Today we have Lynyrd Skynyrd's second studio album Second Helping. Released in 1974, the album was well-received and the album sold well with the hit single "Sweet Home Alabama," which was written as a response to Neil Young's criticism of the south in songs "Southern Man" and "Alabama."
I occasionally have misgivings about "Sweet Home Alabama"--Ronnie meant to condemn racism in the annoyingly indirect and sometimes ambiguous lyrics, but how do I reconcile the fact the lyrics have allowed for millions of patriotic southerners to embrace a very different message, one it seems even guitarist Ed King has gone running with?--but even Neil liked it and I like it too. After stacking their debut with the best material they wrote in their first eight years as a band, it's a testament to their talent and skill that they've come up a new batch of excellent tracks and a slightly different style--three lead guitarists, prominent piano, lots of groove, and some swamp--as consistently exciting and dense. Heck, I might even prefer this one. A- [Later: B+]
