The Volta Sound: Dandelion Wine 2004 + Good Lookin out, Ya'll 2011 + Like Entropy 2014

 

Volta Sound [with the name being taken from the Italian physicist, who in 1800 invented the voltaic pile, which was the first source of continuous electric current. The volt unit of electromotive force is named for him. Thus Volta Sound, being an electric sound ...] is an etherial semi translucent band hailing from Cleveland, Ohio. The band were known for their live performances and their albums on

Orange Sky Records. Fred Mills of Magnet wrote: "Taut dynamics, stoned vocals and fluid organ/fretboard drone locate the Volta Sound in the vicinity of the Warlocks or Brian Jonestown Massacre. Mike Cormier (vocals, acoustic guitar, tambourine), Ben Yawns (guitar, trumpet, trombone), Matt Cassidy (electric guitar, vocals), Todd "T.D." Vainisi (combo organs), David Geddes (bass), and Mike Prieto (drums). The lineup coalesced officially in 2000 and officially came together as a group in mid-2000. They are one of several bands associated with the local Davenport Records label, founded by Cassidy in nearby Kent, OH (near Akron and Cleveland). In addition to the Volta Sound, the other groups in this loose-knit collective share common members and often play together on the same bill.
                      

Had I not been traveling this wayward psychedelic road for so many lightyears with the likes of Spacemen 3, Pink Floyd, and BJM being part of the lexicon of my musical life, I think I might be much more impressed with the band. Back in 2001, after two sleepless nights hounded by coyotes in the New Mexico desert, The Volta Sound gathered its stuff and headed for California. After a run in with Greg

Shaw and Anton Newcombe of Bomp! and BJM, they decided to start putting out and away they went! 4 albums, 1 EP and 3 tours with Orange Sky and Elephant Stone Records later, it was time to put on some pants and maybe get some food. The Volta Sound found itself releasing 3 albums back to back in the summer of 2012 and totally hooking up, pants and all, with Joe Foster and Sterling Songs Publishing. After adding Chad "Chad Hill" Hill to it's roster and briefly touring with Sterling Roswell of Spacemen 3 and The Darkside, The Volta Sound has reached it's full girth and is now ready to spread itself all over the place. So watch out. 
                           

Guitarist Cormier and his friends formed the Volta Sound specifically to play the space rock-influenced material that Cormier had written for himself to sing. The Volta Sound soon built up a

considerable following in the Cleveland area, opening for bands traveling through on tour such as the Brian Jonestown Massacre. In 1999, the band's first four-track recordings were compiled for the limited-edition release of Everything's Alright. As their reputation grew outside the Midwest, several U.S. labels began vying to sign the band, but the winning imprint was Orange Sky Records, a new division of the Dionysus reissue label. The Volta Sound's official debut, My All American Girl, was issued in spring 2002, just as the band began their first Southwestern U.S. tour. 

                                   

01. THE VOLTA SOUND - DANDELION WINE 2004

                             

Such a fab album from a criminally under-appreciated band. Yellow and green for the cover art, a plant-based product for an album name -- if the Volta Sound hadn't started their new album Dandelion Wine with a low-key acoustic strum/singalong redolent of hippie vibes, it would have been a strange thing indeed. Having already released a couple of enjoyable efforts, the Volta Sound's 2004 turn isn't quite their unplugged album but it does generally aim for a hazy, pleasant campfire singalong atmosphere spiked with a bit of Beatles-tinged psychedelia, thus the horn additions on songs like "There Is No Question" and the horn and flutes both on the merry "I Knew You'd Know," which is actually a pretty good dance number in its own way as well. 

The Volta Sound – Dandelion Wine
Label: Orange Sky – OS2217
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released:2004
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock - Folk

TRACKS

01. There Is No Question     5:06
02. I Love You     4:26
03. Now That It's Out     2:20
04. Faustrock     10:32
05. I Knew You'd Know     3:42
06. Girls And Tamborines     5:39
07. Goldilocks     2:39
08. Eyes Half Shut     1:53
09. Miss June '85    8:14
10. Three, Two, One     0:39
11. [Untitled Track]     2:11
12. [Untitled Track]     8:00

Flac Size: 338 MB

02. THE VOLTA SOUND - GOOD LOOKIN OUT, YA'LL 2011

                            

The Volta Sound dips rhythms reminiscent of The Velvet Underground into a bucketful of sticky American beach rock for this release. The band's happy, West Coast '60s sheen is hard to resist and it's not long before you find yourself in the car singing along with the four-part harmonies that have clawed their way into your subconscious. 

The Volta Sound – Good Lookin Out, Ya'll
Label: Not On Label – none
Format: File, MP3, Album
Country: US
Released: 2011
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock - Folk

TRACKS

    
01. Good Lookin Out, Ya'll    3:50
02. Familiarity    2:36
03. Don't    4:26
04. Get in Yr Noose    2:53
05. Let The Robots in    3:54
06. Go Straight Ahead    3:52
07. Ain't Nothing Going On    3:07
08. When It Works    3:52
09. Photosensitivity    2:54
10. A Million Things    3:17

NOTES

Recorded circa 2011 and released only as digital file originally available on Bandcamp and social media only, but has since been removed. 

MP3 @ 320 Size: 81.7 MB

03. THE VOLTA SOUND - LIKE ENTROPY 2014

                        

Re-release of their 2009(ish) 'Floppy' album, but with new title and released only as digital file available on Bandcamp and social media only, but has since been removed. This album was originally recorded around 2009/2010 and had a limited physical release titled 'Floppy' (packaged to look like a floppy disc). Great songs that are stoned, hazy and very droney. "Sleeping Potion" is one of the all time great Volta Sound tunes that dates back to their early days. This is a different version of the tune that was included on their 'Cuts' comp.
What The Volta Sound do, is like nothing anyone else does … and that’s probably because the underlying premiss of their music is to have fun, to enjoy the moment, to get lost in the rapture, and sincerely create something that’s going to take you for a walk through splintered sunlight.  Though that being said, their penchant for capturing moonbeams in a jar is a given understatement.

The Volta Sound – Like Entropy
Label: Not On Label – none
Format: File, MP3, Album
Country: US
Released: 2014
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Folk Rock

TRACKS

01. Meditation Station    4:06
02. Dog    4:40
03. The People In Me    4:01
04. Don't Bring It Down    3:32
05. Come On Sun    4:29
06. Nobody Knew    6:32
07. We'll Be Fine Again    2:41
08. Sleeping Potion    7:52

MP3 @ 320 Size: 89.3 MB

These albums are quite  rare and difficult to  to find, so please refaim from requesting scans of the covers, back covers and CDs or many photos of the band. You are very fortunate to have access to this music with you anyway. Enjoy the listening session and cheers.

Luxuria: Discography 1988 - 1990

 

Luxuria were a British duo made up of vocalist Howard Devoto (formerly of Buzzcocks and Magazine) and instrumentalist Norman Fisher-Jones, a.k.a. Noko  and Luxuria is a fantastic band that flew way too severely under the radar. They were active in the 1980s and early 1990s. Devoto

began working with the Liverpool musician a few years after the release of his solo album, Jerky Versions of the Dream. The duo eventually released two albums on Beggars Banquet, which ranged from sparse acoustic accompaniment to involved dance beats. Unanswerable Lust was released in 1988 to lukewarm reception, followed two years later by the improved Beast Box. A number of singles were released off each record to little effect on the U.K. charts. Shortly after the duo split, a Japanese box set was issued, combining both CDs with a VHS containing videos for each song off of Beast Box. 
                                 

Sound: A nasty young man of unsavory interests and a flair for purple prose that brings Baudelaire to

mind, Devoto explores various naughty intrigues of the heart that unfold in a fictional universe that combines the perverse formality of an 18th-Century salon with a sordid back alley in London. Howard’s head seems to live in a strange place, which was no doubt shaped by the literature he ingests; references to Proust and Rimbaud crop up on Luxuria’s debut LP, while one particularly beautiful cut titled “Flesh” shimmers with the delirious sensuality of a Paul Bowles story. 
                         

Singing in a lugubrious voice evocative of John Lydon, Devoto frames his literary rants with the sort of lush arrangements he mastered as front man for Magazine. Luxuria’s music seems fairly

conventional given a cursory hearing, but something chilly and vaguely evil lurks behind this velvet curtain of sound. “For me, Luxuria is a land–a sort of Sodom and Gomorrah,” says Devoto in explaining the group, while guitarist Noko describes himself as “someone who lives in sin and artifice with a diamond-encrusted cat and a collection of religious icons.” The glam-rock crowd should eat this stuff up.
                                             

Luxuria – Unanswerable Lust / Beast Box
Label: Cherry Red – CDTRED 512
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Compilation
Country: UK
Released: 2011
Genre: Rock
Style: Post-Punk, New Wave
                                     

CD1. UNANSWERABLE LUST 1988

                                 

            
01. Redneck    5:29
02. Flesh    4:41
03. Public Highway    5:04
04. Pound    5:14
05. Lady 21    3:57
06. Celebrity    4:26
07. Rubbish    3:58
08. Mlle    4:05
09. Luxuria    4:17
10. Sickly Thug And I    3:44
11. Redneck (Single Edit)    3:55
12. She's Your Lover Now (# 1)    3:36
13. She's Your Lover Now (# 2)    3:46
14. Public Highway (Short Cut)    3:55
15. Luxuria (Wilderness Mix)    6:36
16. Sickly Thug And I (Live)    5:14
17. Luxuria (Live)    4:40

LINE - UP

                              

Lyrics By [All Lyrics By], Vocals [Uncredited] – Howard Devoto
Cello – David Sinclair 
Keyboards, Programmed By [Additional Programming] – James Gardner, Leroy James, Pete Gleadall
Saxophone – Clare Hirst
Trombone – Ashley Slater
Trumpet – Barbara Snow
Vocals [Additional] – Alexandra Jackson, Julia White, Sarah Partridge
Voice Actor [Albertine] – Claudine Arendt
Voice Actor [Ghosts] – Birrer
Voice Actor [Marcel] – Claude Bessy
Written-By – Adamson (tracks: 5, 8), Devoto, James (tracks: 6, 9), Noko

Flac Size: 402 MB

CD2. BEAST BOX 1990        

                           

   
01. The Beast Box Is Dreaming    4:19
02. Stupid Blood    2:47
03. Against The Past    4:48
04. Our Curious Leader    3:13
05. We Keep On Getting There    4:11
06. Ticket    4:05
07. Animal In The Mirror    4:39
08. Smoking Mirror    3:56
10. I've Been Expecting You    5:22
11. Karezza    1:49
12. Beast Box    3:44
13. Jezebel    4:34
14. Useless Love    3:15
15. The Beast Box Is Dreaming (12" Edit)    4:07
16. Smoking Mirror (Instrumental)    3:50
17. Jezebel (Single Edit)    3:34
18. Beast Box Is Dreaming (Single Edit)    2:52

LINE - UP

                               

Vocals, Keyboards, Programmed By [Programs] – Howard Devoto
Guitar, Bass Guitar, Viola, Banjo [Banjolin], Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Programmed By [Programs] – Noko
Lyrics By – Howard Devoto (tracks: 1 to 12), Jessamy Calkin (tracks: 8), Wayne Shanklin (tracks: 13)
Written-By – Devoto (tracks: 1 to 12), Calkin (tracks: 8), Noko (tracks: 1 to 12), Shanklin (tracks: 13)

Flac Size: 424 MB

CD3. LIVE AT LEICESTER 1988            

                          

01. Public Highway    6:16
02. Celebrity    4:48
03. The Light Pours Out Of Me    5:14
04. She's Your Lover Now    3:44
05. Lady 21    5:03
06. Flesh    4:06
07. Sickly Thug And I    5:26
08. Parade    6:50
09. Redneck    5:44
10. Pound    5:24
11. Rubbish    4:13
12. Mlle    5:14
13. A Song From Under The Floor Boards    4:09
14. Luxuria    5:42 

NOTES

                               

Written-By – Barry Adamson (tracks: 1-5, 1-8, 3-5, 3-8, 3-12, 3-13), Bob Dylan (tracks: 1-12, 1-13, 3-4), Dave Formula (tracks: 3-8, 3-13), Howard Devoto (tracks: 1-1 to 1-11, 1-14 to 2-12, 2-14 to 2-16, 2-18 to 3-3, 3-5 to 3-14), Jessamy Calkin (tracks: 2-8), John Doyle (tracks: 3-13), John McGeogh (tracks: 3-3, 3-13), Leroy James (tracks: 1-6, 1-9, 1-14, 1-17, 3-2, 3-14), Noko (tracks: 1-1 to 1-11, 1-14 to 2-12, 2-14 to 2-16, 2-18 to 3-2, 3-5 to 3-7, 3-9 to 3-12, 3-14), Pete Shelley (tracks: 3-3), Wayne Shanklin (tracks: 2-13, 2-17)

Flac Size: 444 MB

Lynyrd Skynyrd: Discography 1973 - 1977

Lynyrd Skynyrd is the definitive hard-living, hard-driving Southern rock & roll band. Fusing the overdriven power of blues-rock, the kind of detailed storytelling skills often found in honky tonk

country, the cocksure swagger of stadium rock, and a knack for pop hooks, they are equally adept at on-stage jamming and radio-ready singles like the quintessential AOR ballad "Free Bird." Lynyrd Skynyrd (/lɛnərd skɪnərd/ LEH-nerd SKIN-nerd) formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964. The group originally formed as My Backyard and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass), and Bob Burns (drums). The band spent four years touring small venues under various names and with several lineup changes before deciding on "Lynyrd Skynyrd" in 1968. 
                                   

For the first few years, the group had little success, but producer Al Kooper signed them to MCA after seeing them play at an Atlanta club called Funocchio's in 1972. Kooper produced the group's 1973 debut, "Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd", which was recorded after former Strawberry Alarm Clock

guitarist Ed King joined the band. The group became famous for their triple-guitar attack, which was showcased on "Free Bird," a tribute to the then-recently deceased Duane Allman. "Free Bird" earned Lynyrd Skynyrd their first national exposure and it became one of the staples of album rock radio, still receiving airplay decades after its release. "Free Bird" and an opening slot on the Who's 1973 Quadrophenia tour earned Lynyrd Skynyrd a devoted following, which helped their second album, 1974's "Second Helping", become its breakthrough hit. Featuring the hit single "Sweet Home Alabama" -- a response to Neil Young's "Southern Man" -- Second Helping reached number 12 and went multi-platinum. 
                             

The band's third album, "Nuthin' Fancy", was recorded in 17 days. Unhappy with the band's lack of preparation for the album's recording, Kooper and the band parted ways by mutual agreement after the tracking was completed, with Kooper mixing the album while the band left for the tour

that had precipitated the constricted recording schedule. Collins and Rossington both had serious car accidents over Labor Day weekend in 1976, which slowed the recording of the follow-up album and forced the band to cancel some concert dates. Rossington's accident inspired the ominous Van Zant/Collins composition "That Smell", a cautionary tale about drug abuse that was aimed towards him and at least one other band member. Rossington has admitted repeatedly that he was the "Prince Charming" of the song who crashed his car into an oak tree while drunk and stoned on Quaaludes.
                                  

"Nuthin' Fancy" was followed by the Tom Dowd-produced "Gimme Back My Bullets" in 1976, which failed to match the success of its two predecessors. However, the band retained their following through constant touring, which was documented on the double-live album "One More from the Road". Released

in late 1976, it featured the band's new guitarist, Steve Gaines, and a trio of female backup singers -- it became Skynyrd's second Top Ten album. Lynyrd Skynyrd released their sixth album, Street Survivors, in October 1977. Three days later, a privately chartered plane carrying the band between shows in Greenville, South Carolina and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, crashed outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi. Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and his sister Cassie, one of the group's backing vocalists, died in the crash; the remaining members were injured. 
                           

(The cause of the crash was either fuel shortage or a fault with the plane's mechanics.) The original cover sleeve for Street Survivors had featured a photograph of the band amid flames, with Steve Gaines nearly obscured by fire. Out of respect for the deceased (and at the request of Teresa Gaines, Steve's widow),

MCA Records withdrew the original cover and replaced it with the album's back photo, a similar image of the band against a simple black background. However, the group would restore the original image for the 30th anniversary deluxe edition of the album. In the wake of the tragedy, Street Survivors became one of the band's biggest hits. Lynyrd Skynyrd broke up after the crash, releasing a collection of early demos called Skynyrd's First and...Last in 1978; it had been scheduled for release before the crash. The double-album compilation Gold & Platinum was released in 1980. 
                               

Later in 1980, Rossington and Collins formed a new band -- naturally named the Rossington Collins Band -- that featured the four surviving members. Two years later, Pyle formed the Artimus Pyle Band. Collins suffered a car crash in 1986 that killed his girlfriend and left him paralyzed; four

years later, he died of respiratory failure. In 1987, Rossington, Powell, King, and Wilkeson reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd, adding vocalist Johnny Van Zant and guitarist Randall Hall. The band embarked on a reunion tour, which was captured on the 1988 double-live album Southern by the Grace of God: Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour 1987. The re-formed Skynyrd began recording in 1991, and for the remainder of the decade, they toured frequently, occasionally putting out albums. The reunited group frequently switched drummers but it had little effect on their sound. 
                      

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the group No. 95 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". On November 28, 2005, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced that Lynyrd

Skynyrd would be inducted alongside Black Sabbath, Blondie, Miles Davis, and the Sex Pistols. The year 2018 saw the group announce their farewell tour. Last of the Street Survivors Tour Lyve!, a concert album and film documenting the tour, was released in 2020. Despite this, Lynyrd Skynyrd opted to continue and in 2023 they announced they would be hitting the road with ZZ Top for "The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour." On March 5, 2023, Gary Rossington, the last surviving original member of the band, died at the age of 71.
                      

ALBUMS ON THIS POST 
                     

01. (PRONOUNCED LEH-NERD SKIN-NERD) 1973
02. SECOND HELPING 1974
03. NUTHIN' FANCY 1975
04. ONE MORE FROM THE ROAD 1976
05. GIMME BACK MY BULLETS 1976
06. STREET SURVIVORS 1977

01. (PRONOUNCED LEH-NERD SKIN-NERD) 1973

                                      

The Allman Brothers came first, but Lynyrd Skynyrd epitomized Southern rock. The Allmans were exceptionally gifted musicians, as much bluesmen as rockers. Skynyrd was nothing but rockers, and they were Southern rockers to the bone. This didn't just mean that they were rednecks, but that they

brought it all together -- the blues, country, garage rock, Southern poetry -- in a way that sounded more like the South than even the Allmans. And a large portion of that derives from their hard, lean edge, which was nowhere more apparent than on their debut album, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd. Produced by Al Kooper, there are few records that sound this raw and uncompromising, especially records by debut bands. Then again, few bands sound this confident and fully formed with their first record. It's the birth of a great band that birthed an entire genre with this album. 
                              

Lynyrd Skynyrd – 1973 - (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)
Label: MCA Records – 088 112 727-2
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 2001
Country: US
Released: 1973
Genre: Rock
Style: Blues Rock, Southern Rock, Classic Rock

TRACKS

                                   

01. I Ain't The One    3:51
02. Tuesday's Gone   7:32
Bass, Mellotron – Roosevelt Gook
Drums – Robert Nix    
03. Gimme Three Steps   4:30
Percussion – Bobbi Hall    
04. Simple Man   5:57
Organ – Roosevelt Gook    
05. Things Goin' On   4:57
Percussion – Bobbi Hall
06. Mississippi Kid   3:57
Harmonica – Steve Katz
Mandolin, Bass Drum – Roosevelt Gook
Written-By – Al Kooper, Robert Burns
07. Poison Whiskey   3:11
Organ – Roosevelt Gook
Written-By – Edward King    
08. Free Bird   9:08
Organ – Roosevelt Gook
    

BONUS TRACKS (DEMOS)        

    
09. Mr. Banker (Demo)   5:22
Written-By – Edward King
10. Down South Jukin' (Demo)    2:57
11. Tuesday's Gone (Demo)    7:55
12. Gimme Three Steps (Demo)    5:19
13. Free Bird (Demo)    11:09

LINE - UP

Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals
Gary Rossington – lead guitar ("Tuesday's Gone", "Gimme Three Steps", "Things Goin' On", "Poison Whiskey"), rhythm guitar ("I Ain't the One", "Simple Man", "Mississippi Kid", "Free Bird")
Allen Collins – lead guitar ("I Ain't the One", "Free Bird"), rhythm guitar ("Tuesday's Gone", "Gimme Three Steps", "Simple Man", "Things Goin' On", "Mississippi Kid", "Poison Whiskey")
Ed King – bass (all except "Tuesday's Gone", "Mississippi Kid"), lead guitar ("Mississippi Kid")
Billy Powell – keyboards
Bob Burns – drums
Leon Wilkeson – bass (credited but does not perform)

ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS

Al Kooper ("Roosevelt Gook") – bass, Mellotron, and harmony vocals ("Tuesday's Gone"); mandolin & bass drum ("Mississippi Kid"); organ ("Simple Man", "Poison Whiskey", "Free Bird")
Robert Nix – drums ("Tuesday's Gone")
Bobbye Hall – percussion ("Gimme Three Steps", "Things Goin')
Steve Katz – harmonica ("Mississippi Kid")

Flac Size: 503 MB

02. SECOND HELPING 1974

                       

Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote the book on Southern rock with their first album, so it only made sense that they followed it for their second album, aptly titled Second Helping. Sticking with producer Al

Kooper (who, after all, discovered them), the group turned out a record that replicated all the strengths of the original, but was a little tighter and a little more professional. It also revealed that the band, under the direction of songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, was developing a truly original voice. Of course, the band had already developed their own musical voice, but it was enhanced considerably by Van Zant's writing, which was at turns plainly poetic, surprisingly clever, and always revealing. 
                        

Lynyrd Skynyrd – 1974 - Second Helping
Label: MCA Records – MCAD-1686
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 1987
Country: US
Released: 1974
Genre: Rock
Style: Southern Rock, Classic Rock

TRACKS

                             

01. Sweet Home Alabama    4:42
02. I Need You    6:54
03. Don't Ask Me No Questions    3:24
04. Workin' For MCA    4:46
05. The Ballad Of Curtis Loew    4:45
06. Swamp Music    3:29
07. The Needle And The Spoon    3:52
08. Call Me The Breeze    5:23

LINE - UP

Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals
Gary Rossington – guitar
Allen Collins – guitar
Ed King – guitar, backing vocals, bass on "I Need You" and "Don't Ask Me No Questions"
Leon Wilkeson – bass (all tracks except "I Need You" and "Don't Ask Me No Questions"), backing vocals
Bob Burns – drums, except "I Need You"
Billy Powell – keyboards

ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS

Mike Porter – drums on "I Need You"
Merry Clayton, Clydie King, and Sherlie Matthews – background vocals on "Sweet Home Alabama"
Bobby Keys, Trevor Lawrence, and Steve Madaio – horns on "Don't Ask Me No Questions" and "Call Me the Breeze"
Al Kooper – backing vocals, piano on "Don't Ask Me No Questions" and "The Ballad of Curtis Loew", acoustic guitar on "The Ballad of Curtis Loew"

Flac Size: 228 MB

03. NUTHIN' FANCY 1975

                          

Second Helping brought Lynyrd Skynyrd mass success and for the follow-up they offered Nuthin' Fancy. It was a self-deprecating title for a record that may have offered more of the same, at least on the surface,

but was still nearly peerless as a Southern rock record. The biggest difference with this record is that the band, through touring, has become heavier and harder, fitting right in with the heavy album rock bands of the mid-'70s. Many of these eight songs still showcase Van Zant at the top of his game, whether it's the storming opener "Saturday Night Special," "Railroad Song," "On the Hunt," or the rollicking "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller." Yes, this does pale in comparison with its predecessors, but most hard rock bands would give their left arm for a record that swaggers and hits as hard as Nuthin' Fancy. 
                              

Lynyrd Skynyrd – 1975 - Nuthin' Fancy
Label: MCA Records – MCAD-31003
Series: Compact Disc Compact Price
Format: CD, Album, JVC pressing Aug 1987
Country: US
Released: 1975    
Genre: Rock
Style: Southern Rock

TRACKS

                              

01. Saturday Night Special   5:08
Written-By – Edward King, Ronnie Van Zant
02. Cheatin' Woman   4:38
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant    
03. Railroad Song   4:14
Written-By – Edward King, Ronnie Van Zant
04. I'm A Country Boy   4:24
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
05. On The Hunt   5:25
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
06. Am I Losin'   4:32
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
07. Made In The Shade   4:40
Written-By – Ronnie Van Zant    
08. Wiskey Rock-A-Roller   4:33
Written-By – Billy Powell, Edward King, Ronnie Van Zant
    

LINE - UP

Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals
Ed King – guitars, Moog bass on "Made in the Shade"
Allen Collins – guitars
Gary Rossington – guitars (all except "Railroad Song")
Leon Wilkeson – bass guitar, backing vocals on "Saturday Night Special", "Railroad Song", and "I'm a Country Boy"
Billy Powell – keyboards
Artimus Pyle – drums, percussion

ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS

Al Kooper – Moog synthesizers on "Saturday Night Special", organ on "Cheatin' Woman" and "Railroad Song", backing vocals on "Railroad Song", "Am I Losin'" and "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller", percussion on "I'm a Country Boy", piano on "Made in the Shade"
Jimmy Hall – harmonica on "Railroad Song" and "Made in the Shade"
Bobbye Hall – percussion on "Railroad Song" and "On the Hunt"
Barry Lee Harwood – mandolin and Dobro on "Made in the Shade"
David Foster – piano on "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller"

Flac Size: 235 MB

04. GIMME BACK MY BULLETS 1976

                                     

Of all the albums that Lynyrd Skynyrd made in the 1970s, Gimme Back My Bullets is their most underrated. And its harshest critic was Ronnie Van Zant himself. But if Gimme Back My Bullets sounded a little slicker than the band’s previous albums, it was still a great rock’n’roll record. And even if

Van Zant was unhappy about the way the album turned out, it was telling that his comments attributed no blame to producer Tom Dowd. Dowd had recorded legendary soul and jazz artists such as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. The band’s Southern soul influences and Dowd’s feel for black music dovetailed beautifully on Double Trouble, the best song on the album and the funkiest that Skynyrd ever recorded, with Ronnie recalling the 11 times he’d been jailed for various offences, most of them involving public intoxication.

                             

 

Lynyrd Skynyrd – 1976 - Gimme Back My Bullets
Label: Geffen Records – B0005553-00, Chronicles 
Series: Deluxe Edition 2005
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1976    
Genre: Rock
Style: Southern Rock, Classic Rock

GIMME BACK MY BULLETS

                                 

01. Gimme Back My Bullets   3:28
Clavinet – Billy
Guitar [Solo & Fills] – Gary
Organ – Billy
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
02. Every Mother's Son   4:56
Acoustic Guitar – Allen, Gary
Backing Vocals – Leon
Piano [Solos] – Billy
Soloist [End Solo] – Allen
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
03. Trust   4:24
Guitar [Solo & Fills] – Allen
Written-By – Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
04. I Got The Same Old Blues   4:08
Blues Harp [Solo] – Lee Freeman
Slide Guitar [Solo] – Gary
Written-By – J.J. Cale
05. Double Trouble   2:48
Backing Vocals – The Honnicutts
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
06. Roll Gyspy Roll   2:49
Guitar [Solo & Ending] – Gary
Organ – Billy
Tambourine – Artimus
Twelve-String Guitar – Allen
Written-By – Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
07. Searching   3:18
Lead Guitar – Gary
Soloist [End Solo] – Allen, Gary
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
08. Cry For The Bad Man   4:48
Backing Vocals – The Honnicutts
Guitar [Solo & Fills] – Gary
Organ – Billy
Written-By – Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
09. All I Can Do Is Write About It   4:14
Acoustic Guitar – Allen, Gary
Dobro – Barry Harwood
Mandolin – Barry Harwood
Organ – Billy
Piano [Solo] – Billy
Violin – Unknown artist
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
    

BONUS TRACKS            

10. Double Trouble (Live)   3:13
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
11. I Got The Same Old Blues (Live)   4:13
Written-By – J.J. Cale
12. Gimme Back My Bullets (Live)   4:19
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
13. Cry For The Bad Man (Live)   5:38
Written-By – Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
14. All I Can Do Is Write About It (Acoustic)   4:24
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant    
15. Double Trouble (Alternate Take)   2:52
Backing Vocals – The Honnicutts
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
    

LINE - UP

Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals
Gary Rossington – guitars
Allen Collins – guitars
Leon Wilkeson – bass, background vocals
Artimus Pyle – drums, percussion
Billy Powell – keyboards

ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS

The Honeycuts – background vocals ("Double Trouble", "Cry for the Bad Man")
The Honkettes – background vocals (on bonus live tracks)
Lee Freeman – harp ("I Got the Same Old Blues")
Barry Lee Harwood – dobro, mandolin ("All I Can Do Is Write About It")

Flac Size: 360 MB

05. ONE MORE FROM THE ROAD 1976

                    

Double live albums were commonplace during the '70s, even for bands that weren't particularly good in concert. As a travelin' band, Lynyrd Skynyrd made their fame and fortune by being good in concert, so it

made sense that they released a double-live, entitled One More from the Road, in 1976, months after the release of their fourth album, Gimme Back My Bullets. That might have been rather quick for a live album -- only three years separated this record from the group's debut -- but it was enthusiastically embraced, entering the Top Ten (it would become one of their best-selling albums, as well). It's easy to see why it was welcomed, since this album demonstrates what a phenomenal catalog of songs Skynyrd accumulated. 

                            

Lynyrd Skynyrd – 1976 - One More From The Road
Label: MCA Records – D242727
Series: Deluxe Edition
Format: 2 x CD, Album, Club Edition, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered, 25th Anniversary 2001
Country: US
Released: 1976    
Genre: Rock
Style: Blues Rock, Classic Rock, Southern Rock

CD1.

                         

01. Introduction / Workin' For MCA    (5:32)
1.1. Introduction
Voice – Alex Cooley    
01.2. Workin' For MCA
Written-By – Ed King, Ronnie Van Zant
02. I Ain't The One   3:47
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
03. Saturday Night Special   5:39
Written-By – Edward King, Ronnie Van Zant    
04. Searching   4:00
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
05. Travellin' Man   4:37
Written-By – Leon Wilkeson, Ronnie Van Zant
06. Simple Man   6:56
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant    
07. Whiskey Rock-A-Roller   4:48
Written-By – Billy Powell, Edward King, Ronnie Van Zant
08. The Needle And The Spoon      4:35
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
09. Gimme Back My Bullets   4:01
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
10. Tuesday's Gone   8:25
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
11. Gimme Three Steps   5:10
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
12. Call Me The Breeze   5:50
Written-By – J.J. Cale
13. T For Texas   9:14
Written-By – Jimmie Rodgers

Flac Size: 522 MB    

CD2.

                                             

01. Sweet Home Alabama   7:28
Written-By – Edward King, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
02. Crossroads   4:16
Written-By – Robert Johnson
03. Free Bird   14:18
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
04. Introduction / Workin' For MCA (Alternate Take)    (5:37)
04.1. Introduction
Voice – Alex Cooley
04.2. Workin' For MCA (Alternate Take)
Written-By – Ed King (2), Ronnie Van Zant
05. I Ain't The One (Alternate Take)   3:52
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
06. Searching (Alternate Take)   4:13
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
07. Gimme Three Steps (Alternate Take)   4:42
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
08. Call Me The Breeze (Alternate Take)   5:43
Written-By – J.J. Cale
09. Sweet Home Alabama (Alternate Take)   7:27
Written-By – Edward King, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant    
10. Crossroads (Alternate Take)   4:46
Written-By – Robert Johnson
11. Free Bird (Alternate Take)   14:55
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant

Flac Size: 538 MB
    
LINE - UP

Vocals – Ronnie Van Zant
Backing Vocals – Cassie Gaines, Jo Billingsley, Leslie Hawkins
Bass – Leon Wilkeson
Crew [Chief Electrician] – Jim Spradlin
Drums – Artimus Pyle 
Guitar – Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Steve Gaines
Keyboards – Billy Powell

NOTES

Recorded live at the Fabulous Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia July, 1976

06. STREET SURVIVORS 1977

                             

Street Survivors appeared in stores just days before Lynyrd Skynyrd's touring plane crashed,

tragically killing many members of the band, including lead singer and songwriter Ronnie Van Zant. Consequently, it's hard to see Street Survivors outside of the tragedy, especially since the best-known song here, "That Smell," reeks of death and foreboding. If the band had lived, however, Street Survivors would have been seen as an unqualified triumph, a record that firmly re-established Skynyrd's status as the great Southern rock band. As it stands, it's a triumph tinged with a hint of sadness, sadness that's projected onto it from listeners aware of what happened to the band after recording. Viewed as

merely a record, it's a hell of an album. The band springs back to life with the addition of guitarist Steve Gaines, and Van Zant used the time off the road to write a strong set of songs, highlighted by "That Smell," "You Got That Right," and the relentless boogie "I Know a Little." It's tighter than any record since Second Helping and as raw as Nuthin' Fancy. If the original band was fated to leave after this record, at least they left with a record that serves as a testament to Skynyrd's unique greatness. 
                                            

Lynyrd Skynyrd – 1977 - Street Survivors
Label: Geffen Records – 0602517571662, Universal Music Group 
Series: Deluxe Edition 
Format: 2 x CD, Album, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered 2008
Country: Europe
Released: 1977
Genre: Rock
Style: Southern Rock, Classic Rock

CD1. THE ORIGINAL ALBUM    

                     

   
01. What's Your Name   3:33
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
02. That Smell   5:50
Backing Vocals [The Honkettes] – Cassie Gaines, Jo Billingsley, Leslie Hawkins
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
03. One More Time   5:04
Backing Vocals – Leslie Hawkins, Tim Smith 
Bass – Greg Walker
Drums, Backing Vocals – Rick Medlocke
Guitar – Ed King 
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
04. I Know A Little   3:29
Written-By – Steve Gaines
05. You Got That Right   3:48
Written-By – Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines
06. I Never Dreamed   5:23
Written-By – Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines
07. Honky Tony Night Time Man   4:05
Written-By – Merle Haggard
08. Ain't No Good Life   4:39
Written-By – Steve Gaines

Flac Size: 239 MB
    
CD2. CRITERIA STUDIOS ALBUM        

                                 

   
01. What's Your Name (Original Version)   3:33
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
02. That Smell (Original Version)   5:30
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
03. You Got That Right (Original Version)   3:19
Written-By – Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines
04. I Never Dreamed (Original Version)   5:23
Written-By – Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines
05. Georgia Peaches     3:15 
Written-By – Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines
06. Sweet Little Missy (Original Version)   5:16
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
07. Sweet Little Missy (Demo)   5:12
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
08. Ain't No Good Life (Original Version)   5:03
Backing Vocals – Cassie Gaines, Jo Billingsley, Leslie Hawkins
Lead Vocals – Steve Gaines
Written-By – Steve Gaines
09. That Smell (Complete Original Version)   7:31
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
10. Jacksonville Kid (Aka Honky Tony Night Time Man)   4:09
Dobro – Barry Harwood - Written-By – Merle Haggard, Ronnie Van Zant

    

LYNYRD SKYNYRD LIVE IN CALIFORNIA, AUGUST 1977        

    
11. You Got That Right   4:41
Written-By – Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines
12. That Smell   6:06
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
13. Ain't No Good Life   5:01
Written-By – Steve Gaines
14. What's Your Name   3:29
Written-By – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
15. Gimme Three Steps   5:09
Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant

Flac Size: 478 MB
    
LINE - UP

Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals
Steve Gaines – guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Ain't No Good Life", co-lead vocals on "You Got That Right"
Allen Collins – guitar
Gary Rossington – guitar
Leon Wilkeson – bass, backing vocals
Artimus Pyle – drums
Billy Powell – keyboards
Ed King – guitar on "One More Time"
Greg T. Walker – bass on "One More Time"
Rickey Medlocke – drums and backing vocals on "One More Time"

ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS

The Honkettes (JoJo Billingsley, Cassie Gaines, Leslie Hawkins) – backing vocals on "That Smell" and "One More Time"
Tim Smith – backing vocals on "One More Time"
Barry Lee Harwood – dobro on "Honky Tonk Night Time Man"