Customer Reviews

Street Survivors: Rarities Edition (Spec)

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

 

 

To say that this is simply the same, original album, "repackaged" with a few bonus songs added is absolutely wrong. This version is not a ploy for more sales of a same product. You simply need to know the background.

"Street Survivors" was recorded twice. The first recording was at Criteria Studios in Florida. The second recording was at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia five months later. The Doraville recording was used for the initial release of the album. The Doraville versions are the ones that we all know, and have heard for years.

In March 2008, the album was re-issued as a two disc package "Street Survivors [Deluxe Edition]". It contains both the initial version (second recording), and the first recorded "Criteria Studios" alternate versions of most of the songs.
This "Street Survivors [Rarities Edition]" is simply the first recordings and bonus tracks of "Street Survivors [Deluxe Edition]", without the added cost of buying the two discs with the initial version. So, if you already own the standard "Street Survivors" album, you can simply buy this album containing all of this newly released material. Good thing, right?

Now, what do you get?
The differences are minor on some songs, with the major difference being a much slower and extended earlier version of "That Smell." Also included are two songs that were recorded for, but not included on the original album, "Sweet Little Missy" and "Georgia Peaches". There are two versions of "Sweet Little Missy" included; demo and final form. Also included is a version of "Honky Tonk Night Time Man," with Ronnie's alternate autobiographical vocal take, entitled "Jacksonville Kid," which is believed to be the last vocal take he ever recorded in a studio.
I did side-by-side sounds comparisons with the Criteria and Doraville recordings. They are definitely different, offering interesting variations on these songs.
The sound quality is not very good on the live songs that are included; however they should be appreciated as simply bonus rare versions for the die-hard fan.

Conclusion?
If you are a casual listener, ...keep walking. The casual fan should buy the basic, initial release of "Street Survivors", or better yet, stick with a greatest hits complilation. However, don't dismiss this album as simply a "repackaging" of the same album.
If you are a diehard Lynyrd Skynyrd fan, this "Street Survivors [Rarities Edition]" is a must. The sound quality is excellent on the Criteria recordings, and offers us the rarity of experiencing these "first" versions of the "last" album of the original members of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

But worth adding to your collection for sure. I want ALL of this stuff so I can't really give a fair rating on this. I'd buy anything they release from the original band so maybe you should just listen to the samples and decide for yourself. Whatever you decide just remember to crank up your favorite Skynyrd CD's today. Unfortunately today marks the 33rd anniversary of the plane crash that robbed us of Ronnie, Steve, Dean and Cassie. Still an amazing collection of recordings left behind for all of us to enjoy and to keep this great music alive.

Tragic attempt to get us to buy another CD. Nothing New. Whoopee a couple of Demos. Live tracks sound like audience recorded. If you've got the original, don't buy this.