On their fourth long-player, the Amazing Rhythm Aces continued the trend
of presenting well-crafted pop songs leaning toward laid-back country
and Southern rock. Burning the Ballroom Down was the final long-player
from the "classic" incarnation of the band, featuring Barry
Burton (dobro/guitar/mandolin/steel guitar/slide guitar/vocals), who departed
shortly after this disc was recorded, Jeff Davis (bass/vocals), Billy
Earheart (organ/keyboards), James Hooker (piano/keyboards/clavinet/vocals),
Butch McDade (percussion/drums/vocals), and Russell Smith (guitar/vocals).
The Aces' Memphis roots are evident throughout the album and are revealed
in a variety of styles, ranging from the blue-eyed soul of the opening
title track to the gospel-tinged waltz balladry on "Out of Control."
The even more sacred "Spirit Walk" is particularly notable for
aptly displaying Burton's multi-stringed mastery. Moving away from the
harder edge of their previous long-player, Toucan Do It Too, the Aces
retreat into more regional acoustic folk and bluegrass styles on the tongue-in-cheek
"I Pity the Mother and the Father (When the Kids Move Away)"
as well as the tropically inspired "Ashes of Love." Along the
same line is Smith's hauntingly poignant and minor-chord masterpiece "Red
to Blue (When Dreams Come True)." Other highlights include the slinky
rocker "A Jackass Gets His Oats," which bears some striking
resemblances to a typical Lynyrd Skynyrd deep-fried rocker. The easygoing
"Della's Long Brown Hair" features a sweet pedal steel solo
from Burton, who had exited the combo by the time the Aces hit the road
in support of Burning the Ballroom Down. Enthusiasts should search out
the live disc Between You & Us, which includes a show from this tour
and features Burton's replacement, Duncan Cameron, in one of his earliest
gigs with the band. In 2000, Collectors' Choice Music issued a two-fer
that paired this album with its predecessor, Toucan Do It Too, on a single
compact disc.
(by Lindsay Planer, All
Music Guide)
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