These are my written for Lynyrd Skynyrd's 11th studio album "God & Guns" Watch my video review here:

1. God & Guns by southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Released September 29th 2009,
their 11th studio album.
Album Background
• The writing and recording of this album took place from 2007-2009
• The album features guitar work from John 5.
• It is also the last Lynyrd Skynyrd album to feature the band's longtime
keyboardist Billy Powell, who died in January 2009, and guitarist/ writing
contributor Hughie Thomasson, who died in September 2007
• The singles released off this album included •Still Unbroken• and •Simple
Life•.
• The single •Still Unbroken• was written after the death of original
bassist Leon Wilkeson, who died in 2001.
Track by Track Review:
1. Still Unbroken • This song really starts out with a bang, with some nice
drum and guitar work. This song has a hard rock vibe, sort of •in your face• and
letting the world that Lynyrd Skynyrd is still alive and can rock.
2. Simple Life • This song is a guitar led, it features a lot of layered
guitar work which I think is cool. The lyrics are very catchy they tell the
truth of today•s fast-paced society compared to the •good old days• when the
world wasn•t as complicated and how Johnny wishes he could back and enjoy them.
3. Little Thing Called You • This song is a classic southern rock song. It
has a catchy tempo with very KISS sounding instrumental work. The meaning of
this song is about a cheat girlfriend and how the guy is trying to stay always
from her. Awesome guitar solo
4. Southern Ways • This song has a very country esk vibe because of the piano
and slower •Sweet Home Alabama• tempo. This song is about wanting to go back to
earlier points in life when life was easier. The lyrics and very catchy and will
have you singing along; I will say that I believe is an attempt by Skynyrd to
recreate the magic and interest of •Sweet Home Alabama• because both songs sound
similar.
5. Skynyrd Nation • This song has a very aggressive rock sound. The dueling
vocals really caught my attention; they set the pace for the song. This song is
a tribute to the Lynyrd Skynyrd fan base or •Nation•.
6. Unwrite That Song • This song is a slower-paced love ballad. It•s a
beautiful song when you look at the structure; its about a guy with a broken
heart hears a song on the radio about true love enduring but his own experiences
with love make it impossible for him to relate to it. It seems to me that this
song is an attack on today•s popular music, which rarely has meaning and when it
does it•s usually too hard to relate to.
7. Floyd • The song is pretty interesting. It has a slower, darker tempo both
musically and lyrically. •A swampy dark song•
8. That Ain•t My America • The song is about the changes in American life and
how the country's roots are being forgotten. Whether it is the changing gas
prices, the lack of respect towards military personnel by some groups, the
changing opinions on gun control, changing smoking laws or just overall lack of
support for this great nation this song tackles all the tough topics that nobody
wants to discuses, similar to Brad Paisley•s •Accidental Racist•. A lot of
people online have slammed this song because it contains complete opposites
themes from what original vocalist Ronnie Van Zant supported; he was anti-gun,
anti-corporation, a •tree-hugger•.
9. Coming Back For More • I like how this song is structured, it•s very
catchy. It features a mainly guitar led beat with loud •in your face• drums that
support the upbeat tempo. I like the lyrics as well they are again extremely
catchy. Nice touch of piano as well
10. God & Guns - This song is again one of my favorites on the album. The
intro to this song sounds similar to what the band did on the song •Swamp
Music•; as it is slower •paced. Then it kind of explodes into a guitar led rock
ballad and angry vocals, as Johnny Van Zant expresses his displeasure with the
changing gun laws.
11. Storm • This song is a good one. It is primarily drum and guitar led;
which is kind of a theme on this album. I noticed one major thing during the
main body of the song • the main guitar riffs done in a short matter that really
interested me. Overall the vocals on the song are good; they are very simple and
to the point, in this case this song is about getting over the bad days or

2. “weathering the storm“.
12. Gifted Hands “ This song may be my favorite off the album. It is an
acoustic/slow paced song with extremely heartfelt and beautiful vocals that
that pay tribute to former keyboardist Billy Powell who died earlier in the
year, on January the 28th at the age of 56 as a result of a suspected heart
attack. It features an amazing guitar solo that really captures the emotion of
the band and caps off the album beautifully.
But wait there“s more!
13. Bang Bang “ This song screams classic southern rock to me. It features
some extremely catchy and faster-paced guitar and drum beat opening that really
transitions nicely into the catchy “Bang Bang“ chorus that will be stuck in your
head to days.
14. Raining In My Heartland “ I like this song a lot. Musically I like how
there is a bunch of instruments that can be heard. Lyrically this song is about
a small town that once was considered the hub of business because of its jobs,
but has the jobs moved its bigger cities or overseas so did the town in a sense.
15. Hobo Kinda Man “ This song starts out with the sounds of a moving train
car, as if they person in the song is arriving into town looking for work. The
tempo of the song then shift to a faster more upbeat paced as the man“s struggle
to find work and continue life after ww2 is described. I like the instrumentals
on this song; they have a very southern classic rock feel.
Live Traclks “ talk about how good Skynyrd was live with Bret Michaels in 2010
and how the live tracks on this album really sound good.
16. Red, White & Blue (live) -
17. Call Me The Breeze (live) -
18. Sweet Home Alabama (live)
Favorite Songs:
Little Thing Called You, Skynyrd Nation, Unwrite That Song, That Ain“t My
America, God & Guns, Gifted Hands, Raining In My Heartland
Positives
“ I like that Lynyrd Skynyrd is not afraid to share their opinions on events
that are happening in the world. Whether it has to deal with gun control,
smoking laws or overall p patriotism of this great nation. Skynyrd always comes
up with an answer that you have to respect.
“ I also like how the band has stayed close to their southern roots as least
musically. Unlike a lot of other bands.
Downsides
“ None really
My rating 8-8.5.
A good release. This album is perfect for any southern rock fan. I realize that
many people say that Lynyrd Skynyrd isn“t the same as before with its original
lineup, especially Ronnie Van Zant, but they are really similar because they now
have Johnny Van Zant. Sure their personalities and overall beliefs on issues
may be different let“s face it times have changed and people [and bands] are
allows to support different causes [especially in this case ass Johnny Van Zant
seems to be advocating gun control while Ronnie was extremely anti-gun and anti
corporate].
Ultimately it“s about the music and let me say that I“m happy Lynyrd Skynyrd is
still making music so we don“t have to deal with today“s so-called “popular
music “ [i.e. Just Bieber, Taylor Swift and Iona Pop]
Upcoming reviews include: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Aerosmith, Eric Church,
J Cole, Toby Keith, Jukebox The Ghost, Imagine Dragons, Daft Punk, Skillet,
Jimmy Eat World, Black Sabbath