Wow... so all of a sudden it has been 6 months since I've done an album review. Time flies. This one has been sitting in my "pending" bin for a rather long time, guess I should clean it up and get it out. It's a long one, though.
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The band Lynyrd Skynyrd was of the top rock acts of the mid-to-late 70's. From 1973's debut, with the iconic Freebird, to 1976's live album, "One More From the Road". They released 4 studio albums in just over 3 years, with non-stop touring in between. I saw them twice in 1976, and they were outstanding. After a short break of 1 year, they released "Street Survivors" and embarked on the next massive tour. But, as any rock aficionado knows, three days into the tour, their plane crashed, killing 6 people, including leader, lyricist and singer Ronnie Van Zant. And functionally killing Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Two and a half years later, (1980) most of the survivors would rise again, under the banner Rossington Collins Band. This included almost all of the surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, (except drummer Artimus Pyle), with a new lead singer (Dale Krantz), a new 3rd guitar player and a new drummer, I remember eagerly picking up the album, and then seeing RCB in concert 3.5 weeks after it came out. RCB would put out 2 albums, both pretty good, but clearly missed the lyrics of Ronnie Van Zant. But that's not what I'm here to talk about.
After the Rise and fall of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and after the rise and fall of Rossington Collins Band, most of the survivors (except Gary Rossington and Dale Krantz) formed the Allen Collins Band, which released a single album (in 1983). But that's not what I want to talk about, either.
A couple of years after the demise of Allen Collins Band, Rossington and Krantz (now married) formed The Rossington Band. They released two albums, 1986's "Returned to the Scene of the Crime", and 1988's "Love Your Man".
Which is a long road to the album I want to talk about today.
Despite owning every release from the original Lynyrd Skynyrd, both RCB albums and ACB's release, I wasn't even aware of The Rossington Band until the last few years, when I found 1 song on the compilation "Solo Flytes" (which was released in 1999). That album included The Rossington Band's "Welcome Me Home", which is really quite good. An easy 4 out of 5 stars.
Fast forward to 2019, and an excursion to one of my area's used record stores. And I came across The Rossington Band's album "Love Your Man", which includes Welcome Me Home. Of course I had to jump.
So let's get to it:
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Artist: The Rossington Band
Album: Love Your Man
Released: 1988
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This is a pretty good album overall. It is a bit of a product of It's time (1988), which can make it sound a little dated. Pretty highly produced, rather "slick". Especially the use of synthesizers, Sometimes subtle, more often in the front, but more Van Halen-Jump than Lynyrd Skynyrd-Freebird. The sound often reminds me of mid-80's Heart, or even Starship...
Besides Rossington and Krantz, the album doesn't feature anybody I'm familiar with. Jay Johnson (Guitar), Mitch Rigel (Drums), Tim Lindsey (Bass), Tim Sharpton (Keyboards), Ronnie Eades (Saxophone). All very competent. Oh yeah, and they have a Sax player.
Best songs: Welcome Me Home, Losin' Control, Love Your Man (the most reminiscent of RCB), Rock On
Anyway, some of this is pretty good, none of it stinks. Overall, I'd rand this below RCB's first album, but a smidge above their second one. And all of those behind Allen Collins Band. I do think it would be better if it wasn't so mid-80s sounding.
Worth having, especially from a used record bin.
you can see all of my album reviews by clicking on the tag albumreviews. Or click here.
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