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LYNYRD
SKYNRD ~Vicious
Cycle
Sanctuary
Records
Celebrating 30 years as a band, Lynyrd Skynyrd return with a
beautifully cohesive epic that combines an immensely talented lineup
paying deep respect to an enduring icon. Musicians as diverse as Kid
Rock, Metallica and Travis Tritt proudly pledge allegiance to the
Skynyrd sound as well as a host of young upstarts across several
genres. But, it is the band’s ability to rise above personally
tragedy that is a testament to their undying spirit. “Vicious
Cycle” embraces that sprit with fondness, feeling and passion.
Returning to the lethal combination of merging country twang with
hard rock chops, radio hits “That’s How I Like It,” “Dead
Man Walkin,’” and “Red White & Blue” put the sting back
into a living leg end
that was bordering on Juke-box status. The guitar playing is sharp,
poignant and, at times, blinding. As the group’s original
keyboardist, Billy Powell is used heavily with sensitivity to both
song and structure. Vocalist Johnny Van Zant also rises as the
primary lyric writer bringing his own original rhyme that gets
closer to matching elder brother Ronnie with every passing year.
“We've hit on a combination of old style Skynyrd, with new style
Skynyrd, with commercial Skynyrd,” Johnny says in the band’s
press kit. “We've got that hard rockin' country thing going full
blast on this one.”
Sharing vocals with Rickey Medlocke on“Pick ‘Em Up” Van Zant
continues in the tradition of bringing the band’s many diversified
talents to the forefront. “The Way,” “All Funked Up” and
“Rockin’ Little Town” reinstate Skynyrd as a guitar powerhouse
unwilling to simple drift away. The triple guitar assault of Gary
Rossington, Hughie Thomasson and Rickey Medlocke make this record on
of the heaviest Skynyrd has committed to plastic. On a spiritual
plane, the record hosts the ghost of Leon Wilkeson, the band’s
original bass player, who passed away during the recording of
“Vicious Cycle” yet is featured on two tracks “The Way” and
“Lucky Man.” The ode “Mat Hatter” echoes the band’s loss
of yet another dear friend missed and honored.
“Our fans are simple folks, they like the basics,” says Van Zant.
“They're not afraid of dirt, they know how to work with their
hands.” It’s that principle that “Sweet Mama,” “Crawl”
and “Jake” becoming working man anthems while “Lucky Man”
remains true to the band’s country roots. Billy Powell’s keys
add a tremendous amount of texture to songs like “Hell or
Heaven,” and “Life’s Lesson” while Kid Rock jumps in with a
the metalized-hip hop punch of a reworked “Gimme Back My
Bullets.” A true classic!
Websites: Sanctuary
Records, Lynyrd
Skynyrd.
Review by Todd
Smith http://www.thecutting-edge.net/
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