The Amazing Rhythm Aces Albums (12)
'Nothin' But the Blues'
Release Date 12/27/2003
Tracks 14
Label Russell Smith
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What The Critics Say
We have here a fine aggregate of the "greatest hits" of the Amazing Rhythm Aces played live (this was recorded in Switzerland at a live show). This band has such a good feeling about it that when they hit those first notes of "The End Is Not In Sight" you will immediately begin to smile. Then the sound of Russell Smith's smooth, but with an edge of having been though it all, voice kicks in and drives the song along. This is a collection that all of the band's fans should want to get, as it gets to most of the material the band did best and has a good cross section of their more recent work. The band is in good form and solid with a core of the orriginal band intact. There are a few personnel changes, but the exchange of players is not noticeable in their playing. The fire is still there, and, best of all, Russell Smith is still in very fine voice. This not a throwaway disc by any means, and it is worth going out and looking for. ~ Bob Gottlieb, All Music Guide
'Chock Full of Country Goodness'
Release Date 8/24/1999
Tracks 12
Label Valley
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What The Critics Say
Fans of the Amazing Rhythm Aces can start proclaiming "Yippe Yi Yo Yo!" (the first cut on the album). Back as a full-time band after a number of years out of the spotlight, the Aces serve up the same combination of classic rock, soulful blues, and stone country that made them so popular back in the '70s and '80s on Chock Full of Country Goodness. Perhaps best known for such colossal hits as "Third Rate Romance," "Amazing Grace (Used to Be Her Favorite Song)," and the Grammy Award-winning "The End Is Not in Sight," the Aces have recaptured the unique and emphatic sound that have kept fans loyal despite the band's 14-year hiatus (1981-1995). With 12 original songs from lead singer and songwriter Russell Smith, and with the rest of the original band members intact (minus founding member and influential drummer/songwriter Butch Dade, who succumbed to cancer in 1998), the Aces rekindle their fire for cheap guitars and rednecks. With so many new country artists making the crossover to pop, Chock Full of Country Goodness is a refreshing reminder of our good ol' country roots. ~ Maria Konicki Dinoia, All Music Guide
'Out of the Blue'
Release Date 7/1/1997
Tracks 12
Label Breaker Productions
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What The Critics Say
The loping bass, punctuating guitar, and drumstick slaps let you know right away that you have an Amazing Rhythm Aces release on your hands. This is the first good release of their material on disc (there was Ride Again, a best-of collection, that didn't quite satisfy) which contains some wonderful quality material. The Aces are purveyors of rock-inflected country music, or countrified rock, and this amalgam is flavored with a healthy dose of blues. The intelligent lyrics are backdropped by instrumentation that perfectly augments the sentiments of the lyrics. The lead voice on most songs is Russell Smith, whose voice has gotten even better and more reflective with the passing of years. The Aces have maintained the excellent lyric content of the songs, and when mixed with their simple but elegant arrangements, they produce simply great songs. Hard to find, but worth the effort. ~ Bob Gottlieb, All Music Guide
'Ride Again'
Release Date 1/14/1997
Tracks 10
Label Breaker Productions
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What The Critics Say
Ride Again features re-recorded versions of the Aces' country-rock hits like "Third-Rate Romance." ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
'How the Hell Do You Spell Rhythum?'
Release Date 1/1/1980
Tracks 10
Label Warner Bros.
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What The Critics Say
The band goes out in tighter-than-tight style, covering "Further on Down the Road," and Delbert McClinton's "Object of My Affection," and Van Morrison's "Wild Night" and introducing the original version of "Big Ole Brew." ~ Kit Kiefer, All Music Guide
'The Amazing Rhythm Aces'
Release Date 1/1/1979
Tracks 9
Label Columbia
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What The Critics Say
By 1979, the Aces' recording career was winding down and their longtime label folded. As a result, this record was released on both ABC and Columbia with the only difference being the picture on the back cover. This album also saw the departure of guitarist/producer Barry Burton. Whatever the causes, this is their strongest album in some time. ~ Jim Worbois, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On their fourth long-player, the Amazing Rhythm Aces continued the trend of presenting well-crafted pop songs leaning toward laid-back country and Southern rock. Burning the Ballroom Down was the final long-player from the "classic" incarnation of the band, featuring Barry Burton (dobro/guitar/mandolin/steel guitar/slide guitar/vocals), who departed shortly after this disc was recorded, Jeff Davis (bass/vocals), Billy Earheart (organ/keyboards), James Hooker (piano/keyboards/clavinet/vocals), Butch McDade (percussion/drums/vocals), and Russell Smith (guitar/vocals). The Aces' Memphis roots are evident throughout the album and are revealed in a variety of styles, ranging from the blue-eyed soul of the opening title track to the gospel-tinged waltz balladry on "Out of Control." The even more sacred "Spirit Walk" is particularly notable for aptly displaying Burton's multi-stringed mastery. Moving away from the harder edge of their previous long-player, Toucan Do It Too, the Aces retreat into more regional acoustic folk and bluegrass styles on the tongue-in-cheek "I Pity the Mother and the Father (When the Kids Move Away)" as well as the tropically inspired "Ashes of Love." Along the same line is Smith's hauntingly poignant and minor-chord masterpiece "Red to Blue (When Dreams Come True)." Other highlights include the slinky rocker "A Jackass Gets His Oats," which bears some striking resemblances to a typical Lynyrd Skynyrd deep-fried rocker. The easygoing "Della's Long Brown Hair" features a sweet pedal steel solo from Burton, who had exited the combo by the time the Aces hit the road in support of Burning the Ballroom Down. Enthusiasts should search out the live disc Between You & Us, which includes a show from this tour and features Burton's replacement, Duncan Cameron, in one of his earliest gigs with the band. In 2000, Collectors' Choice Music issued a two-fer that paired this album with its predecessor, Toucan Do It Too, on a single compact disc. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Although the Amazing Rhythm Aces remained firmly in touch with their country and Southern rock roots, they began shedding their twang in favor of some harder and edgier material, which they matched with equally aggressive execution. The airy and slightly calypso "Never Been to the Islands (Howard and Hugh's Blues)" -- which opens their third long-player, Toucan Do It Too -- demonstrates that the Aces had not strayed too far afield. Both "Living in a World Unknown" and "Who's Crying Now" provide a contrast with solid, propulsive rockers led by the dual electric fretwork of Russell Smith (guitar/vocals) and Barry Burton (dobro/guitar/mandolin/pedal steel/slide guitar/vocals), who left the band shortly after the Aces recorded their follow-up to this disc. They recall the sunny and carefree southern California sound of the Eagles, and blend that force with their trademark country-rock leanings. The Aces could also pull off lean blue-eyed soulful numbers, such as the midtempo "Never Been Hurt," featuring some tasty keyboard inflections from future Nanci Griffith collaborator and Blue Moon Orchestra member James Hooker (piano/electric piano/clavinet/vocals). There are a number of decidedly more traditional-sounding sides, which are among the album's zeniths. "Everybody's Talked Too Much" offers somewhat of a retreat into an increasingly laid-back country-rock vibe, while the high and lonesome "Last Letter Home" is instrumentally bolstered by Burton's lilting and acoustically lyrical mandolin runs, which are tucked behind Jeff Davis (bass) and Hooker's sonic accoutrement. "Geneva's Lullaby" is an achingly tender ballad from Smith, whose criminally underappreciated guitar work and songwriting are given a well-deserved showcase. His compositional versatility is evident on the LP's closing track, "Two Can Do It Too," which boasts a healthy syncopation that could have easily been covered by the likes of Little Feat or -- thanks to the funky shuffle groove -- even the Neville Brothers. In 2000, Collectors' Choice Music issued a two-fer that paired this album with Burning the Ballroom Down, the Aces' final release with the original lineup. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
