Be Forewarned!

This is not an album of extended versions , but instead a live album (I guess it was recorded from Pittsburg, but I'm not sure if all of the cuts are.) The songs sound terrible and this is a complete waste of money except for very select Skynyrd fans.

BEWARE !! All songs previously available !!!!

Putting aside the fact that the songs on this disc are great tunes , I bought this based on the title . Shame on me for thinking that these were "extended versions" of the cuts when in fact they are the exact same versions from "Twenty" and "Live from Steeltown" . I can't understand why the previous reviewers are going so crazy over this . Don't you guys already own the aforementioned two CDs ?

Lyve and recorded latter-day Skynyrd

The CD is a mix of live and studio recorded material, recorded by a "latter day" version of the band. It includes Johnny, not Ronnie, Van Zant on Vocals, and other band members who had survived the plane crash of 20-some years latter. Most of the tracks on the album were recorded around the mid-1990's, and do include some of Skynyrd's best, or atleast amongst their most-recognizable material. This includes "Free Bird", "Sweet Home Alabama", and "What's Your Name". It also incldues other tracks, such as; "O.R.R. and "You Got That Right." Tracks four and five; the fore-mentioned "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird" were recorded back-to-back at a concert in Pittsburgh, PA. Though it is Johnny on vocals, he emulates his famous brother on-stage. This version of "Free Bird" begins with a piano solo, by original Skynyrd member Billy Powell, who would get a second solo between the first and second verse. Soon thereafter the song's tempo picks up, and carries on for several more minutes. For those wishing to learn how the song is played, it's underlying base chords are easily decipherable during the extended guitar solos. This is followed by "Sweet Home Alabama", with the ending drawn out to add effect to the song. Again, during it's extended ending, Mr. Powell's piano expertise is heard, as he plays his way into the song's final couple of minutes. Other tracks of the CD, save for "What's My Name" aren't as well-known, and seem to fill in some of the cracks between the better tracks. One seemingly new addition to the Skynyrd song-list is "Home Is Where The Heart Is." This one resembles some other Skynyrd songs, it tells us that the fast-paced life isn't all that it's cracked up to be. So, in conclusion, I do recommend this CD if you are big on Lynyrd Skynyrd, and especially if you'd like some live cuts on some of their biggest songs. Otherwise, if you're more curious about the band, I'd first recommend a greatest hits CD, so you can get more of a feel of the band. Do note, that their deep southern-blues roots aren't easily distinguishable in this CD, partially because of the live-recorded tracks, and that their "blusiest" material was not chosen for this album.