The Closer You Get

by

Alabama

Edit

For anyone that is seriously a fan of Alabama, this album again proves that the first 10 albums of Alabama are necessary to have a true and complete collection of the band. First, the full-length version of "The Closer You Get" is only available on this album. While "The Closer You Get" is not an Alabama original (originally recorded in 1980 by Exile as a pop hit), it remains one of their most classic and unique songs. Toe-tapping "Dixieland Delight" and the somber ballad "Lady Down On Love" also remain two of their most timeless hits. Songs like those prove how original the sound of Alabama was and still is today.

Aside from those three songs, two other songs on the album that were never released as singles warrant special recognition. The first is their excellent remake of "She Put The Sad In All His Songs", a song from the late 1970's that was covered by several artists including Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn fame. One of the finest songs on the album, it would have been a hit and could have been a classic had the song been extended with a long guitar solo and more generous string arrangement, but still was recrafted into a distinct song. "Alabama Sky", sung by Teddy Gentry is far from an inferior song as well and could have easily been a single as well.

While these recommendations may not impress the passive fan who remembers only their biggest songs, any serious fan or collector of Alabama's music should have this CD in their collection.