VAN ZANT – II (2001) *HQ*
320_1 /// 320_2 /// HQ 1 /// HQ 2
By the end of the Nineties Southern rock legends brothers Johnny and Donnie Van Zant joined forces to record the properly titled album Brother To Brother. VAN ZANT ”II” is the second recording from the duo, and it’s a very good, underrated 10-tracker of well-written and performed classic rock.
There’s something special about this album, its atmosphere, combining Southern, classic rock, AOR, Americana, and blues, all delivered with an accessible, melodic, familiar sound.
Of course both voices are stupendous, but also the personnel involved including the guitars of Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Shane Fontayne (John Waite), Jerry McPherson (Richard Marx), the great Bill Cuomo (Steve Perry, Rick Springfield) on keys, Mike Brignardello (Giant) on bass, and many more.
Naturally, songs like “Get What You Got Comin'” could easily have come from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘The Last Rebel’ album, while “Is It For Real” has that typical 38 Special hit quality. There’s sharp, good guitar work on ”Oklahoma”, ”Baby Get Blue” and especially the radio-friendly ”Wildside”. And very good midtempo songs “Imagination” and “Heart Of An Angel”.
A highlight is “Alive”, co-written with Jim Peterik, also recorded by the late Jimi Jamison, while ”What’s The World Coming To” would have been a surefire Top 10 hit in the USA in 1985.
This album exudes that classic rock charm from beginning to end.
Highly Recommended
01 – Oklahoma
02 – Get What You Got Comin’
03 – Heart Of An Angel
04 – Is It For Real
05 – Imagination
06 – At Least I’m Free
07 – Baby Get Blue
08 – What’s The World Coming To
09 – Wildside
10 – Alive
Donnie Van Zant – lead vocals, background vocals
Johnny Van Zant – lead vocals, background vocals
Pat Buchanan – guitar
Shane Fontayne – electric guitar
Jerry McPherson – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Mike Brignardello – bass
Tony Morra – drums
Bill Cuomo – Hammond organ, piano
Chris Carmichael – strings
Jimmy Nichols – strings
Robert White Johnson – percussion, background vocals
Carol Chase, Gary Dales, Vicki Hampton, Michael O’Hara – background vocals
Kenny Wayne Shepherd – electric guitar on 2, 6
BUY
amazon.com/Van-Zant-II/dp/B000AMJDL0
