whole album is absolutely killer.  This is what Southern Rock is supposed to sound like.
• I see that Billy Powell and Gary Rossington played on the album.
• Macon Blues sounds like The Allman Brothers Band.  I'm guessing that's Billy Powell on the piano.
• New Frontiers is probably the best song overall for me, followed by Diablo Canyon.
• The Wheel is pretty good too.  It reminds me somewhat of Blackfoot.
• Freedom In Flight sounds like Ghost Riders era Outlaws.
• I think I dig Hicks vocals more than Thomasson.

Very nice post.  This will also have a slight connection to what I post this coming week.

[Scott]

I dont think Jon owns any other Southern Rock other than The Outlaws (with or without the definite article)...  And I see the tie to RJ's post at an even deeper level than I first thought - Dregs Fall To The Wicked and Dixie Dregs ...  hmmm.  You two have got some kind of chemistry going on lately!!

First two tracks are very nice and fit the theme perfectly, then we take a turn too far into Countryville.  Tracks 3 and 4 dont work for me, but I love the ballsy/bluesy Macon Blues!  Awesome work there!  Probably the best Outlaws track thats no on Ghost Riders that Ive ever heard.

New Frontier is solid and then Brother Travis walks that country line again but this time more rock than country so it gets a pass. The Wheel was flat (pun intended) - I was hoping it woudl pick up into some great geetar track but it never delivered and just faded away.  Thankfully Freedom Fight gives me some great geetar and that Ghost Riders feel. Alligaotr Alley has a Kentucky Headhunters feel to it, ya I know you hear too.  Its just OK, not the big finish I was hoping for.

Looks like a 50/50 album for with Macon Blues being far and away the best trak on here.

Nice post ... At least The Outlaws have a large enough catalog so you can keep up Georgia boy during your theme...

[Gordon Williams]

Skynyrd was my first introduction to Southern Rock, but Blackfoot became my favorite southern band once I heard how heavy they were. Also liked Molly Hatchet, Point Blank, and Target. But, never followed the Outlaws much. But this is pretty good, and I agree with RJHog...the guitar work is very good.

For whatever reason, I never think of ZZ Top as a southern band, being that they were so..."Texas-ized". But, if you include ZZ, they are the best southern band imo, even over Blackfoot and Skynyrd.

But glad to hear this. Enjoyed the first listen, so I'm going to listen again. And on the spooky side...how about track 10, "Alligator Alley". I became friends with the Florida band Stranger in the 80's and 90's, and their biggest hit was a song called "Swamp Woman". And the lyrics started "down south, in alligator alley, there lived a chick named Sleazy Sally..."