38 Special – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys and Special Forces
BGO Records
http://www.bgo-records.com/albums/bgocd1091-wild-eyed-southern-boys-special-forces

Rating: B+

38 Special never quite made it on their southern rock roots, despite having a lead singer name Van Zant, as in Donnie, younger brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist Ronnie. 

The band regrouped and shifted away from a more traditional country rock sound and plugged in a tad more distortion and became a hard rockin’ southern delight. 

After a smidgeon of success with 1980's Rockin’ into the Night, the band released Wild-Eyed Southern Boys the following year and it went Top 20, and sold Platinum.  The next year Special Forces went Top 10 and sold another million plus albums making 38 Special rock stars.

Now, BGO Records has released a CD that has both classic albums on one disk.  The hits are all over this sucker including from Wild-Eyed Southern Boys there is “Hold on Loosely,” the title track and “Fantasy Girl.”  Special Forces continues with “Caught Up in You,” “Chain Lightinin’ and “You Keep Runnin’ Away.” 

While the band had many more hits throughout the 1980s, it was these two albums that made them famous.  The band still trots out these tunes to standing ovations, night after night, all of these years later. 

Having them both on one disc is a real treat.  Add in that both album covers are represented and new liner notes are included and you have a true double southern rock and roll treat! 

By Jeb Wright