.38 Special Albums (13)
What The Critics Say
With Lynyrd Skynyrd off the road from the late '70s through the early '80s, an enormous void was created in the Southern rock genre, and such similarly styled acts as .38 Special came to the rescue. Although the group peaked during the early days of MTV ("Hold On Loosely," "Caught Up in You," etc.), .38 Special continued to issue albums, albeit on a less regular basis, throughout the '90s. But after the release of 1997's Resolution, the only new albums to surface from the band were a live set (1999's Live at Sturgis) and, quite oddly, a Christmas set (2001's A Wild-Eyed Christmas Night). By 2004, seven years had passed since their last all-new studio album, and the "Wild-Eyed Southern Boys" were finally ready to deliver a new set, Drivetrain. Surprisingly, the boys have almost completely bypassed the melodic rock approach that made hits out of the aforementioned tunes, as they've toughened up their sound considerably. In fact, it almost appears as though the group is focusing solely on winning over the biker crowd, as evidenced by the tough, almost Zeppelin-like rocker "Hurts Like Love" or from such song titles as "Haley's Got a Harley" and "Trooper With an Attitude." Not exactly what you'd expect from the same band that once supplied the theme song to the 1984 teen comedy drama Teachers. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
'A Wild-Eyed Christmas Night'
Release Date 9/25/2001
Tracks 10
Label CMC International
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
A Wild-Eyed Christmas Night features Southern rock/arena rock band .38 Special performing a number of holiday classics. The band keeps the music fairly lighthearted and fun, most notably with songs like the title track, "Jingle Bell Rock," and "Santa Claus Is Back in Town." Anyone unfamiliar with .38 Special's music will probably find this album less than interesting, though fanatics will surely find this a pleasant listen. A little brief with only ten songs. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
'Live at Sturgis'
Release Date 11/9/1999
Tracks 13
Label CMC International
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Southern rock has always been popular among hardcore bikers, so it makes perfect sense that .38 Special -- the best Southern rock band of the early '80s -- provided the soundtrack to the 1999 biker festival in Sturgis, South Dakota. That concert provided the basis for Live at Sturgis, their first release for CMC International. Like many latter-day live albums from veteran rock acts, Live at Sturgis is really only for the diehards who have followed the band throughout the years, even if it's essentially a greatest-hits set list with a couple of new songs from their reunion album, Resolution, tossed in for good measure. After all, less dedicated listeners have little desire to hear live versions of these songs, performed nearly 20 years after they hit the charts, especially since many of the hits have singalongs with the crowd. Nevertheless, it has to be said that .38 Special doesn't sound bad on Live at Sturgis -- the vocals may not be as passionate and the band might not rock as they did in their glory days, but the album is certainly listenable and, if you're a fan, entertaining. But it's not really something that even hardcore fans would listen to all that often, even with the addition of a new studio track, the poppy "Just One Girl," that's as good as anything on Resolution. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
In their first album in six years, .38 Special comes back with a brace of tunes that recasts the band in contemporary terms. With the core of the group now sweated down to singer Donnie Van Zant, guitarists Don Barnes (back in the lineup for the first time since 1988) and Danny Chauncey and bassist Larry "L.J." Junstrom, the time off between recordings has served the band well. The writing became the thing during the down period and the level of quality songwriting -- with much co-written by longtime hit song collaborator Jim Peterik ("Vehicle" by the Ides of March) -- takes the band into some new terrain, along with stellar production from Joe Hardy. The first single from the album, "Fade to Blue," is solid pop-rock with a catchy mandolin riff, and tracks like "Changed By Love," "Miracle Man" and the atmospheric acoustic ballad "Saving Grace" and "Homeless Guitar" knock several decibels off their old Southern-boy approach. But the guitars get cranked back to '80s-approved levels for "Shatter the Silence," "Deja Voodoo," "After the Fire Is Gone," and the bluesy shuffle "She Loves to Talk," proving that the band can regurgitate their old Southern rock sound while simultaneously finding new avenues of expression. Proof that an '80s band can still make accessible music at the end of the '90s. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Though .38 Special was never in a class with Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, the Outlaws or the Marshall Tucker Band, some of its late-1970s and early- to mid-1980s output was spirited and quite enjoyable. But by the early 1990s, the Southern band had pretty much run out of steam. For the most part, Bone Against Steel is uneventful and much too slick for its own good. Tame, run-of-the-mill corporate rock tunes like "Signs of Love," "You Be the Dam, I'll Be the Water" and "The Sound of Your Voice" sound like third-rate Journey, and don't hold a candle to some of Special's earlier efforts. The CD has a few memorable tracks, including the anthemic "Rebel to Rebel" and the bar band-ish "Jimmy Gillum." But even so, Bone Against Steel is an album that only Special's most devoted fans will want. For novices, a much better investment would be A&M's 1987 collection Flashback: The Best of .38 Special. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
.38 Special is a prime example of an AOR band with deep roots in Southern rock. The band hails from Florida, and vocalist Donnie Van Zant is the brother of none other than Lynyrd Skynyrd's Ronnie and Johnny Van Zant. The group's 1982 album, Special Forces, included the flawless Top Ten rocker "Caught Up in You," which injected the mainstream with a shot of much-needed grit. That album's follow-up, 1983's Tour De Force, upped the ante, showing the band's skills at their peak. Propelled by the effortless blend of melody and power stirred up by Van Zant, vocalist/guitarist Don Barnes, guitarist Jeff Carlisi, bassist Larry Junstrom, and drummers Steve Brookins and Jack Grondin, Tour De Force is loaded with irresistible hooks. The hit single, "If I'd Been the One," is a stunner steeped in passionate vocals and simple but highly effective rhythm and lead guitar parts. "Back Where You Belong," which was also a hit, is more of a straightforward pop/rock song. "I Oughta Let Go" is best described as country-rock -- or, better still, country-funk -- and the fun "Undercover Lover" is a sly, laid-back rocker. But the undiscovered gem here is "Twentieth Century Fox" (no, not the Doors song), a fantastic rocker with great guitar grooves, aggressive vocals, and clever lyrics. ~ Bret Adams, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Released in 1982, Special Forces contains .38 Special's best song in "Caught Up in You," a hook-filled, smoothly sung radio rock gem that gets its energy from the grace and power of its chorus. It's here that the guitar work of Don Barnes and Jeff Carlisi combine to give Donnie Van Zant's singing a slick ride, fluently shifting from soft-tempered to vocally blatant at the change of a chord. But the hooks and the well-proportioned rhythms don't stop there. "You Keep Runnin' Away" gave the album its second charted single, which peaked at number 38, and the borderline boogie rock dash of "Rough Housin'" is among Special Forces' best cuts. Even secondary efforts like "Chain Lightnin'" and "Breakin' Loose" fit in comfortably with the rest of the tracks, offering up a hearty dose of the group's early Southern rock taste. Wisely, .38 Special kept the musical recipe similar to its last couple of releases, with the only striking difference coming from an even greater ability to design a memorable and punchy lead single. Because Special Forces administers a solid mix of Top 40 polish and pure guitar rock, .38 Special gained a much larger fan base upon its release. ~ Mike DeGagne, All Music Guide
