Firefall-Firefall (1976)

Another legendary country rock and southern rock band was Firefall, who released a series of superb albums in the 1970s that placed them at the top of the genre, almost on par with their most prestigious contemporaries like Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Eagles, and The Marshall Tucker Band. Founded in Colorado in the mid-1970s, their core members were guitarists and founders Jock Bartley and Rick Roberts, who had previously played in the bands The Flying Burrito Brothers and Zephyr. The two musicians, along with bassist Mark Andes, drummer Michael Clarke, and guitarist Larry Burnett, recorded their self-titled debut album in 1976. It featured catchy melodies reminiscent of country pop, such as "It Doesn't Matter", "Love Isn't All", "Dolphin's Lullaby", and "Sad Ol' Love Song". These, in contrast to the country rock tracks "Mexico," "Livin' Ain't Livin' ", and "No Way Out", showcased a diverse and appealing style, reminiscent of the melodic and vocal lines of bands like America and The Eagles. This first album reached a respectable number 26 on the American charts, thanks in part to hits like the enchanting "You Are The Woman", which achieved a top ten hit on the Billboard charts. A year later, the band expanded with the addition of keyboardist David Muse, with whom they recorded their next album, "Luna Sea". This album followed a similar path but featured more sophisticated arrangements thanks to Muse's contributions of synthesizers and electronic keyboards. This second release featured standout tracks such as the addictive country rock song "So Long", the energetic "Sold On You", the southern-tinged "Just Think", the catchy rock song "Getaway", the rhythmic country track "Head On Home", and the powerful "Even Steven". Their characteristic melodic vein was also present in the delightful "Just Remember I Love You" and "Only A Fool". "Luna Sea" would go on to surpass their debut album on the charts, reaching a surprising eleventh place on the Billboard charts. The tremendous success of this second album was mirrored in their third work, "Elan", released in 1978, which contained a repertoire of exquisite country rock tracks such as "Strange Way", "Wrong Side of Town", "Count Your Blessing", "Anymore", and "New Man". But from this point on, the band entered a creative crisis, as evidenced by the uneven "Undertown", the last album recorded with the original lineup, which barely made an impact beyond the American country rock scene. From then on, a constant turnover of new members led Firefall through a period filled with good albums like "Cloud Across the Sun" (1980), "Break of Dawn" (1982), and "Mirror of the World" (1983), but none quite reaching the brilliance of their first three works.