Reinventing Country Music
For two brothers who sing for Lynyrd Skynyrd and .38 Special, it's not surprising that when they say "My Kind of Country," (Columbia) as they do on their second album together, they mean country music pumped up with Southern rock.
It's also not surprising that Johnny and Donnie Van Zant would fit into the current Nashville scene, considering how country music often sounds like classic rock these days.
As with their first album, "Get Right with the Man," the brothers stick to a few themes: rowdy living, patriotism, family bonds and Southern pride. The down-home stance works best on the hard-charging "Train" and the catchy "Goes Down Easy." Also, the rock-influenced ballad "The Hardest Thing" captures a rural morality that stretches from blue-collar workers to their bosses.
But the album's low points dip into one-dimensional commentary. "These Colors Don't Run" is a predictable, bang-the-drum patriotic ode, while "We Can't Do It Alone" is a gospel hymn written in anger rather than acceptance.
Photos: 2006 Rock Hall Inductees
These Southern rock veterans belong in Nashville these days. But they sound best when they stick to representing roughhewn lives, instead of trying too hard to fit into their new neighborhood.
A suggested track, "It's Only Money," is a backbeat Southern rocker with a memorable chorus about enjoying the moment rather than saving for the future.
By Michael McCall