Nuthin’ Fancy represents Lynyrd Skynyrd’s third recognition in a row to its musical roots. The (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd) debut of 1973 contains a homage to the late Duane Allman in the form of ‘”Free Bird,” while a year later, Second Helping included a tribute to J..J. Cale by way of a cover of “Call Me The Breeze” (significantly positioned as the last cut on the LP).
The final Skynyrd studio effort (released 3/24/75) to be produced by Al Kooper stands as a testament to the septet and their mentor’s admiration for the great English blues-rock band Free (duly noted by the man who founded Blood Sweat & Tears in the excellent 2015 video documentary Call Me The Breeze -The Rise and Fall of Lynyrd Skynyrd).
Given the shared respect for the group best known for “All Right Now,” it is no wonder Nuthin’ Fancy begins with “Saturday Night Special.” Guitarists Ed King, Allen Collins, and Gary Rossington pound out a fiery riff over newcomer drummer Artimus Pyle’s heavy variation on a New Orleans parade rhythm. Unlike his predecessor, the latter drove the band hard.
In further homage to the aforementioned British band, tough, ominous riffing reappears in “On The Hunt.” Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant’s lyric concerns are certainly more based there than his previous commentary on gun control. Still, his blues-derived vocal phrasing is convincing enough to divert attention from the hardly eloquent words.
Still, the predatory tone and social commentary of the lyrics to those two numbers sound as rushed as those of the trite “Made In The Shade.” Indeed, according to 1999 reissue producer Ron O’Brien’s liner notes, Nuthin’ Fancy was ground out in a hurry, which no doubt accounts for some of the original material ending up inferior to most of which appeared on the previous two Lynyrd Skynyrd.
In contrast, King and Rossington’s dominance of acoustic guitars purposefully illustrates the introspection in “Am I Losin’.” Likewise, the ensemble boasts a light enough touch for the modified shuffle of “Whiskey Rock-A Roller” to avoid heavy-handed philosophizing or musicianship. And the track’s just country enough not to sound contrived.
The prominence of Billy Powell’s electric piano on “Cheatin’ Woman” also provides respite from the intertwining and layered guitars until the triple fretboard attack comes to the fore again on “I’m A Country Boy.” Similarly colorful instrumental accents like producer/engineer Kooper’s organ lines—in turn corresponding to Leon Wilkeson’s nimble bass—accompany harp from Wet Willie’s Jimmy Hall on the otherwise pedestrian “Railroad Song.”
The cover photos on Nuthin’ Fancy depict Lynyrd Skynyrd’s iconoclastic attitude almost as forcefully as their riposte to Neil Young in “Sweet Home Alabama.” The front image depicts the septet at quite a distance from the viewer, while the back cover photo finds the group strutting along in sullen fashion as Powell flips the middle finger.
Whether the gesture reflects their (mutual?) split from Kooper or the intraband dynamics that resulted in the abrupt departure of guitarist/composer King during the tour to support Nuthin’ Fancy, efforts to promote the LP did little to nurture the septet’s burgeoning popularity based on its two previous albums.
The extended retrospect of fifty years on the release may explain the limited archival attention afforded the long-player. Unlike multi-disc packages of subsequent albums—such as the very next year’s Tom Dowd-produced Gimme Back My Bullets—only two live cuts recorded at the late Bill Graham’s San Francisco Winterland expand the aforementioned reissue.
As a result, the expansive archival efforts issued in the five decades since the release of Nuthin’ Fancy help accurately assign the 1975 entry its correct position within the hierarchy of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s discography.
