This new double live CD is from the Outlaws' 2015 tour. These guys were always, in many ways, the quintessential Southern rock band. Most of their music was firmly rooted in rock, but at times they made it into pure country, too. This live performance is strong. I have to say that I was a little surprised. That's because I saw them in maybe 1980 or so. I found them to be really boring. I literally fell asleep at one point. Part of that might have been because they were nestled between Motorhead and Ozzy Osbourne. They just didn't fit.
In many ways, live is the right way to check out this band. That's because to a large degree they are a jam band, much like The Grateful Dead. The songs tend to stretch out live with a lot of great jamming built into nearly every track. There is only one instance here where I think they should have cut that a bit short. The truth is, if you've ever liked this band, check this one out. It's very strong.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2017 Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Disc: 1
There Goes Another Love Song
A dramatic instrumental introduction gives way to the song proper. This is very much a 70s styled rocker. It's classy.
Hurry Sundown Here we get more of a rocker. This has plenty of Southern rock built into it. It's a great tune with a lot of magic.
Hidin' Out In Tennessee The mix between country music and rock is very balanced. This is another solid cut for sure.
Freeborn Man Again, this is very well balanced between rock and roll and country music. It's an energetic cut with a lot of old school rock and roll built into it. They drop it to a slower movement that has a lot of jazz and retro rock at its heart. It returns to the song proper to take it out.
Born To Be Bad This is a fast paced, energized rocker. It is more Southern rock than it is country. It's also quite an effective piece of music.
Song In The Breeze Here's a cut that's a bit mellower than the last one. It's probably a quarter country music and three quarters 70s rock. It's solid stuff, but not really a highlight.
Girl From Ohio Now, this tune is nearly full on country music. The chorus, though, is a bit like something Crosby Stills and Nash would have done. This is a particularly effective tune, really.
Holiday Now, this rocker feels like the kind of thing that would have come out in the late 60s or early 70s. It's more a psychedelic rock meets pop rock kind of tune. I like this, but it's not a standout to me.
Gunsmoke This one seems to be cut from much the same cloth as the previous piece. It's a rocker for sure. It's another that doesn't really blow me away.
Grey Ghost Now this smoking hot rocker is great. It has a powered up introduction, but drops back to mellower stuff for the verse. The powered up chorus brings some class and magic to the proceedings. The guitar solo section is a real powerhouse. That section builds into one heck of an instrumental movement to eventually take the piece out.
Disc: 2
South Carolina
Very much a country tune, the jam at the end brings it into the kind of killer jam band based Southern rock you expect from the Outlaws.
So Long
This catchy rocker is very much in line with 70s rocker. It's a very effective piece of music start to end. The jamming, as you would guess, is on fire.
Prisoner This piece is packed with blues and jazz in a cool arrangement. It's a solid tune that's a bit mellower. The guitar soloing is classic, though. Again, it's really the late track jamming that makes the song special.
Cold Harbor I love the intricate guitar that opens this. The tune is a classy one. It is more or less a folk song as it begins. It eventually gets more powered up, but is more of a folk rock song as it does.
Trail of Tears This rocking tune is a very classy one. It's actually one of the strongest things here. I love the vocal performance. The lyrical content is poignant.
It's About Pride Here's a Southern rock power ballad. It's a solid number. Some of the melodies manage to standout, as does some of the instrumental work. I'm not crazy about the lyrics to this one. That said, I don't think they'd care.
Waterhole This instrumental is a fun little piece. It has some drum soloing and is a real boot kicker.
Knoxville Girl Good ole country music is the order of business here. It's another kicking tune, particularly as it powers out into the serious fast paced jamming.
Green Grass & High Tides Forever This is one of the all-time classic tunes of the 1970s. It's a great piece of music that holds up really well in this live performance. If you are reading this review, there is a really good chance you know this song. This really does have some of the best jamming of the whole album. Given the competition, that says a lot. One thing I will still stand to on my memory of that concert all those years ago - this song goes on way too long live. It's almost fourteen minutes here. If they had cut maybe five minutes from it, it would be a stronger tune. Normally, I'd say that it's because I'm not actually in the audience, but I thought that when I was.
Ghost Riders This rocker is certainly another classic tune. There is a reason they saved it for last. It's one of the best cuts here. They deliver a screaming hot rendition.
