In the Land of Salvation and Sin was an attempt by
Georgia Satellites' songwriter and frontman
Dan Baird to reinvent his band while not changing the formula too drastically. The band's third and final outing, it followed the disappointing sales of
Open All Night with an even harder approach that kept its focus on American roots music. The sound may never have strayed far from the raucous, garagey style that gave the band its hit with 1986's "Keep Your Hands to Yourself," but it also took deeper consideration of pop radio as well, as evidenced by the power ballad "It's All Over But the Crying." "Shake That Thing" is a tribute to
Lowell George and evokes the late songwriter's sense of humor and, of course, wrangling slide guitar, as well as
Little Feat's funky backbeat and chorus line refrains. The stomp and drunken roll of "Six Years Gone" sounds like a great lost
Faces track -- and as evidence, "Another Chance" (written by
Baird) emulates the interplay between
Faces'
Ronnie Lane's songwriting style and
Ron Wood's slide guitar playing on "Ooh La La," to the degree he includes a "Hats off to
Woody and
Ronnie Lane" in the songwriting credits. The platitudes don't stop there, though; the cover of
Joe South's "Games People Play" is a barnburning slide guitar rocker sung by guitarist
Rick Richards, and "Stellazine Blues" emulates both "Hand of Fate" and "Undercover of the Night" by
the Rolling Stones. And as a recording of tribute to their influences, this record works like a charm.
Baird is a savvy enough songwriter to do anything he wants, and that he can make something new from something old is to his credit.
In the Land of Salvation and Sin might have been a strange career move and it went nowhere, but it stands as the band's most consistent and innovative recording. ~ Thom Jurek