| This is the monumental debut by one of insurgent country's pioneer bands. 
        Playing with electric instruments, including the all important steel and 
        fiddle, and a good dose of irreverence allowed the band to adhere to their 
        own agenda. This first release was only a taste of the things to come. 
        A combination of original tunes and some dusty covers, Cody & His 
        Airmen were at the head of a parade that continued on through the '90s. 
        Songs by Billy C. Farlow like "Daddy's Gonna Treat You Right" 
        and the ever-popular "Lost in the Ozone" were instant hits with 
        the country-rock and hippie crowds. But, the rednecks loved them, too, 
        and this was an amazing social phenomenon. Cody, whose real name is George 
        Frayne, partnered with Farlow on a number of songs from this first collection 
        that still pack a wallop. "Wine Do Yer Stuff" and the tearful 
        "Seeds and Stems (Again)" left no doubt where these boys were 
        coming from. A strong honky tonk album that swings, Lost in the Ozone 
        is a viable recording. Cover tunes performed with energy and humor won 
        crowds over everywhere. "Hot Rod Lincoln" is still played on 
        outlaw country radio stations, as is "20 Flight Rock," a boogie 
        number that lets everything hang out. With not a single cut wasted, this 
        is one of the buried gems of modern country music that displays guitarman 
        Bill Kirchen at his wildest and Bruce Barlow, Lance Dickerson, Andy Stein, 
        John Tichy, Bobby Black, West Virginia Creeper, Farlow, and Commander 
        Cody comin' out of the shoot ready to change the world for the better. 
       (by Jana Pendragon, All 
        Music Guide) |