Search - Atlanta Rhythm Section :: Anthology: Greatest & Latest

Not the original ARS

M. Barrows | 05/21/2007

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Being an ARS fan from back in the day, I was interested in seeing how this was---sadly, I was disappointed. With only one original member on board (Dean Daughtry on keys), this is just basically their biggest songs rehashed (with no improvement over the originals) and some poorly chosen covers. The packaging was done in a way to mimic the ARS "Greatest Hits" album down to the logo and colors (probably to try and get some poor sap to buy it by mistake). While the songs are competently performed, the newer production leaves a lot to be desired---it sounds way too polished and doesn't have the vibe or groove of the originals. It's very sterile sounding. The new singer doesn't have the soulful vocals of Ronnie Hammond---he doesn't even come close. As for the cover choices I mentioned above, everything is pretty much generic sounding due to the production and lack of urgency in the performances. Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back In Town" should be played with some sort of ferocity but it's effectively neutered here by the laid back shuffling approach. The ZZ Top covers "Sharp Dressed Man/Gimme All Your Lovin'" suffer a similar fate. Trotting out a tired remake of BTO's "Takin' Care Of Business" wasn't a good idea either. Nor was the horrid take on "Love Hurts". Only "Call Me The Breeze" fares ok and that shouldn't surprise anyone since it fits their genre and style but at the same time, they screw up another southern rock song, .38 Special's "Hold On Loosely". I hate to bash it being a fan of the band, but this really is horrible effort as far as continuing the ARS legacy and the "Best Of" album cover ripoff ploy only makes it look worse."

From bargain bin to round file

J. Spitz | OK, USA | 01/18/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Saw this in the bargain bin yesterday. Bought it. Listened to it. Sent it to the landfill today."

Interesting Re-recording of the ARS "greatest hits" plus som

Xylon | Houston Texas | 03/29/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Very plainly, this is a totally different band. The difference between the old Foreigner and the new, ELO and the Orchestra, the Little River Band then and now.... what we had back in the day is left "back in the day".

These are simple re-records that lack the passion of the original recordings. I'm not saying that this is bad music, is it pretty good, even though the production could have been taken up a few notches.

If you are a die hard, hard-core completest, then get this one... only after you've bought the other main albums in this catalog.

Otherwise, if you are a casual fan looking for the songs as you remember them from your youth... look for the "other ARS" Greatest Hits. They have the hits you hear on the radio, as you remember them.



Sidenote: rerecording someone else's "hits" for your own greatest hits album, is just plain stupid and should prove as a warning to others that this is not ARS of old."