Get Right With the Man (Sony, 2005)

It's only been 30 years in the making, but brother, the timing sure is right.Van Zant teams brothers Johnny (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and Donnie (.38 Special) Van Zant for a fresh mix of country-flavored Southern rock. Twenty years ago, a decade past, even 5 years ago, it may not have flown. But thanks to country rockers like Travis Tritt and Montgomery Gentry, the brothers now have an open road to countrify a sound they helped pioneer.

The brothers wrote or-co-wrote 7 of the 12 cuts and share the vocal chores. The first single, "Help Somebody," is a healthy dose of old school wisdom from guys who've been there. "I'm Doin' Alright" is pure backwoods Southern rock, yet the brothers find a mellow, back porch country groove with "Can't Help Myself."

Give credit to producers Mark Wright and Joe Scaife for not letting the album slip into a retro-throwback ode to Southern rock. Van Zant has both feet planted firmly in 2005 with a tip of the hat to their rich heritage.