Customer Reviews

Diablo Canyon

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I agree, except the Outlaws are not done! This is classic Outlaws at their best. Sounds like a classic 70's rock record. Hughie Thomason put together some great players + one heckuva recording here. Recorded at Phoenix Studios (the old Capricorn in Macon, GA where the Allmans and Marshall Tucker recorded some classics) you'll also hear Gary Rossington and Billy Powell from Skynyrd on "Macon Blues". A must buy for southern rock fans! A Fender Musical Instruments "Living Guitar Legend" Hughie is currently on tour with Skynyrd but he says the Outlaws will be back and I believe him.

I'm rarely blown away the first time I hear a CD... in fact, mostly I'm disappointed that the material isn't consistently top-shelf. But, occasionally, my faith in the purity of the music is rewarded. It happened with Travis Tritt's "Down the Road I Go", and lo and behold, it happened again with "Diablo Canyon". How in the world did it happen that it took me 10 years to find out this CD even EXISTED? That's a sad commentary on the big music labels, and another story entirely. Let's get to the main picture here... I could write this review in many different ways. I could say a) Diablo Canyon proves that Hughie Thomasson was the driving talent behind The Outlaws, or b) Diablo Canyon is the missing link between country/southern rock in the 70's/80's and the 21st century, or c) Simply, this CD kicks ass and is the logical progression of The Outlaws into the 21st century, or d) all previous answers are correct. I'll choose d). How rare is it that there are NO weak tracks on a CD? You have it here. Two (of 10) may be "different", but they are solid in their own right. My God! How could it be that there was no followup to this CD?!?!!?? What a damn shame!!!! Where would this music have evolved to in 2004? All I can say is... this CD has my HIGHEST recommendation. It's where Southern Rock should be, it's where Country should be, and it's where YOU should be by 2004 and beyond. If you're a Southern rock fan, a Country fan, an Outlaws fan, and you don't like Diablo Canyon...? Turn in your membership card, 'cause you must be below ground!

Hughie and his band of hired guns really light it up with this cd. The bottom line is this is one of the best southern rock cds of the 1990's! The guitar trade-offs of Hughie and Chris Hicks are top-rate and the rest of the supporting cast contributes greatly to form a tight, kick-ass southern rock outfit. As John Markoski stated in his review there are no weak tracks on this cd. Pick any track and if you are a southern rock or Outlaws fan for that matter, you will not be disappointed. The listener also hears blues, bluegrass and melodic influences. All things you would expect on an Outlaws cd. This cd didn't get much publicity when it was released for two reasons. Firstly it was released on the small Blues Bureau International label and secondly southern rock is not promoted at all anymore by record companies. If you were wondering if this release was worth the $ the answer is a definite yes. Does anybody know what "So Low" sounds like? Outlaws reunion hopefully just around the corner....

Another excellent offering from Southern Rock's unsung heros. The only original member left for this 1994 release is Hughie Thomasson, who is one of the two main Outlaw guitarists from their heyday (Billy Jones being the other).

Of course, Hughie still rips out some great, blazing, bluegrass/country/rock influenced riffs along with help from another excellent guitarist Chris Hicks.

The good writing is there, too. Especially notable are the tracks "Diablo Canyon", "Let My Fingers Do The Talkin" (Listen for the Waterhole, an old Outlaws instrumental, riff during this song), "Steam On The Blacktop" (a good poppy tune), "Macon Blues" (good blues jammin from Thomasson, Hicks and pianist Billy Powell, who is taking a break from Skynyrd and sitting in), "The Wheel" (written by Hicks) and "New Frontier".

Yeah, Hughie and company still have it. They always will.

THIS IS 10 TIMES MORE THAN I EXPECTED.THIS IS ONE GREAT CD.I REALLY WISH THAT THESE GUYS WOULD GET BACK TOGETHER BECAUSE THIS IS GREAT SOUTHERN ROCK WITH SOME GREAT GUITAR WORK.BACK IN THE LATE 70`S EARLY 80`S THESE GUYS WERE ONE OF MY FAVORITE BANDS,BUT THEY LOST HENRY PAUL AND THERE MUSIC STARTED GETTING OLD.BUT THIS IS A FRESH NEW SOUND THAT MAKES YOU LONG FOR MORE CD`S,AND FOR THEM TO REMASTER ALL THE OLD STUFF.BUY THIS IF YOUR INTO SOUTHERN ROCK,YOU`LL LOVE IT.

On DIABLO CANYON, the Outlaws bring in a slightly grungier sound yet remain unfailingly true to their Southern roots. The title track is an audio Western movie, "Steam On The Blacktop" a pure love story, "New Frontier" provides social commentary, "Brother Travis" relates a church scandal, and "Freedom In Flight" blasts off into the lyrical cosmos. One or two songs drag a bit, but this album still gets 5 stars because the great majority of the cuts are first-rate.

The Outlaws helped define Souther Rock with timeless guitar riffs, chords, and vocal hamonies. I believe this final album by this very special band recaptures the magic that was the Outlaws in the early years. My hat is off to Hughie and all the musicians that played on this CD. This CD contains some of the most magnificent souther rock/blues guitar you will ever hear.

Okay, it's not particularly original, and the drumming is stuck in first gear, but Diablo Canyon is probably the Outlaws' best album since Ghost Riders (which isn't saying much) and possibly since Hurry Sundown (which is).

The album starts out promisingly until you realize, by the end, that it's all started sounding the same. In general, the material sounds like post-crash Lynyrd Skynyrd - all it's missing in Johnny Van Zant.

Macon Blues is a terrific bluesy number, even if it doesn't sound like an Outlaws song.

I first heard of this release at an OUTLAWS concert in Big Flats, NY 1994 when Hughie plugged their new CD and performed the title cut. I picked it up a few years later and was glad I did. If you're an OUTLAWS fan, you should do the same. This CD definitely captures that classic sound of The OUTLAWS.

Favorite cuts: Title cut, Dregs, Fingers, Steam on the Blacktop, New Frontier, Freedom in Flight.

This CD also includes guests Gary Rossington and Billy Powell(RIP) of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

H.T., RIP.

Have not heard an Outlaws CD since I bought Soldiers of Fortune back in 1982 on LP. I picked up Diablo Canyon and was blown away.Hughie still rocks!