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Rating: The significant novelty brought by the Georgian sextet, between their 1972 debut album and this second album the following year, is the change of frontman. Rodney Justo leaves, and the delightful Ronnie Hammond arrives with his warm and genial tone, perfect not only for the desperate housewife from Macon, or Jacksonville... but also, of course, for all the country/blues/rock enthusiasts of America and, to a lesser extent, the rest of the world. Hammond's charisma allows his new group to immediately indulge in some rhythm&blues or folk blues ballads, interspersing the usual southern blues rock. The best of these is "Conversation", truly seductive.
The you-can't-even-imagine-how-good-he-is soloist Barry Bailey starts in these songs to approach (without yet reaching) the extremely high levels that would become routine for him. His melodic and enveloping guitar style, his mastery of dynamics, his personal and intense touch carved into my soul and filled my heart with admiration from the very start, and forever. The label of underrated fits him like a glove. Bailey is cosmically, astrally, galactically so.
Since he was a young man, the guitarist became attached to the not very common Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, a "tool" that accompanied him in the studio and on stage throughout his life. It's a guitar model that few have chosen as their music-making companion, always overshadowed by its "sisters" Standard and Custom and with a brighter and more "woody" tone compared to them. It had much less success, but it's a Les Paul, thank goodness, and in this case, it's indeed in the right hands. Underestimated guitar, underestimated guitarist...
Forget Clapton! If I have to think of someone who filled my imagination and generated my esteem in contrast to the predictable, populist figure of the famous ex of Del Santo (indeed!), well... Barry was the right man. He left this world three years ago, invaded and defeated by multiple sclerosis. He had to leave the ARS already about fifteen years earlier, his art diminished by this cruel disease. Traces of his talent can be heard here in the opening "Wrong", in the bi-thematic and lyrical "What You Gonna Do About It?", but especially in the southern rock'n'roll that titles the album which becomes, from this moment, a staple in their concerts.
We are certainly not yet at the levels of excellence with this second ARS release; we are still in the realm of the good, the convincing, but a bit anonymous and not easily memorable. Soon enough, there will be quite other showcases of brilliance, collections of largely stunning songs. For now, it's still a generous three-star judgment, but it's the last time. The music is about to change (meaning: it remains the same, but composed, arranged, and played at a higher level).
Tracklist
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