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
, two each by bass player
Dale Peters
and drummer
Jim Fox
, and one was a group composition. But it was
's songs that stood out. His
"Walk Away,"
was the first single, and it climbed into the Top 40 in at least one national chart, the group's only 45 to do that well.
"Midnight Man,"
the follow-up single, was another
tune, and it also made the charts. The
Fox
and
Peters
compositions were a step down in quality, particularly
'. But the problem wasn't just material, it was also musical approach.
James Gang Rides Again
had emphasized the band's hard rock sound, which was its strong suit. But they had never given up the idea of themselves as an eclectic unit, and
was their most diverse effort yet, with pedal steel guitar, horn and string charts, and backup vocals by
the Sweet Inspirations
turning up on one track or another. At a time when
was being hailed as a guitar hero to rank with the best rock had to offer, he was not only submerging himself in a group with inferiors, but also not playing much of the kind of lead guitar his supporters were raving about. As a result, though
quickly earned a respectable chart position and eventually went gold, it was not the commercial breakthrough that might have been expected. ~ William Ruhlmann