J. Warren Benton 2008-09-23

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Ok maybe not 3 steps but maybe 3 lines to write a review. THis is like an early Greatest hits album because it is so good. I wish I could have seen the original band together. But this album has lived on for many years after their passing. I think it is well worth purchasing; or you could just try to catch some of these tunes on your local classic rock station.

Terrence J. Reardon 2008-09-20

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Floridians Lynyrd Skynyrd's debut album Prounounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd was released in August, 1973.
The band from Jacksonville, Florida first got together when a tough-looking small man with a larger than life presence and voice named Ronnie Van Zant first met guitarist Gary Rossington and drummer Bob Burns while playing baseball. As fate has it, Van Zant hit a foul ball and KO'd Burns and the two plus Rossington planted the seeds for what became Lynyrd Skynyrd. Shortly thereafter, the trio joined forces with guitarist Allen Collins and bass player Leon Wilkeson. To complete the band was ex-Strawberry Alarm Clock guitarist, California native Ed King and then-roadie and keyboardist, Texan native Billy Powell. Shortly thereafter, Wilkeson quit and King went over to bass guitar and with New York music veteran Al Kooper went in the studio to record their debut.
We begin the album with one of the greatest Skynyrd rockers "I Ain't the One" which just kicks and Allen Collins' solos here remind you of Eric Clapton from his days with Cream. Next is the lengthy and melodic rock masterpiece "Tuesday's Gone" which was a great song and had a nice piano solo from Powell and guitar solos from Rossington (who screamed the late Paul Kossof of Free). Next is the southern rock classic "Gimme Three Steps" (which was the first single the band ever released yet tanked upon release and was inspired by a real-life encounter Ronnie had). The first half closer "Simple Man" is a great introspective ballad, but rocks just like the rest of the album.
"Things Go On" starts the second half off and is a classic bluesy rock number at its best (Powell's honky-tonk piano was excellent, Rossington did a classic bluesy solo and Van Zant sang like a possessed madman). "Mississippi Kid" is next and is the most country-sounding thing on the album, but it's still a good track with Ed King playing some tasty slide here (the only track he played guitar on). Next is my personal favorite, "Poison Whiskey". This rocker just smokes (especially Rossington's solo and Powell's piano solo in the middle). The Allman Brothers dld not ever rock out this hard. We close with the legendary 9 minute plus "Free Bird". Allen Collins had written the music back in 1967 and Ronnie hated for years then one day started singing a melody to it and the rest is history. Allen's riff with Rossington's slide gave the song a haunting call to it and Van Zant's lyrics were superb and then ends with the now classic triple tracked guitar solo of Allen Collins who would play this solo with alot of emotion and energy. MCA Records wanted the band to shorten Free Bird to three minutes, the standard record company single running length, but they refused. This track would become a hit two years later but by then was an FM album rock radio staple.
The album barely did get notice upon its 1973 release but over time would become a Multi-Platinum seller.
In 2001, a reissued/remastered/revamped version of the album was released! One of them is "Mr. Banker", a demo which was the B-Side to the Gimme Three Steps single and was a perfect fusion of country and southern rock. The B-Side to the Free Bird single, a little demo called "Down South Jukin'" (a completed version was issued on 1978's Skynyrd's First...And Last), can also be found here as a bonus cut. This is excellent classic southern rock and killer! Lastly, there are three previously unreleased demos of the Skynyrd classics Tuesday's Gone, Gimme Three Steps, and Free Bird.
This album is definitely one of rock's greatest moments and is RECOMMENDED!!!

PAL 2008-05-30

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

I'm southern and this music speaks to my soul, always has. I grew up on this stuff. I love these boys and I miss them terribly. I still LOVE Gary and Billy, who are with the new "Skynyrd", but I don't think anyone would disagree that we lost the real Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1977.
"Pronounced" is their first album and it has that feel from the road, playing gigs all over the country, driving miles and miles. You can hear that they live what they play.
I hope you will buy this album, kick back with a beer (or a coke a cola), turn it up loud and get to know these extrordinary musicians.
I love RVZ 4ever!!!!

Docendo Discimus 2008-04-25

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Okay, so this isn't Dylan or the Beatles, but it sure is fun.
Lynyrd Skynyrd's debut album isn't just "the one with 'Free Bird' on it", it's much more than that, one of the original group's best efforts, and quite possibly the best one of the lot. It mixes heartfelt ballads, country, swaggering riff-rockers, and the delightfully silly down-home boogie-rock of "Gimme Three Steps" and "I Ain't The One".

I do prefer the slightly tougher (and string-less) live rendition of "Tuesday's Gone" from the "One More From The Road" album, but this one is no throwayay either. And you can't help but love the aforementioned "Gimme Three Steps" and "I Ain't The One", a wonderful blend of self-deprecating lyrics and gritty guitar riffs.
The stately slow rock number "Simple Man" is not one of Skynyrd's best-known songs, but it's certainly one of their best, and it showcases what a talented vocalist the late Ronnie van Zant really was. And the rollicking country-rock bounce of "Things Goin' On" makes you want to jerk your shoulders up and down while pushing out your lower lip. (Seriously.)

Skynyrd also try their hand at an acoustic country blues pastiche, "Mississippi Kid", and with plenty of succes at that.
"Poison Whiskey" is probably the most sincere hard rocker on the album, a rough but juicy slice of prime Southern rock. Oh, and then there's a looong number called "Free Bird" tacked on to the end of the original album.

...This expanded 2001 edition features five excellent bonus tracks, demo versions of "Tuesday's Gone" (a tougher version with no strings, which I consider a plus), "Gimme Three Steps", "Free Bird", and the non-album tracks "Mr Banker" and "Down South Jukin'". Three of them are previously unreleased; the low-key "Mr Banker" and the melodic rock n' roll of "Down South Jukin'" have seen the light of day earlier, but they are certainly great to have if you don't own them already.

Great bonus tracks on a great, great album, one of the classics of Southern rock. 70s rock n' roll. Or just American rock n' roll in general. Don't let the(partly tongue-in-cheek) redneck image of Lynyrd Skynyrd scare you off; this is really good stuff. Great melodies, big hooks and big riffs, a tight band and some really excellent musicianship. Four and three-quarter stars!

David A. Mccay 2008-04-05

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

I well remember listening to Beaker Street on the old AM radio powerhouse KAAY out of Little Rock back in '73 and hearing "Simple Man" for the first time--this was my introduction to Skynyrd.The next day at school I was telling anyone who'd listen about this great new band I'd heard and about their funky name. Shortly afterward, again on Beaker Street, I heard "Tuesday's Gone" and "Freebird" and that was that--I had to get this album.Get this disc, take off your shoes, crack open a cold one and boogie down southern style.