James+gang

The James Gang Rides Again set the stage for the group's third album to propel them to Top Ten, headliner status, but that didn't happen. The band was on its last legs, rent by dissension as Walsh became the focus of attention, and the appropriately titled Thirds reflected the conflict. Among the nine original songs, four were contributed by Walsh, two each by bass player Dale Peters and drummer Jim Fox, and one was a group composition…

James Gang was an American rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1966. Though the band was not a huge commercial success, the fame garnered by guitarist Joe Walsh (who replaced the original guitarist in 1968) has since made the group more notable. After the group split in early 1977, there have been reunion concerts at various times in 1996, 1998, 2001, and 2005–2006. The founding members of the band were drummer Jim Fox, bassist Tom Kriss, guitarist Ronnie Silverman, keyboardist Phil Giallombardo, and guitarist Glen Schwartz. – Both Newborn and its follow-up Jesse Come Home have been reissued on one CD by Wounded Bird Records.

With their second album Rides Again, the James Gang came into their own. Under the direction of guitarist Joe Walsh, the group — now featuring bassist Dale Peters — began incorporating keyboards into their hard rock, which helped open up their musical horizons. For much of the first side of Rides Again, the group tears through a bunch of boogie numbers, most notably the heavy groove of "Funk #49." On the second side, the James Gang departs from their trademark sound, adding keyboard flourishes and elements of country-rock to their hard rock. Walsh's songwriting had improved, giving the band solid support for their stylistic experiments. What ties the two sides of the record together is the strength of the band's musicianship, which burns brightly and powerfully on the hardest rockers, as well as on the sensitive ballads.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine