The 1982 Listening Post - Alabama - Mountain Music

 Alabama - Mountain Music

February 25 1982

By Rocket Rob (Slater)

Alabama 

Mountain Music

Allen’s Rating: 2 out of 5

Rob’s Rating:  2.0 for rock. 3.0 for country music from that time.

Genre: CCR (No, not the band, well, not mostly. More like NNW=North North West. This Album is Country Country Rock. Maybe even CCCR, but that sounds like the Soviet Union, which they’re definitely not. Lots of instruments, but no balalaikas.)

Highlights: (If you’re like a little rock in your Country. I know, there is a Little Rock in our country {If you’re a United Statesian.})

Mountain Music

Green River

​I'm not sure why this album is on our list. The first four songs are definitely, as the title suggests, mountain music. Pretty classic country fiddles and guitars and lost love and dead dogs and pick up some of the side of the road. 

Green River, sounds like Creedence Clearwater Revival and it’s good, though it doesn’t sound as much like Alabama. [Just looked up the album on Wikipedia. Guess who wrote the song? You probably already knew. John Fogerty wrote it. When I listened to him singing it I recognized the song.“Duh, Rob."]

After that it's “oh god, smooth pop with a tinge of easy listening.” This album makes the Carpenters seem like RAWK.

Loving You is Killing Me is also country rock with a little hint of whatever came after disco that was mainstream electronic dance music. Not that I liked it, but it does kinda skirt the rock category.

https://open.spotify.com/album/1DegGDbKzEP9xthtOV9ldL?si=0m77ASrESDumOQa4ggfJYA&dl_branch=1

The 1981 Listening Post - Alabama - Feels So Right

 Alabama - Feels So Right

#160

By Jed Francese

February 1981

Alabama

Feels So Right

Genre: Why are we covering Alabama…?

Allen’s Rating: 2 out of 5

Jed’s Rating - 3.8 out of 5

Highlights:

I’m Stoned

Love in the First Degree

Hollywood

Feels So Right

Second Review! Why a second Gulp?

Well, my love of music backstory was in the last review - which was The Blasters record from this same year. Yeah - not such similar bands. But…..maybe kinda not? Hear me out…music is in the ear of the creature. I’ve learned in my hobbyist musician journey to appreciate levels of musicianship & talent. That came first & then - I think arrangements & melody appreciation came next. Well, Alabama has that in spades & I haven’t listened to them enough probably. I would have tuned this record out when I was young faster than my 9 year old tunes out anything that isn’t on TikTok. But isn’t that what’s great about music? Shit changes man. Tastes & appreciation.

I won’t say I loved this record but I listened to it twice so I obviously didn’t dislike it. Hell, Imma listen again for harmony lessons & those cool ass bass lines for sure.

In my first review I said we’re supposed to name genre & I don’t remember exactly what I wrote but paraphrased it was something along the lines of, “fuck genre”. That’s my opinion. This would be called a country record I think first. Maybe a southern rock and then bluegrass and it may even be able to be called an early entry to the “new pop country” that I frankly hate - but mostly just because there are a lot of weak lyrics on this record. Don’t listen to this for the poet. Or poets. I don’t know them well enough to know but…yeah, no.

I did think it was cool to see that the original members are related. It’s like 1981 Hanson!

Now, the songs - The highlights? Definitley the singles & good thing because there are three #1’s on this record. Holy What? But I think my favorite of the #1’s is Love in the First Degree. The snare sounds like shit but it reminds me of a song my mom would have loved off an Air Supply record (which will be my third review). And everything else is pretty great to be honest. I mean, if it isn’t your bag you’ll hate it but - it’s beautiful & the bass player again - is master class. There’s just something about a mom jeans pop song that can groove like this will always hit me in the feels.

I have to admit - I wish I wrote, “I’m Stoned”. That’s always my favorite judge of a song I’ll love forever. If I wish I wrote it. It’s got snark, it’s got addiction, and it’s got the SAPPY. How’s that for a decent batch of ingredients? I may even play with my own goofy cover of that one.

I really didn’t like Fantasy. UGH. It’s like they were playing with a disco feel? So to be fair, I lied earlier in the review. I didn’t listen to that song twice….more like 1 & 1/4 times. That was enough. You guys may sing as well as the Bee Gees but it’s rare there’s a record that doesn’t have a song I flatly hate on it.

Back to me. I didn’t (& won’t) listen to Feels So Right nearly as often as I have (& will) the Blasters but…that’s ok. To each their own. The production on the record is really quite great, & it won’t be the last time I listen to say, half of it? 

https://open.spotify.com/album/192mPxOusrkZyXmCdKdUJS?si=eqrv8Vx4Rge-Cmv0F6GcVg