Marshall Tucker Band - Tuckerized (1988)

Shortly after Dedicated was released, the Marshall Tucker Band hunkered down and refined their sound yet again, undoubtedly influenced by drummer Paul Riddle and keyboardist Franklin Wilkie's side project, the jazz fusion group the Throbbers. Designed (surprisingly) with commercial radio in mind, Tuckerized is a polished and slick ten-song session that relies largely on songwriting efforts from outside of the group. As a result, the record has an out-of-step feeling, especially when compared to the totality of the group's hard-driving output, and nowhere is this more evident than on the Randy Newman-penned "Mr. President." And while other moments are enjoyable ("Sweet Elaine" and "If You Think You're Hurtin' Me [Girl You're Crazy]"), this is an album that only die-hard fans of the group will enjoy.