Various Artists – Trouble: A Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd
Redline Records
www.cherryred.co.uk

Rating: C

This is a re-release from a 2007 Skynyrd Tribute being put out in time to take advantage of the new release, Last of a Dyin’ Breed by the real band. The thirteen songs feature a Who’s Who of Southern Rock and, while some songs work well, others should have never made the cut.

Seeing as the album is being re-released, one gets The Outlaw’s Hughie Thommason on “Sweet Home Alabama.” Sadly, Hughie, who became a member of Skynyrd, is no longer with us, but hearing him on this song is sure to bring a smile.

Great White blasts out a rockin’ version of “Saturday Night Special” and “Free Bird” is done well with Molly Hatchet bringing the music and Charlie Daniels providing the vocals. Elsewhere the Atlanta Rhythm Section do a find job on “Call Me the Breeze” and “Rick Derringer puts his stamp all over “You Got That Right.” Two of the finest moments are bluesman Walter Trout’s version of “Gimme Three Steps” and Pat Travers “Gimmie Back My Bullets.”

Unfortunately, Canned Heat fail on “That Smell” and “Simple Man” by Dangerous Toys misses the mark.

At the end of the day, this is an album that is fun, and interesting in bits, but is not an essential addition to anyone’s music collection.

By Jeb Wright