Lynyrd Skynyrd - Nuthin' Fancy

Great version of Skynyrd classic

I've been a diehard Skynyrd fan since this album was originally released and it remains my favorite of their entire body of work. This version sounds great and the bonus tracks are a super addition. On top of everything, the price can't be beat! May 19, 2008

Not Skynyrd's fanciest, but not a waste of time either

The original Skynyrd line-up only recorded five studio albums and one live, so it's no surprise that each one of them has someone calling it Lynyrd Skynyrd's best album. Including this one.

"Nuthin' Fancy" isn't, though. It's good, but it's not great, at least not compared to, say, "Pronounced 'lh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd". There are a couple of generic run-of-the-mill songs here, and too few of the really classy ones, but "Nuthin' Fancy" doesn't suck. The original Skynyrd line-up never made a bad album, and this one has a lot going for it.
It's somewhat more low-key than its two predecessors, but there is some rockin' and rollin' as well. The gritty "Saturday Night Special" is here, as is the stop-and-go riff-rocker "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller" and the mellow country-rock of "Am I Losin'", and the folkish acoustic "Made In The Shade" is certainly enjoyable as well. The slow, bluesy "Cheatin' Woman" sounds more like morose early "Free" than Skynyrd. It's not bad, nor is it terrific.

Songs like "Saturday Night Special" and "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller" admittedly sound better and more powerful on the live "One More From The Road", but the 1999 addition of two bonus tracks earns "Nuthin' Special" another half star...these live recodings of the otherwise relatively unremarkable "Railroad Song" and the riff-driven "On The Hunt" in particular are much grittier and more enjoyable than the studio versions.

All in all, "Nuthin' Fancy" isn't the way to start your Skynyrd collection, but it's one you'll want to pick up once you are hooked for sure. It's not fantastic, but it's enjoyable, and certainly good enough for some 3 1/2 stars. April 26, 2008

Lynyrd Skynyrd's finest moment

Nuthin' Fancy is the most underrated album Lynyrd Skynyrd ever made. I love every single song. They basically brought back the energy that was lacking from Second Helping and made sure to keep the songwriting abilities firmly intact as well. When you combine energy with good songwriting, and hardly any radio exposure (except for one song) you're left with a very underrated album.

"Saturday Night Special" is interesting to me because it shows the band bringing back the energy and excitement from something on the debut such as "Gimme Three Steps" and also featuring a rather odd, but very memorable, chorus.

Now, here's where it gets interesting- some people think that's the only song on the album worth listening to, but guess what? The next four songs are even BETTER than the opening song. The guitar playing on "Cheatin' Woman" rules, and the vocals are very good as well. "Railroad Song" should have been a hit, "I'm a Country Boy" almost reminds me of a southern rock version of Dire Straits, and "On the Hunt" is just a typical Lynyrd Skynyrd song, but I say that as a GOOD thing.

This is probably the best album Lynyrd Skynyrd ever made. Better than the debut, and much better than Second Helping. No filler in sight in my opinion. I wish more bands were this consistently enjoyable. A MUST own, even for people who might not dig southern rock a whole lot. It's truly an underrated album. March 18, 2008

I STUBBORNLY REFUSE TO GIVE ANY LYNYRD SKYNYRD ALBUM WITH RONNIE VAN ZANT ANYTHING LESS THAN 5 STARS !

And that's just the way it is. They're all that good in my book. Every one of 'em. Stop yer nitpickin'. Nuthin' Fancy (1975) may be nothing fancy, but it sure is something special. Saturday Night Special, On The Hunt, Am I Losin', and Whiskey Rock-A-Roller are all Lynyrd Skynyrd classics from this album. I also like the slow blues Cheatin' Woman and Ronnie Van Vant's personal declaration of independence, I'm A Country Boy. The acoustic roots-music Made In The Shade works for me, too. This is all great music! Saturday Night Special is top-of-the-line Skynyrd rock that addresses the issue of gun control and the availability of cheap handguns. Van Zant gives us an example.

Two feets they come a creepin'
Like a black cat do
And two bodies laying naked
Creeper thinks he's got nothing to lose
So he creeps into this house
And unlocks the door
And as a man's reaching for his trousers
He shoots him full of .38 holes

Nuthin' fancy, but strong stuff! Whiskey Rock-A-Roller is quintessential Lynyrd Skynyrd party-on-the-road rock n' roll and a great song, too. Of course, every one of these songs has great Lynyrd Skynyrd signature guitar work. This isn't my favorite Skynyrd album, but it's one that's essential to the Lynyrd Skynyrd catalog, and one that I like very much. Any Lynyrd Skynyrd album with Ronnie Van Zant is a classic, if you ask me.


March 13, 2008

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Another Solid Release

Skynyrd's 3rd album sees the first changes in the band's lineup. Original drummer Bob Burns is replaced by Artimus Pyle. The album was a bit of a rush job as the record company was pushing the band to come out with a new album as quickly as possible after the huge success of their previous effort. As the title suggests the songs here are a bit on the simpler side, but the band still breathes plenty of life into them. "Saturday Night Special" was the big hit from the album with "On The Hunt" and "Whiskey Rock-A Roller" also receiving airplay. The rest of the material is pretty typical Skynyrd all well written and performed. The album is probably not as strong as the first two, but is still well worth owning for Skynyrd fans. September 12, 2007

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