Analogue Productions Vinyl, CD & Tape 97 Items

John Coltrane Quartet — Ballads
Analogue Productions' UHQR, the pinnacle of high-quality vinyl!
45 RPM Ultra High Quality Record release limited to 5,000 copies
Mastered from the original tape by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound
Pressed at Quality Record Pressings using Clarity Vinyl®
Includes a 12" x 12" 12-page booklet featuring liner notes by Ashley Kahn and recording session images by Jim Marshall

Audiophile reviews rave about saxophone master John Coltrane's immortal Impulse! records, A Love Supreme (1964) and Ballads (1963). Ballads is an album that will never go out of style and never be unwelcome on any jazz lover's turntable.

You're about to experience Ballads at its peak of vinyl perfection — in UHQR format on Clarity Vinyl, with the added bonus of a double 45 RPM cut by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound. Ryan's cut has his characteristic clarity and transparency all set against Quality Record Pressing's usual noiseless backgrounds on 200-gram flawless records. Each UHQR will be packaged in a deluxe box and will include a booklet detailing the entire process of making a UHQR along with a hand-signed certificate of inspection. This will be a truly deluxe, collectible product.

For this 45 RPM 2LP edition you'll also receive a !2" x 12" 12-page booklet featuring liner notes by Ashley Kahn and recording session images by Jim Marshall.

The intense passionate Coltrane interpretation of standards such as "All Or Nothing At All," "What's New," "It's Easy To Remember" and the Sinatra classic "Nancy (With The Laughing Face)" are the essence of Ballads. When asked why attempt such an undertaking, Coltrane replied "Variety."

While it may have been a short detour by Trane before he exploded off into the nether regions of jazz music a few years later, it is still a fantastic document of one of the premier jazz groups of the 1960s.

Recorded December 21, 1961 and September 18 & November 13, 1962 at Rudy Van Gelder Studios.

"It's impossible to sleepwalk through tracks like "You Don't Know What Love Is" and "I Wish I Knew" and impart them with even a fraction of the emotional heft that the Quartet achieves. This is the type of jazz album in which the music just washes over the listener with it's restrained grace and beauty, and while it may not have the adventurousness that some listeners think Trane should have had each and every time he recorded, I'd say it shows off a side of him that only makes us appreciate his more bold and daring albums even more." — The Jazz Record

200g 2LP 45rpm

"Quiet Kenny" is yet another reminder of what a trumpet giant Kenny Dorham was. Whether limning ballads such as "My Ideal", "Alone Together", "I Had The Craziest Dream", and "Old Folks", or investigating the timelessness and intricacies of the blues (his originals in this set with "Blue" in their titles), the former Charlie Parker cohort and ex-Jazz Messenger exhibits his subtle swing, personal sound, and finely-honed harmonic sense. Along the way these reflections and connections with Bird, Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Harry James, and Louis Armstrong make for a rich legacy. With Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers and Arthur Taylor.

The 45rpm Analogue Productions reissue of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Couldn't Stand The Weather" is so good, as are its 45rpm companions — "Texas Flood" and "Soul To Soul" — that they truly represent what Gregg Geller, producer and A&R representative described as »the best replication of the master tapes to date«"
We've already brought you the 33 1/3rpm box set "Texas Hurricane" featuring the greatest Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute ever reissued — six of Vaughan's most classic album titles remastered for ultimate blues and guitar fanatics. We've now taken the extra step and done 45rpm versions of these three standout LPs.
We've used the original 30 inches-per-second, half-inch analog master tapes for all of these albums. Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound cut the lacquers for the LPs using the ultimate VMS 80 cutting lathe. Gary Salstrom handled the plating and the vinyl was pressed of course at our Quality Record Pressings, maker of the world's finest-sounding LPs.
"Couldn’t Stand The Weather" is the remarkable sophomore album by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. It follows their critically acclaimed debut, "Texas Flood". Incorporating the same winning formula of musicianship and songwriting, "Couldn’t Stand The Weather" cemented Vaughan’s place as one of music’s greatest. It is their first to earn gold certification and their first platinum-seller. It includes breathtaking renditions of Clark’s “Cold Shot” and Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child”. A staple on the Billboard charts, this definitive masterpiece received praise from Entertainment Weekly, Q, Down Beat and many others.
There's not a link in this production chain that wasn't absolute first-rate. The absolute best that money can buy.
But beyond that we've poured our passion into this project. Acoustic Sounds is a big fan of the blues and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It's a big dream come true to work on this project and to make these records sound and look the best they ever have.

One night during a one-time, two-week engagement at the Five Spot produced enough music of lasting merit for three albums. When Rudy Van Gelder took his portable equipment down to the fabled Cooper Square jazz club on July 16, 1961, he captured the interaction of an extraordinary quintet.
Eric Dolphy, Booker Little, Mal Waldron, Richard Davis and Ed Blackwell had formed a cooperative group and, if LIttle had not died in October 1961, there is no doubt that it would have been a potent force in the music of the 1960s and beyond. Dolphy himself died in June 1964, after establishing himself as one of the important contemporary reedmen. Here his alto saxophone and bass clarinet and Little’s trumpet explore three originals: "The Prophet" by Dolphy, "Bee Vamp" by Little, and "Fire Waltz" by Waldron. It’s time caught in a bottle — music for the ages.

From the time Coleman Hawkins firmly established the tenor saxophone on the jazz map, it has been one of the most potent forces in the music, its best practitioners able to raise the roof with a jumping blues, soothe the savage beast with a tender love ballad, and do just about anything in between. At the time of this recording (1961), Jimmy Forrest, the St. Louis-born reedman, was a veteran of the Fate Marable, Jay McShann, Andy Kirk, and Duke Ellington bands. Later in his career he starred with Count Basie. Here he leads a quartet of teammates from the combo of 'Sweets' Edison, including the young Austrian pianist Joe Zawinul, through a gamut of the aforementioned moods from "Crash Program" to the caressing "That's All", with a few tips of the cap to Ben Webster along the way. With Joe Zawinul, Tommy Potter and Clarence Johnston.

The album chronicles a show performed by Baez in a bullring, naturally, in Bilbao, Spain, in 1988, and it demonstates what makes her such a draw overseas. Half of the collection, side two of the LP, consists of songs sung in Spanish.
»This record was made in a bullring in Bilbao, Spain, in 1988. It is dedicated to the Mayor and the people pf Bilbao, who came out between thunderstorms to see me perform. The song in Catalan "Txoria Txori" is about a sweet little bird ... I want to thank Pasku who taught it to me, and thank the Bilbao public for singing it so beautifully.« — Joan Baez. Illustrations by Joan Baez; additional vocals Mercedes Sosa.

Here is one of the musical giants of the 20th century, poised on the precipice of greatness. Between the spring of 1957 and the winter of 1958, during which time "Lush Life" was recorded, the music of tenor saxophonist John Coltrane (1926-1967) was developing in giant steps, thanks in great part to a six-month 1957 stint with Thelonious Monk that had much to do with sharpening Coltrane’s harmonic conception and torrential attack.
"Lush Life" contains Coltrane’s first recordings as sole leader, his initial date fronting a pianoless trio, and one of his first extended readings of a ballad, Billy Strayhorn’s resplendent title track. We also hear him at the helm of a quartet and quintet, featuring pianist Red Garland, with trumpeter Donald Byrd, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Louis Hayes added to “Lush Life”. Coltrane handles the tune’s delicate complexities with infinite style and finesse.
Coltrane and jazz would never be the same.

Harry Belafonte spielte zum Zeitpunkt dieser Aufnahme, am 19. und 20. April 1959, bereits eine gewichtige Rolle im Filmgeschäft. So war es ein Leichtes, die Carnegie Hall in New York mit seinem Namen auszuverkaufen. Worauf niemand vorbereitet war, war die Art und Weise mit der Belafonte das versammelte Publikum in die Musik einbezog. Scheinbar spielend integrierte er zudem seine eigene Band in ein 47-köpfiges Orchester. "Belafonte At Carnegie Hall" ist ein audiophiles Prachtstück für alle, die beim Musikhören auch lachen können. Das Remastering für Analogue Productions übernahm Ryan Smith in den Studios von Sterling Sound in New York.

Das Konzert ist inhaltlich in drei Teile geteilt. Am Beginn stehen Traditionals der schwarzen amerikanischen Bevölkerung, gefolgt von Auszügen karibischer Musik aus Belafontes Jugend auf Jamaica und schlussendlich rundet eine wilde Mischung populärer Stücke aus aller Welt die Aufnahme ab. Das Gesamtwerk erschien beim Label RCA und blieb mehr als drei Jahre in den US-Charts. Sie begründete die enorme Popularität der späteren Belafonte-Live-Shows.

200g

200g 1LP

200g 1LP

Analogue Productions are giving us the Ultimate Steely Dan experience. Their first seven classic albums are being released on Uhqr vinyl. You will never have had heard these recordings sounding so good, period! They are super deluxe packages with booklets, pressed on clarity vinyl using the best techniques to extract the maximum analogue information. They will be strictly Limited to 20,000/15,000 respectively worldwide. Expect huge demand. Pre-order now! The first two titles are due to ship in November/December with the rest to follow next year. Can't Buy A Thrill — Steely Dan's platinum-selling debut studio album now on Uhqr! Definitive reissue Ultra High Quality Record, the pinnacle of high-quality vinyl! 45 RPM LP release limited to 20,000 numbered copies Mastered directly from the original master tape by Bernie Grundman Pressed at Quality Record Pressings using 200-gram Clarity Vinyl® Purest possible pressing and most visually stunning presentation and packaging! Tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing

Steely Dan's platinum-selling debut studio album Can't Buy A Thrill, released in November 1972, was a commercial success, peaking at No. 17 on the Billboard chart. It later appeared on many professional listings of the greatest albums, including Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000) and Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2003)

The album was written by band members Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, recorded in August 1972 at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles, and produced by Gary Katz. Its music features tight song structure and sounds from soft rock, folk rock, and pop, alongside philosophical, elliptical lyrics. Two songs recorded during the Can't Buy A Thrill sessions were left off the album and released as a single: "Dallas" b/w "Sail the Waterway." This is the only Steely Dan album to include David Palmer as a lead vocalist, having been recruited after Donald Fagen expressed concerns over singing live. Drummer Jim Hodder also chips in lead vocals on one song, "Midnite Cruiser" (sometimes spelled "Midnight Cruiser"), as well as singing the "Dallas" single. By the time recording of the next album began, the band and producer Gary Katz had convinced Fagen to assume the full lead vocalist role.

AllMusic gave the album 4.5 stars, with reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine praising the core duo Walter Becker and Donald Fagen as "remarkable craftsmen." Erlewine noted that "there are very few of the jazz flourishes that came to distinguish their (later) albums", but added that the first single from the album, "Do It Again," incorporates a tight Latin jazz beat, while the second single, "Reelin' In the Years," features jazzy guitar solos and harmonies.

Rolling Stone, in its review, said the debut album was a collection of some of the group's best jazz/rock songs.

"Two of Fagen's four (vocal solo) songs were the singles, ‘Do It Again' and ‘Reelin' In The Years,' the later starting off (and continues throughout) with a ripping solo by session player, Elliot Randall, and in fact, was rated by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page as his favourite guitar solo of all time. That's quite an endorsement. The song peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Charts. ‘Do It Again' charted at No. 6, making it their second highest chart for a single. ‘Dirty Work,' another great song from the record features Palmer. The album is tight, with some of the best musicianship money can buy." — Rolling Stone

The album cover features a photomontage by Robert Lockart that includes an image of a line of prostitutes, standing in a red-light area from Rouen in France waiting for clients. The image was chosen because of its relevance to the album title. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen themselves commented on the album art in their liner notes to the reissued The Royal Scam, saying that The Royal Scam album possessed "the most hideous album cover of the seventies, bar none (excepting perhaps Can't Buy A Thrill)." The cover was banned in Francisco Franco's Spain and was replaced with a photograph of the band playing in concert.

After a brief battle with esophageal cancer, Walter Becker died on September 3, 2017 at the age of 67. Steely Dan has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2001. VH1 ranked Steely Dan at No. 82 on their list of the 100 Greatest Musical Artists of All Time. Rolling Stone ranked them No. 15 on its list of the 20 Greatest Duos of All Time.

This stereo Uhqr reissue will be limited to 20,000 copies, with gold foil individually numbered jackets, housed in a premium slipcase with a wooden dowel spine.

Elvis Presley 24 Karat Hits, 180-gram, 45 RPM three LP set

· Mastered from the original analogue tapes by George Marino at Sterling Sound

· An audiophile dream set; the best sounding Elvis record ever pressed!

· Includes every one of the King's all-time greatest singles



"Thick vinyl rotating at 45 RPM, two dozen certified Presley masterpieces, mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound from the original 1, 2 and 3-track masters: it doesn't get any better than this, musically or sonically." Sound Quality: 90% - Ken Kessler, Hi-Fi News, March 2011



"All I can say is this set is an Elvis fan's dream come true...destined to be a collector's item." Music = 9/11; Sound = 9/11 - Michael Fremer, music angle



It's no understatement to call Elvis Presley the chief catalyst of the rock 'n' roll era. Presley earned his nickname "The King" by releasing dozens of course-altering singles over the course of his influential career; during the 1950s Presley's records spent a collective 53 weeks in the No. 1 chart position. Almost everything you could want from Elvis is in one towering collection — 24 Karat Hits, now a brilliant 45 RPM, three-LP set released by Analogue Productions!



Elvis' 24 greatest recordings here are painstakingly compiled and remastered from the original 1, 2 and 3-track master tapes lovingly stored in the vaults of RCA-Victor. All the hits are here from 1956's "Heartbreak Hotel" to 1969's "Suspicious Minds." This three-LP Fort Knox of music is mandatory for every music lover, let alone Presley diehards and record collectors. A long-out-of-print audiophile favourite — known for its first-rate sound quality — it gets the royal treatment here on six wide-grooved sides of 45 RPM 180-gram super-silent vinyl. Incredible!



Until now, Elvis fans have satiated their desires with the prized DCC double LP edition (reaching prices upwards of $350 on eBay) as well as the DCC gold disc (a rare find fetching $150 and more). Now no longer do you have to pay a premium to enjoy the magic of Presley's voice, rhythms and foundation-paving melodies. Mastered by George Marino, the King's best work has never sounded so intimate, detailed, present and alive. Images are true, tones are balanced, and the unbeatable warmth that only analogue provides comes through unabated on every cut.



Contained in the grooves of this album are some of the best rock 'n' roll cuts recorded in the last 50 years. Had Elvis Presley done nothing else but record "That's Alright, Mama," his place in pop music history would be secure. Presley fused rhythm and blues with country and legitimized beat music for white audiences. On 24 Karat Hits, every memorable facet of Presley's multiple personas is represented: The hip-shaking rebel ("Jailhouse Rock"), sensitive balladeer ("Can't Help Falling in Love"), beckoning romantic ("Are You Lonesome Tonight"), teen idol ("(Let Me Be) Your Teddy Bear"), socially conscious soul man ("In the Ghetto"), and passionate loverman ("Suspicious Minds"). The two dozen songs on this golden compilation read like a history of pop music and play like it is unfolding before our very eyes. There's no substitution for the experience this set provides.



Do not miss the chance to own part of American history in unsurpassed fidelity that brings the cream of Elvis' music into your room, in stunning clarity.



This release is a gem. Buy two copies: One to treat your ears, the sealed copy to treasure as an investment. Solid audiophile gold — indeed!

200g 45rpm

Get your motor runnin' baby — Steppenwolf's "Gold: Their Great Hits" took its title literally. The towering rock album success rang in at No. 24 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart and became certified gold for record sales in excess of 500,000 units by the Record Industry Association of America (riaa) in April 1971. AllMusic praised the production and engineering of most of the tracks and called it a »nearly perfect introduction« to the band. Acoustic Sounds and Analogue Productions want to introduce you to the most sonically perfect version of this historic album you've ever heard on vinyl. Our 200-gram reissue was remastered from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Sound and plated and pressed by Gary Salstrom and his crew at Quality Record Pressings, makers of the world's finest-sounding LPs. And now — we've upped the ante even more for true audiophile bliss — the 45 RPM 2LP version reduces distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately. Natural tonalities, superb balances, pristine clarity and more are all revealed. The Canadian-American rock band, named for Hermann Hesse's mystical novel, rocketed to worldwide fame after their third single "Born To Be Wild" dropped in 1968. The song and Steppenwolf's version of Hoyt Axton's "The Pusher" figured prominently in the 1969 counterculture cult film "Easy Rider", and both show up on "Gold's" track list. Two other singles on this stunning album compilation also cracked the Top 10 on the charts: "Magic Carpet Ride" and "Rock Me". "Magic Carpet Ride" was released in 1968 on the album "The Second". It was written by band members John Kay and Rushton Moreve, peaked at No. 3 in the U.S. and stayed on the charts for 16 weeks, longer than any other Steppenwolf song. You also get the Don Covay soul cover "Sookie, Sookie", which got airplay on some soul stations nationwide, as well as rock 'n' roll radio. "Gold" also includes "Hey Lawdy Mama" the hit studio single from Steppenwolf Live. Steppenwolf enjoyed worldwide success from 1968 to 1972, when clashing personalities ultimately broke up the core group after a farewell concert in Los Angeles on Valentine's Day, 1972. Today, John Kay remains as the only original Steppenwolf member.

Rebecca Pidgeon, the acclaimed Scottish actress, has also displayed her gift as a singer/songwriter on her several well-received albums. Taking elements from folk, pop, jazz, and Celtic traditions, Pidgeon crafts lilting, intimate poetry. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she later moved to Edinburgh, Scotland with her family at the age of 5. As a teenager in Scotland, she sang along with the radio and her parents' Beatles and Joni Mitchell records as a light escape from her demanding acting studies. Eventually, she enrolled in London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at 18 where she studied drama, music, and voice. Pidgeon's first Chesky release, "The Raven", featured Pidgeon's stunning version of "Spanish Harlem". "The Raven" went on to become an audiophile classic, thanks to Pidgeon's crystalline voice and Chesky's high-fidelity recording techniques. Her second album, "The New York Girls' Club", brought her unique singing and songwriting to more music lovers. She now resides in Boston and Vermont with her husband and their daughter. Between album projects, Pidgeon has starred in the Mamet plays "Oleanna", "Speed The Plow", "The Old Neighborhood", and the motion pictures "The Spanish Prisoner" and "The Winslow Boy".

Spend any time around Doug MacLeod and the stories from his years of road time with the likes of Big Joe Turner and Pee Wee Crayton start to flow as easily as a brook tickled by a breeze. And you know you're getting to the good part, the climax if you will, when Doug's eyes start to twinkle, his grin grows broader and out of his mouth pop the words »Come to find ...«. MacLeod was a widely acknowledged electric blues guitarist for many years, and the leader of his own band, yielding a number of U.S. and European tours and several albums to his credit. Doug disbanded the group to focus all his energies on his first love, acoustic blues. "Come To Find" is the debut fruit of that effort. And now it's made even more remarkable, with this 45 RPM 200-gram reissue by Analogue Productions. The dead-quiet double-LP, with the music spread over four sides of vinyl, reduces distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately.The pressing sounds spectacular. You're holding a hefty 200-gram masterpiece from our own Quality Record Pressings, our state-of-the-art LP pressing plant. And the gatefold jacket is hard-core, old-school style — thick cardboard, tip-on, with additional photos and liner notes inside. Sweet. "Come To Find" is the sound of a consummate bluesman touching the core of his art in a program featuring ten originals by Doug. He is beautifully supported in this intimate setting by harmonica ace Charlie Musselwhite and the Mighty Flyer rhythm section, Jimi Bott and Bill Stuve. This is the album that deserves a place of honor in the music collections of even casual blues fans. And for those who love blues already, this is one of the best-sounding, most original works you'll ever hear.

You may or may not know of Tony Joe White, but we all know his two most famous songs — "Polk Salad Annie" and "Rainy Night In Georgia". This record is up to the standards of those great numbers. So soulful, humid, rich and textured. Or as Tony Joe would say, »It's swampy«.
And because it's such a classic, such a southern musical touchstone, we've gone and upped the ante — making this standout a 45rpm double LP release. Veteran audiophiles know and hear the difference. With more LP real estate, inner groove distortion is reduced and tracking by your stereo cartridge is improved. That's a major sonic advantage! Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio from the original analog tape, this LP sounds phenomenal from the first note to the last fade out.
The last four songs on side two of this album are going to positively floor you. They are so sparse and bluesy and emotional. And the sound is as good as the music. With this new QRP pressing, the sound is so good it's tape-like. So solid and jet-black is the foundation from which the music just jumps. Ya gotta hear it to understand what we're trying to describe. It's one of those jaw-hit-the-floor, sit-in-stunned-silence, goose-bump-raising, tears-in-your-eyes records. You know, the kind we're all looking for as audiophiles?
When Chad decided to reissue this album, he knew that it wasn't going to be a top-seller. But it's one of his all-time favorites for music and sound, and we feel that whoever takes a chance on this one is going to be richly rewarded. We gotta figure this one is going to end up being one of the favorites of some of our customers, too. If you trust us at all, you can buy with great confidence.
"Homeade Ice Cream" was originally released in 1973 on Warner Bros. and was co-produced by White and legendary Atlantic producer Tom Dowd. It's White's sixth overall record and his third for Warner Bros. This is very much a back porch acoustic affair. The music has the space to breathe, one of the reasons for the life-like sound.

Over the past decade, new talents such as Cassandra Wilson, Patricia Barber and Holly Cole have redefined the world of female jazz vocals. Cole's "Temptation", a 1995 Blue Note release, is her musical tribute to the writings of Tom Waits. Besides being a superb audiophile recording (perfect in every production detail, from the rendering of Cole's amazing voice to the incredibly natural sound captured by producer Craig Street's team), this album has garnered kudos for her interpretation of Waits' unique compositions.
Now hear how our Analogue Productions' 200-gram LP reissue makes this standout album even stronger! Legendary engineer Bernie Grundman remastered the recording that give Cole's vocals richer detail and greater body. Premium pressing by Quality Record Pressings provides flawless reproduction against a super-silent background for pure listening enjoyment. Lastly, top it off with a Stoughton Printing old-style tip-on jacket and this disc is a sure winner. A great addition to your jazz collection.

Dolphy had left his native California and come east as part of Chico Hamilton's group, settling in New York in 1960 and becoming part of Charles Mingus's group. This first recording as a leader brought comparisons with Ornette Coleman but the two were really parallel figures in the then-emerging avant-garde. Dolphy did not eschew 'changes', as Coleman did, but he used them in new ways. This LP was significant not only for his alto saxophone but introduced his individual approach to the flute and, particularly, the bass clarinet.

What would American southern rock be without the scorching sounds of Lynyrd Skynyrd? Analogue Productions and Quality Record Pressings have already brought you exceptional reissues of "Second Helping“ and "Nuthin' Fancy“. Back to the well then, we go, for two more Skynyrd favorites — the epic "Gimme Back My Bullets“ and the band's bluesy, hard-rocking 1973 debut "Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd“.
Remastered from the original analog tapes by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound, our Analogue Productions reissue of "Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd“ is the ultimate in luxurious reproduction and unbeatable sound. 200-gram plating and pressing by Quality Record Pressings, and a tip-on Stoughton Printing jacket round out the package.
The undeniable youthful hunger of "Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd“ pumps through the subtly witty songs, all strongly rooted in Southern heritage and working-class values. Independent of the most-requested tune in history, "Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd“ bleeds red, white, and blue and encapsulates the wondrous dichotomies of Southern rock.
Months before Lynyrd Skynyrd enjoyed the privilege of recording its debut, the band entered its seventh year of playing juke joints and assorted dives in a bootstraps effort to land a deal. During a residency at a hardscrabble Georgian club, the group's rambunctious rock, swaggering attitude, blue-collar determination, and country-reared cadence caught the ear of producer/musician Al Kooper. The rest is history. Kooper inked the ensemble to his new imprint and hustled everyone into a Georgia studio for sessions that occurred March through April 1973.
It's at the Studio One space that Lynyrd Skynyrd flashed scampering tempos, cutting give-and-take riffs, loose barroom lines, and off-the-cuff vocalese that entirely separated its approach from that of the more jazz-styled affairs of the Allman Brothers Band. Confederate flags, empty whiskey bottles, cocked pistols, rotgut habits, scorned women, and prodigal drifters populate the songs, nearly all written from first-person perspectives that add to their genuineness. Prophetic touches - twinkling piano notes, soaring mellotrons, a one-off harmonica - provide ideal complements to the intertwined guitar melodies and singer Ronnie Van Zant's comfortable gruffness and way of expressing local customs.