Alabama: Randy Owen, Jeff Cook (vocals, guitar); Teddy Gentry (vocals, bass); Mark Herndon (drums).
Additional personnel: Jack Eubanks, George (Leo) Jackson, Fred Newell, Mark Casstevens, David Hanner, Dale Sellers (guitar); Bruce Watkins (banjo); William Rainsford, Rodger Morris (keyboards); Walter David Smith, Larry Paxton (bass); Hayward Bishop, David Humphreys, Jerry Kroon (drums).
Engineers: Gene Rice, Harold Shedd, Paul Goldberg.
Recorded at Music Mill, Nashville, Tennessee.
Personnel: Mark Casstevens (vocals, guitar); David Hanner, George Jackson, Jack Eubanks, Jeff Cook, Randy Owen, Fred Newell, Dale Sellers (guitar); Bruce Watkins (banjo, violin); William Rainsford, Roger Morris, Rodger Morris (keyboards); David Humphreys, Mark Herndon, Jerry Kroon, Hayword Bishop (drums).
Recording information: Music Mill, Nashville, TN.
Photographers: David Lebon; Norman Seeff.
On their third album, 1982's Mountain Music, Alabama hit their stride, streamlining the rough edges out of their sound and turning into a well-oiled hit machine. Here, when they stretch out it's on the nearly seven-minute "Changes Comin' On," which doesn't jam like Southern rock but instead has a smooth groove that veers close to soft rock. Of course, that soft rock quality was not only a large reason why Alabama crossed over to the pop charts ("Take Me Down," one of three number one country singles here -- the other two being the anthemic title cut and "Close Enough to Perfect" -- crossed over into the pop Top 20, which is no small feat), it was also instrumental in defining the group's own brand of "mountain music." If their country music didn't sound too down-home -- it didn't twang, it didn't have mandolins, it was built on electric guitars -- it was nevertheless pure country in its own modern way, borrowing on Western mythos ("Words at Twenty Paces" has an implied swagger, even if it is never menacing) and early Americana-rock (a strong cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Green River"), playing up both sentiment (both the slow devotional "You Turn Me On" and the family celebration "Never Be One") and revelry ("Gonna Have a Party") to create the template for contemporary country. If there's just a touch too much of the slow stuff here, it's all expertly executed and almost all the songs click, with the best (all the aforementioned tracks, minus "Never Be One") standing among the band's best material, helping to make Mountain Music not only one of their best albums, but a record that -- despite its big, slick production -- still sounds like modern country even decades after its initial release. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Recorded when Alabama was in its prime, MOUNTAIN MUSIC combines pop rock with country in a very distinctive, always catchy manner. Comprising a variety of tunes ranging from slick rockers to soft, lush ballads, MOUNTAIN MUSIC creates a nice contrast and engages the listener from the very first note to the last. Some of the guitar rock tunes include a meritorious version of John Fogerty's "Green River," and Alabama's own "Never Be One."
However, the most poignant songs on MOUNTAIN MUSIC are the slow dances. Songs such as "You Turn Me On," and "Close Enough To Be Perfect" are strong country ballads perfect for cuddling up with a loved one. While the production on this album is very much of its time, the music itself stands up well to contemporary scrutiny. minimize