Lynyrd Skynyrd (Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd) on 180g LP

Whether it’s the them’s-fightin’-words edginess of the humorous Southern-etched yarn “Gimme Three Steps,” or the spiritual pleas and lived-in wisdom echoed on the barbed-wire balladry of “Simple Man,” Lynyrd Skynyrd's powerhouse 1973 debut Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd burns with forthright and freewheeling desire, rebellious and sincere earnestness. Then, of course, there’s the sugary drip of Ronnie Van Zant’s political ragtime-referencing affair “Things Goin’ On,” bluegrass-tinted swing of “Mississippi Kid,” and swampy get-go of “Poison Whiskey.” They all lead up to the epic “Free Bird,” a greasy slide-guitar anthem that no matter how many times it’s played or requested, never loses its power to grip the listener’s emotions like an iron vice. Seen from either a lyrical, musical, or performance perspective, there’s not a wasted second or superfluous moment on (Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd) to be found. 

1. I Ain’t the One

2. Tuesday’s Gone

3. Gimme Three Steps

4. Simple Man

5. Things Goin’ On

6. Mississippi Kid

7. Poison Whiskey

8. Free Bird