38 Special - 'Milestone'

Rock Metal Machine
7 hours ago
2 min read

So, overall, I think that Barnes is in a difficult position, as if he had merely reproduced eighties’ 38 Special critics would say he was doing nothing new, but if he veered too far from this formula, he ran the risk of alienating old fans.

Bronze and gold circular emblem with "38 Special" text, over a mountainous landscape at sunset. Word "Milestone" at the bottom.

I have been a fan of 38 Special for many a year, and have fond memories of trying to get hold of their albums, as even in their gold and platinum period in America they were fairly inaccessible in this country. So it was with great surprise and delight to hear that they were preparing to release their first new record in twenty-one years!

I must admit that I had assumed that the enforced retirement of stalwart Donnie Van Zant, for health reasons, in 2013 signalled the end of the band, but no; fellow founder member Don Barnes decided that the band’s fifty-year anniversary merited some new product, which spiralled into a full new album.

The album features only one founder member, the aforementioned Barnes, albeit that he is a significant one, being the singer, guitarist, and main writer, with the rest of the band comprising veterans of many illustrious hard rock bands.

So, what does it sound like? Well, the first track ‘So Much So Right’ leads you to think that nothing has changed from their signature AOR-meets-Southern Rock style of their halcyon days, but this illusion is quickly debunked by some of what follows. ‘Slightly Controversial’ is a much more modern, almost poppy song featuring Pat Monahan of Train, but with an incredibly catchy chorus, and ‘All I Haven’t Said’ features jangly guitar reminiscent of Tom Petty. Another out-and-out rocker, ‘Looking For Life’, is a favourite of mine, but I also like the co-write with BTO legend Randy Bachman, ‘Long Long Train’, with its mellow, almost Country vibe. Sadly, for me, the album does tail off somewhat, finishing with two ballads, which means that it ends with a bit of a whimper rather than a bang.

So, overall, I think that Barnes is in a difficult position, as if he had merely reproduced eighties’ 38 Special critics would say he was doing nothing new, but if he veered too far from this formula, he ran the risk of alienating old fans. So, he has tried to encompass some of both. Personally, I would have preferred more of the old sound, but on the other hand I think he is to be applauded for producing new music, when he could easily have carried on churning out his eighties hits to enthusiastic audiences.