The Georgia Satellites - Shaken Not Stirred (1996)

It made sense that the Georgia Satellites reunited without Dan Baird, especially since Rick Richards' career as a Ju Ju Hound disappeared along with leader Izzy Stradlin. However, their comeback needn't have been as dispiriting as Shaken Not Stirred. The band can still rock out, but they lack the wild, careening energy of their late-'80s heyday. More importantly, they not only choose to re-cover their version of Joe South's "Games People Play," as well as the Beatles' "Rain" and the Faces' "My Fault," but "Battleship Chains" and "Can't Stand the Pain," songs they made popular with their debut album. It's a weird move, and it's all the more uncomfortable considering the blandness of the new, original songs. Shaken Not Stirred occasionally shows signs of life, but it should have been tougher and looser to be a truly triumphant comeback.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo