Seventies Southern-rock giants Lynyrd Skynyrd continue to defy reality with their ongoing career: Now down to only two original members, Skynyrd have kept rolling as a live act with the late Ronnie Van Zandt's sound-alike little brother Johnny in front, and have been replenished over the years by veterans of bands such as the Outlaws, Blackfoot and Damn Yankees. But sometimes being around ain't the same as living. An echo of the Skynyrd sound is present on Vicious Cycle, but the soul is sure gone on these smug songs offering endless praise to Mama, flag-waving and drinking. Kid Rock's shout-till-you're-hoarse cameo on a remake of "Gimme Back My Bullets" does manage to bring some life to the party. But nothing can forgive the shameful, pandering "Red White and Blue," a Toby Keith-style piece of jingoism with a guitar solo nicked from "Freebird." The best that can be said of Vicious Cycle is that it will give a few die-hard Skynyrd fans one more reason to cheer at state fairs and foodfests across this great land. They'd be better off going for the corn dogs.

“Is It True”

As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."