Rattlesnake Rock 'n' Roll: The Best of Blackfoot

Southern rock's last great gasp is spelled out on this 18-track compilation. Wisely leaving off anything from the weak albums (No Reservations, Siogo, Vertical Smiles, and Rick Medlocke & Blackfoot) and cherry-picking from the rest of Blackfoot's output, this slims the group's best down to a nice solid chunk of heavy twin Southern rock guitars, macho lyrics, and thundering drumbeats. While some naysayers will point to the group's "Highway Song" as being little more than a spirited "Free Bird" knockoff, the guitar interplay between Medlocke and Charlie Hargrett is well worth the listen. Other highlights include "Train Train," "Left Turn on a Red Light," and a cover of Free's "Wishing Well." Another special bonus is three tracks from Highway Song Live, a U.K.-only release that clearly illustrates what a potent live combination the original quartet truly was.