So in to you (Atlanta Rhythm Section) (LP 733 - 736)

Atlanta Rhythm Section  Red Tape (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1976) ***

Atlanta Rhythm Section  A Rock and Roll Alternative (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1976) ****

Atlanta Rhythm Section  Champagne Jam (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1978) ****

Atlanta Rhythm Section  The Boys From Doraville (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1980) **

Genre: Southern Rock

Places I remember: These have come from Spellbound Wax Company, Real Groovy Records and Vinyl Countdown over the last few months as I embarked on a catch up of the back catalogue.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Another Man's Woman (Red Tape) - stretches out nicely!

Gear costume:  Champagne Jam, Outside Woman Blues (Rock and Roll Alternative)

Active compensatory factors: These boys are not the best looking southern rockers out there (I'm not sure who is but it ain't ARS) but they sure play purrty.

Red Tape is quite a rocky set and the band is blessed with the vocal ability of Ronnie Hammond - he appears on all four albums, as he lifts them out of the run of the mill. Rock and Roll Alternative hones the sound into a slicker operation - still nice variety throughout with pop, rock, country rock all getting a look in. And the mellow ballad - So In To You was a big hit.

Champagne Jam was the big seller on the back of two hits - Imaginary Lover and I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight. By the eighties album The Boys From Doraville Robert Nix had said adios amigos and punk rock diverted attention from these good ole southern rock boys. It sounds like ARS but the thrill had gone. 

Aside from Ronnie Hammond's distinctive vocals, the other aspect that produced a successful formula was the songwriting team of drummer Robert Nix (lyrics) and keyboardist Dean Daughtry (producer Buddy Buie gets a credit on nearly every song but who knows what his creative impact is). 

They could certainly write some great hits - Sky High (with Hammond), So In To You, I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight, and Imaginary Lover were high water marks on these albums.

Where do they all belong? They join Are You Ready? - the excellent live double they released in 1979 in the southern rock section.