October 17, 1977 - Street Survivors

Just six days since my last release and 20 months since "Gimme Back My Bullets", Lynyrd Skynyrd released their fifth album "Street Survivors" on October 17, 1977. Their previous album had less success than their first three and was their only album as a 6-piece. They return to a 7-piece once again on this record, adding a third guitarist named Steve Gaines. This would actually end up being Skynyrd's highest charting album and spawned three successful singles. Let's listen to the return of some awesome southern rock!

The album kicks off with the first hit single, "What's Your Name". It's driven by a catchy guitar riff and also has some nice piano by Billy Powell as well as some cool trumpets. The chorus is very memorable and easy to sing along to as Ronnie Van Zant sounds like his usual great self. After a couple solid verses/chorus's we hear a guitar solo that doesn't really show off, but it fits the mood very well and sounds pretty good. They return for one last verse and I really like Powell's piano in the background as he keeps things interesting throughout. It's no surprise at all that this would become very popular and it's a great way to start off the record. Up next is another single, "That Smell", and it opens with a short guitar solo that sounds good (I have no idea which guitarist is playing what for most of this album). Van Zant's voice fits another solid rock riff nicely as Leon Wilkeson's bass carries the beat while the guitar leads the way. After another memorable chorus we hear another brief guitar solo that sounds pretty sweet! Just like their last album, there are female back-up singers in several songs, but I think they sound alright in this song. Another chorus, another guitar solo seems to be the formula as we hear another pretty solid solo!  This one is easily the longest one of the song as we hear different riffs by different guitarists, all sounding pretty good. They return for a final verse and chorus, before we hear yet another guitar solo! It sounds pretty awesome and the rhythm guitar is pretty cool as well in this wonderful ending riff. I certainly like the abundance of guitar solos, keep it up guys! Track 3 is "One More Time" and it has a slower pace than the first two songs. Wilkeson plays some soothing bass and we hear some decent acoustic guitar as Van Zant serenades us with his southern voice. The chorus is pretty simple and ends with a bit of a weird keyboard part that is uncharacteristic of Skynyrd. They play a couple slow verses before we hear another guitar solo. It fits the mood very well and sounds pretty cool, but it's nothing amazing. This song is much more laid-back and is certainly good, but it lacks the energy that the first two songs definitely had. They play a final verse and chorus and we hear some more cool guitar at the end, but the song fades out in the middle of the solo! Couldn't have waited just a few bars longer? Geez. The side ends with a song newcomer Gaines wrote, "I Know A Little". It's Gaines who plays the lead guitar in this one and he is killing it right from the get-go! Artimus Pyle sets the tone with his drum beat and Gaines just goes off playing some wicked fast stuff! They settle into the main riff that is just bouncing with cool guitar and Van Zant's voice sounds pretty good as well. After a couple solid verses it's time for another sweet guitar solo! It seems like the solo is ending but it segues into a piano solo by Powell that sounds phenomenal! He is all over the piano playing some wonderful stuff and it kicks right back into the bouncing verse. Van Zant and Gaines end the song on another great note as this was easily my favourite song so far, completing a very good first side.

Side two opens with "You Got That Right", the final single and has Gaines on co-lead vocals with Van Zant. It's driven by a fast guitar riff and also has some excellent piano by Powell. It's another catchy, bouncing beat that is hard not to toe-tap along to! After a couple verses we hear a solid guitar solo that fits the mood well before returning to the catchy main riff. It seems the song might be over, but it's actually time for another guitar solo! This one is even better than the first one I think as it takes us right to the end of the song. They are just full of great ideas so far on this album, a huge step up from their last one just a year ago. Next up is "I Never Dreamed" and it starts with a slow bass-driven beat with some cool lead guitar overtop. Van Zant comes in about a minute into the song as he sings softly about how he never thought his woman would leave, and wants her to come back home. This soft love ballad is a little unlike Skynyrd, and a little too sappy for me, but it's alright. The guitar solo is very underwhelming, but it does fit the mood well once again. After another couple slow verses the song ends with a faster guitar solo that is much more like it! We hear some sweet, quick playing in what is easily the best part of this 5-plus minute song. Track 7 is called "Honky Tonk Night Time Man" and is a Merle Haggard cover. Pyle starts it with some quick snare drumming as we hear some more great southern guitar leading the way. Powell's piano sounds great in the background as well as Van Zant sings in a great blues-y voice. After the first verse it's time already for an extended guitar solo and it sounds pretty good! It's a great southern solo and they finally return for another verse. After this one it's Powell's turn in the spotlight as he plays a wonderful piano solo! I really enjoyed this solo as he plays some great stuff! It leads into another brief guitar solo that sounds good before they wrap it up with one final verse. They rebound nicely from their slowest song on the album back into another upbeat tune. The record closer is "Ain't No Good Life" and features Gaines on lead vocals by himself. It opens into a nice slow, southern beat with some cool piano before settling into the main riff driven by some slow guitar. Gaines voice sounds pretty good! I thought it would be weird to hear someone other than Van Zant sing, but he's doing a fine job. The piano sounds solid in the background and the guitar between verses is good as well. After every verse we hear a cool bit on either piano or guitar, and sometimes both! It's a decent formula that keeps things interesting as the song ends with one final guitar solo.

That is the end of "Street Survivors" and I thought that it was a pretty good album. "I Never Dreamed" was the only song I thought was below average and there were several songs that were quite good, my favourite being "I Know A Little". I thought it was a return to greatness for Lynyrd Skynyrd after their last two albums were a little underwhelming. There are so many guitar solos on this album and it seems that it's a no-brainer that three guitarists is the way to go. I don't think it surpasses "Second Helping" or the spectacular debut but both those albums are really good so third is not a bad place to be at all. Unfortunately, some sad news must follow as this would be the last album I have by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Three days after the album came out, on October 20, 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd's plane crashed en route to Bâton Rouge, Louisiana, killing Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and his older sister Cassie Gaines. The crash also killed both pilots, several crew members and severely injured those who somehow managed to survive. This is some tragic news that I still find very sad. They were on their way back up in their careers and it's just such a shame that this happened. I'm sad there will be no more Lynyrd Skynyrd, and lament that I must now write my rankings of their albums so soon...

1. Lynyrd Skynyrd (Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd)
2. Second Helping
3. Street Survivors
4. Nuthin' Fancy
5. Gimme Back My Bullets