Customer Reviews

Wild-Eyed Southern Boys

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD has the classic .38 Special sound before they went top 40. Nothing fancy here---just some good old southern rock 'n roll. "Hold on Loosely" is hands down the best song they have ever recorded.

WILD-EYED SOUTHERN BOYS was .38 Special's second great album in a row. The first two cuts- "Hold On Loosely" and "First Time Around", as well as "Hittin' And Runnin'"- are downright cautionary in their lyrical content; the title track is pure boogie heaven; and "Fantasy Girl" is simple Southern pop-rock. A few songs are filler, but the great ones make this album worthy of 5 stars.

.38 Special's fourth album in 1981 excellently blends southern rock vibe with melodic hard rock. Jim Peterik known as Survivor's keyboardist and songwriter was instrumental in adding melodic hard rock vibe penning HOLD ON LOOSELY which became their first major hit and FANTASY GIRL second single which became a minor hit. Jim Peterik also co-wrote HITTIN' AND RUNNIN' and WILD EYED SOUTHERN BOYS, the title track. HOLD ON LOOSELY is one of my all time favorite songs among the excellent songs Jim have created so far including Survivor. At the latter part Lynard influenced nice southern rock can be tasted. Essential for early 80s pop rock fans.

This music will make you feel like smiling. It brings back a wealth of memories of our high school and early college days, and all the fun and craziness that went with it.

No collection will be complete with out it!

This has to be one of the coolest music cd's of all time. I listen to everyday and all my friends ask me where I got it. I tell them Amazon of course.

This is the best .38 Special album ever with great songs like; Hold on Loosely, First Time Around, Wild-Eyed Southern Boys and Fantasy Girl. This album also has similarities to their other albums. Overall this is an awesome CD from a classic band. This is a must have for any Southern Rock, Classic Rock or any Rock fan to have. I would recommend this to anyone.

I have always enjoyed .38 Special's sound. Their tunes are smooth and always gets your toe tapping. Another fine rock band from the south. If you like southern fried rock, you will like these guys!! They can really rock!!

This album was a watershed for me as a 16 year old. The amazing cover art. The fact that I was now cool enough to listen to "southern rock". My favorite radio station, 94 HJY was all over 38. Out of the box on "Hold On Loosely". A monster power chord masterpiece with hooks that have long since dissapeared from the rock scene. 38 Special was at best a southern rock hybrid. Don Barnes has one of those all time great AOR voices. Deep and masculine enough to exude the power and bravado needed to make this a cool band for guys and hot southern rock chics. Jeff Carlisi invents a new way to play basic chords. His method is quick and precise. Check out the pop-rock guitar jam of "Hittin' and Runnin'"- a lost AOR classic with all the guts and glory of "Loosely". This collection still has plenty of street cred with the southern rockers. "Wild Eyed" melds both Don and Donnie in an authentic southern rock anthem. The song epitomizes all of the crossover appeal of a band that was soon to shoot for the top 40. But "Southern Boys" is flawless in it's production. "Fantasy Girl" could have easily been the lead single. Barnes is rubber stamped as THE vocalist. Carlisi becomes the artful hookmaster. Donnie's tunes are all southern raves that have even Skynyrd fans cheering. All and all an amazing work and a time capsule to a much better time for AOR radio. This is where you'll find some of the most exciting moments in rock radio. Enjoy.

Aside from the killer classic "Hold On Loosely", this album kicks some serious butt with "First Time Around", "Hittin and Runnin" and Bring It On. These songs make me smile and tap my feet. Brings back great memories from my wilder days. Needs to played at high volume. Don Barnes' lead vocals give me chills.

FIVE STARS AFTER DRINKING WHISKEY!!!!!!!!!!
.38 SPECIAL were the southern rock band that made it into the eighties with numerous hit songs. Fronted by Donnie Van Zant, the brother of Skynyrds Ronnie Van Zant, these guys were a hard rockin' tail chasin' bar band, that really cooked up some hot chops. Not as kick ass as Skynyrd, but what kind of a*hole compares. They have a totally different sound. Actually, they are closer to sounding like Journey than they are like Skynyrd, but I love this stuff, when I'm way drunk at the bar. I like to select this album on the Online Jukebox, especially if theres a fine looking floozy bendin' over the pool table. HOLD ON LOOSELY, they always start shakin' it! BACK ALLEY SALLY is a sure fire pleaser too! The title track and pretty much the whole thing is good. ROCK AND ROLL!