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Anytime Lynyrd Skynyrd comes out with a new CD, infrequently as that maybe, the reaction is almost universally the same: They're not as good as the original. Well, how could they be? Skynyrd was born of a bunch of high school friends who learned all the facets of their craft together, plus Ed King (good), Billy Powell (great) and later Steve Gaines (brilliant). Few bands can compare with this, let alone replaces the pieces taken away by the famous plane crash that killed Ronnie Van Zant and Gaines, among others. A downgrade was inevitable.
Johnny Van Zant on his best day is a passable singer. He has bad days. And if Ricky Medlocke was good enough originally, Ronnie would have kept him around. Instead he moved on to Blackfoot, a band not in any way in Skynyrd's class. Only Guitarist Randall Hall was worthy of the Skynyrd tradition, and he's been gone for years.
But that doesn't mean Skynyrd's second incarnation can't rock. The tribute tour gave of us a very good reworking of Swamp Music. 1991 offered "The End of the Road." The Last Rebel, the album, represents their best work. And there's scattering of very good rock since: "Good Luck, Bad Luck"; "Talked Myself Right into It"; "Rockin' Little Town"; "Mad Hatter."
And that, too, is the best description of God & Guns: Solid Rock. Though, as with most things, it has its highs and lows. Of course there had to be highs. Gary Rossington is still with them. And Billy Powell, but sadly only for five songs due to his death in January of '09.
But more importantly, a major low has been removed. Johnny Van Zant has finally gotten away from the heavy-handed way in which he has always delivered his messages. I believed this self-revelation was revealed in the line "I ain't here to preach no sermon" from "Right-Side Up," off Van Zant's Brother to Brother, a truly great rock CD. This realization was a long time coming. Just make your point, as passionately and cleverly as you can; the rest takes care of itself. To wit:
Still Unbroken:
A song about surviving life with your true self intact. Nothing preachy here; just straight-ahead lyrics. An effective way to open the CD.
Simple Life:
The opening verse is as close as Johnny gets to Preach Mode. But quickly the song veers back toward the subject reflected in the title. Not as good as Still Unbroken, but far from bad.
A Little Thing Called You:
Back to a staple of all music: love songs, or busted love songs, as the case may be. This is the latter. Again, solid rock n' roll.
Southern Ways:
Remove the second verse, which applies to Skynyrd directly, and I can picture Tim McGraw singing this. Perhaps a touch too mellow for classic rock, but still worthy of Skynyrd, which has a long history of dipping into both country and blues.
Skynyrd Nation:
Unfortunately, considering the subject, one of the lesser efforts. Though sporting some good guitar work, the vocalists seem to get carried away beyond proportion to the song. Here enthusiasm is a detriment.
Unwrite That Song:
Easily the best song on the CD, and the best ballad from the Skynyrd family since Johnny's Brickyard Road gave us "Love Is Not Enough." Not to be missed and should be a radio perennial.
Floyd:
Another example of getting carried away to detriment of the song. I hate deriding artistic integrity--you have to play it the way you feel it--but the insipid repetition of one word (more than once, even) ruins a potentially great effort.
That Ain't My America:
Here it is. Their beliefs out front for all to hear but not a sermon in sight. This is how it's done.
Comin' Back for More:
Some of the phrasing is reminiscent of Van Zant's "Show Me." That's not necessarily a bad thing. A good song is a good song.
God & Guns:
You can probably guess the subjects. Pure politics in a song that changes tempo in the tradition of "Freebird" and "The Last Rebel." Works for me.
Storm:
Another quality cut. Nothing great but it doesn't have to be. Again, good is good enough.
Gifted Hands:
Like Mad Hatter was in memory of bassist Leon Wilkinson, this one's for Billy. When their heart is completely involved in a piece, Skynyrd is magic. It's just unfortunate that it was necessary. It doesn't even matter that the lines in the chorus don't rhyme. Rest in Peace, Billy
Bang Bang:
The over enthusiasm that ruins "Skynyrd Nation" and "Floyd" is kept in check here. The song is by no means frivolous but fun was had too. Fervor done right.
Raining in My Heartland:
Not all the images and their connections work, but enough do. Heart and a great tune help.
Hobo Kinda Man:
A throwback song. Works for what it is.
The Live Tracks ("Red White & Blue," "Call Me the Breeze," "Sweet Home Alabama"):
Financially I can't complain about filling out the disc with these performances as we were not overcharged for the second disc. But considering live CDs are all that Skynyrd have released over the last decade or so (and another on the way, I hear) it can get wearing. OTOH, since we'll never get to hear Billy play live again, I'll take it.
This could well be Skynyrd's last CD of original material. It SHOULD be if we lose Rossington, the only surviving active member, along with his wife. But there are conflicting emotions here. I understand Johnny has dedicated his life to, as stated in "Rockin' LittleTown": "Makin' good music, keeping it alive. . . ." And yet the second verse of "The Last Rebel" was about Rossington:
'Cause he's the last rebel and he's all alone
He's the last rebel, his friends are all gone. . . .
That's how I see him. Maybe it should end with him. But I have to admit that Billy Powell was my favorite and it's just not the same without him. My view is skewed. If this is their Last Hurrah, however, I'm satisfied.
For Skynyrd fans: B+
For those who just know the hits: B-
For Amazon's rating system: 4 Stars
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