Before you start thinkin’ “why is Lynyrd Skynyrd being featured on a country music website,” take a second and think about all of the up-tempo, rockin’ songs you hear on the radio these days.  Lynyrd Skynyrd has been a primary influence of all ‘em.  Along with being a big influence on the current crop of country music stars, the band gained a resurgence in popularity after Kid Rock sampled “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Werewolves in London” to make “All Summer Long.”  Back on a major record label for the first time since 1993’s The Last Rebel, Lynyrd Skynyrd certainly have changed quite a bit.  With the death of Billy Powell earlier this year only Gary Rossington remains from the original lineup, but the lineup of the band that reformed in 1991 with Ronnie Van Zant’s little brother Johnny Van Zant taking on the vocal chores and being joined by former Blackfoot front man Rickey Medlocke and Damn Yankee’s drummer Michael Cartellone.  Rounding out the third guitar chair for God and Guns is Mark "Sparky" Matejka, formerly of MCA Nashville band Hot Apple Pie.

Recorded prior to Billy Powell’s death, God and Guns is virtually everything you’d expect to hear on a Skynyrd album, minus the long guitar solos.  Instead the band focuses on tight, melodic rockers like “Comin’ Back For More,” and “Still Unbroken.”  Songs like “Simple Life,” which was co-written with Jeffrey Steele,  and “This Ain’t My America” are ready for country radio.  The latter song co-written with Brad and Brett Warren (The Warren Brothers), is something that also would work well on a USO tour and at a fourth of July bar-b-que party.  “Unwrite That Song” feels like it’s paying homage to “Free Bird” melodically and lyrically it’s actually about as close to a country song as you’ll find on this record.

If people were upset over what Kid Rock did with his interpolation of “Sweet Home Alabama,” they really will be upset with “Southern Ways” which for all intents and purposes slows down the “Sweet Home Alabama” melody and finds Lynyrd Skynyrd covering themselves.  “Floyd” is a balls to the wall rocker that recalls classic Skynyrd, something that also happens on the title song as well.  Johnny Van Zant sounds as great here as he did while singing leads in his country music duo Van Zant with his brother Donnie, and in the end, God & Guns is a well-crafted (with the help of veteran producer Bob Marlette) record from the classic southern rock band.  While this version of Lynyrd Skynyrd can’t possibly replicate the great sounds of the original band, they acquit themselves quite nicely here.

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