I've never really been much of a fan of live albums, I think back in the 70's some of the record companies got a little carried away with pumping out as many pseudo-live albums (music recorded in the studio with a "live" audience layer was like watching an episode of "My Three Sons") as possible. Very few of them
were sincerely genuine and honest and truly captured the energy of a live performance.
Lynyrd Skynyrd's "One More From The Road" which was released in 1976 was one of those albums. The album was recorded, as the inner jacket says, "live from the fabulous Fox Theater" in Atlanta, and from the opening chords of "Workin' For MCA", which I interpret as a jab at their record company, to the sardonic "Needle And The Spoon", to the upbeat remake of Hank Williams' "T For Texas" to the ceremonious ending of "Free Bird", this album, to me, stands head and shoulders above the rest.
The album is really a live compilation of their greatest songs up to this point (it's a shame "Street Survivors" came later), and really captured the energy of their live show. The quality, as live albums go, is pretty good for it's time, but at times some of the guitars like they've been overdubbed and the quality comes and goes. But for anyone who loves and appreciates true classic rock, this album must be included in their collection. Anyone who's ever heard this album knows that Ronnie Van Zant's question "What song is it you wanna hear?" is followed up by the epic 13:40 version of "Free Bird." It's a shame Skynyrd ended the way it did, I just can't look at the current touring version in the same light, but you can bet the band's songs will be played on radio for years to come.
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