Atlanta Rhythm Section
Underdog

I am particularly attached to “Underdog,” being the album that introduced me to the Atlanta Rhythm Section back in 1979, the year of its release. It remains one of my favorite works of theirs, not because it was the first I encountered, but because it contains two or three of their most successful career numbers.

First of all, the excellent “Spooky,” which is actually a cover of a semi-cover! Let me explain: in 1966, American saxophonist Mike Shapiro released this song as an instrumental jazz blues led by his tenor sax, and it was well-received.

A couple of years later, a Florida band called the Classics IV created an... almost cover, turning the saxophone theme into a sung melody and writing new lyrics: this pop blues version also enjoyed good success.

Among the Classics IV were pianist Dean Daughtry, guitarist J.R. Cobb, and composer-producer Buddy Buie, who later, at the dawn of the seventies, formed the Atlanta Rhythm Section!

The circle therefore closes with this third and optimal rock blues incarnation of the song, much more significant thanks to Ronnie Hammond's swinging, delightful voice and especially to Bailey’s lead guitar, which as always reigns supremely. He delivers a solo more eloquent and striking not only than Shapiro's sax but also than Ronnie's own performance. Listen to believe: Bailey's Gibson, sharper than ever thanks to the perfect style with which he manages to “dirty,” or rather enrich with attack and incisiveness, the notes using even the thumb and index fingertips to grip the pick, endlessly flows themes and melodies with an unbeatable dynamic, use of pauses, quality and groove.

Having covered “Spooky,” also heed the tense and lyrical rock blues “It’s Only Music” with its determined instrumental crescendo, as well as the concluding and relaxing “My Song,” almost a Ronnie Hammond solo as it is primarily composed of acoustic guitar and voice, narrating a very personal and touching text.

A diverse and eclectic episode, almost progressive, is the one titled “While Time Is Left”: time changes from four to three quarters, intro of flute and piano in a minuet style, occasional orchestra in the background, final rock waltz... there’s a bit of everything in just over five minutes.

The blues on the setlist is ironically titled “I Hate the Blues” and is a tripartite number: it starts nocturnal and relaxed with just the piano, then the mid-tempo singing that titles it all joins in, finally slipping into the cover of the Coasters’ gospel choir “Let’s Go Get Stoned,” a plea that is quite a statement, indeed it was also interpreted by Ray Charles, a specialist.

The sequence of ARS's exquisite works becomes a constant: five stars also for “Underdog” as they bid farewell to the prolific seventies.