38 SPECIAL
Drivetrain
( 2004 Santuary )



Musiciens :
Don BARNES, Vocals, Guitars, Donnie Van Zant, Vocals, Larry Junstrom, Bass, Danny Chauncey, Guitars, Keys, Bobby Capps, Keys, Garry Moffat, Drums

Titles :


1 Something Need - 2 Hurts Like Love - 3 Haley's Got A Harley - 4 Jam On - 5 Make Some Sense Of It - 6 Quick Fix
7 The Squeeze - 8 The Play - 9 Bad Looks Good On You - 10 Trooper With An Attitude - 11 Hiding From Yourself
12 Sheriff's County Line


Hey, it's been a long time for the fans to wait this new cd ! It's been seven years since "Resolution", so we were really anxious to get this new one. When we listen to this cd, it's obvious that something has changed in 38 Special since Jeff Carlisi has left the band. The musical approach, always rock and great, has not the same feelings that the great 80's cds gave us, when the group got many golden and platinum records. However, we don't have to be too much disappointed, it is a great cd from one of the biggest Rock n Roll band in the USA, this ain't bad stuff ! The biggest surprise comes from the sound of this album. Don Barnes and his guys have wished not to be out-to-date, and are really close to today's american Rock. There are many special effects, special sounds (especially on the drums), not always necessary (that's my opinion). I think that real fans of the band 'd have preferred to listen to great songs like "Something I need", "Make some sense of it", "The Squeeze" or "Trooper with an attitude" with the real 38 Special sound. There are obviously good reasons for such a choice with the sound, but we can say however that it is a very good US rock record.
Jean-Marie Coron

38 SPECIAL
WILD EYED CHRISTMAS NIGHT


Titles :
Jingle Bell Rock / Here Comes Santa Claus / Little Drummer Boy / Hallelujah! It's Chistmas / It's Christmas And I Miss You / A Wild-Eyed Christmas Night / That Old Rockin Chair / Santa Claus Is Back In Town / O' Holy Night / God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Musicians :
Donnie Van Zant : Vocals
Don Barnes : guitar, Vocals
Danny Chauncey : guitar, Vocals
Bobby Capps : Keyboards, backing vocals
Larry Junstrom : bass
Gary Moffatt : drums


It's a well known fact that Christmas represents a lot to american people. That's may be why so many albums are re-released just before this period. Southern rock bands do so. Lynyrd Skynyrd released its surprising "Christmas Time Again" last year, and 38 Specials is coming out this year with its album, " Wild eyed Christmas Night". It is not something I really appreciate, to see my favorite bands doing business like that. There might be quite a few good songs ("Wild Eyed it's Christmas", "Santa Clauss is back in town" or "That old rockin chair"), I have trouble finding some other good ones. "Hallelujah it's Christmas" had already been released on the Lynyrd Skynyrd 's album last year. "Little drummer" reminds me of nana Mouskouri !!! I'm not kidding she made a french version of that song many years ago !!!
John Molet
38 SPECIAL
First album & DVD Collection


Website :
http://www.38special.com

CD

Musiciens : Don Barnes, Guitars, Jeff Carlisi, Guitars, Pedal Steel, Dobro, Steve Brookins, Drums, Percussion, Jack Grondin, Drums, Ken Lyons, Bass, Donnie Van Zant, Vocals.

Titles :
1 Long Time Gone - 2 Fly Away - 3 Around And Around - 4 Play A Simple Song - 5 Gypsy Belle - 6 Four Wheels
7 Tell Everybody - 8 Just Hang On - 9 I Just Wanna Rock & Roll

DVD

Titles :
1 Hold On Loosely - 2 Caught Up In You - 3 Wild-Eyed Southern Boys - 4 Like No Other Night - 5 Second Chance

As 38 Special has not been heard for a long time, let us take the opportunity (before the soon release of the new album) to call back the recent distribution of the 1st album (reprinted in CD) and a DVD made up of 5 major titles in the career of the band.
The listening of this 38 Special’s 1st disk in CD format, allow to understand better the kind of music of the group before the Rock FM direction taken in the 80’s. Everyone can remember that at this time (in 1977, 38 Special built himself in the shadow of the great brothers as Lynyrd Skynyrd), the 2 bands based in Jacksonville was as an evidence very close in many fields.
Thereafter 38 Special directed much its music towards the Radios FM (without for that breaking with its Southern roots) and it is rather logically that the albums which were published in the 80’s were directed towards a new sound (more general public), which conducted to great successes worthy of largest and that is a bit what this DVD summarizes to us. Released in April 2004, at Universal Music Company, this DVD offers to us 5 titles (only!) of the glorious time, that where 38 Special was collecting the Golden Disks and other platinum; the great standards that have been Hold one Loosely, Caught Up In You, and Wild Eyed Southern Boys, are as much of proof of the formidable career of 38 Special.
In brief, an always appreciated group whose chronicle of their new album in studio will be able to be read in July 2004 ; the great groups never die, that is well-known.

Philippe Archambeau


Close Window