Get Right With the Man

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The transformation from veteran Southern rockers into fledgling country artists hasn't required much of a musical shift by the brothers Van Zant. The hard-edged guitar riffing, chip-on-shoulder feistiness, and celebrations of Southern pride on much of the material would have fit just as easily on an album by Lynyrd Skynyrd, the band in which Johnny Van Zant replaced his late brother Ronnie as lead singer. Donnie Van Zant brought a lighter touch to his music in .38 Special, as reflected here in the more melodic balladry of "Things I Miss the Most" and "I Can't Help Myself." By subtracting the extended guitar solos from 1970s Southern rock and adding an occasional banjo break or steel guitar fill, Johnny and Donnie Van Zant extend their appeal across categories as well as generations of fans. Though songs such as "Sweet Mama" and "Plain Jane" rely a little too heavily on cliché, "Takin' Up Space," "Ain't Nobody Gonna Tell Me What to Do," and "Help Somebody" are anthems with the sort of conviction that will inevitably inspire raised fists and chorus sing-a-longs. --Don McLeese