The lyrics to “Till the Wheels Fall Off” could function as the basis for a story about an aging, tough-minded hero who runs up against his limitations.
“Nobody Gives a Damn” could serve as good background music for an action movie in which the bad guy gets his comeuppance. “I’ve Got This Song” would be a powerful addition to a film about the lives of working-class Southerners.
Music from this album would be a great soundtrack to this movie: The Rolling Stones sneak in during a chord progression or two, and I detect the combination of current and vintage country that makes Chris Stapleton’s albums so enjoyable. I hear the Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the slight pop edge of Molly Hatchet.
Rightly lauded as the finest southern rock act since Lynyrd Skynyrd, the band have yet to write a universal classic like Sweet Home Alabama or Free Bird, but the way they're progressing it's only a matter of time.Review By Joe Taylor When listening to this album I think of this band or music:īlackberry Smoke wears its influences on its sleeves yet combines them into a hybrid that sounds both familiar and fresh. Regardless, this is the right album for Blackberry Smoke to release at this point, and widespread acclaim won't be far away. Meanwhile, the whole shebang is crying out for some extended instrumental passages and the edgy attitude of a Leave A Scar or Sleeping Dogs. Positives aside, O'Brien's work could use a little roughing up and the retro reverb he sometimes adds to Charlie Starr's vocals is unnecessary. Their ballads have always stirred the emotions and Woman In The Moon is a beguiling reinvention of that archetype, brooding with Scott Walker melancholy as strings and organs swirl, while the band whip up a slow-burning storm of haunting crescendos. Living In The Song's melodic country bounce finds a lost loner running from heartbreak, Too High delivers spine-tingling harmonies amid tales of drug addiction, and Payback's A Bitch prowls towards gleeful vengeance. Throughout, they are on a mission to raise spirits and that breezy feelgood factor is epitomised by the Bob Seger-channelling bar room boogie of Rock And Roll Again and Lay It All On Me.Įven the darker moments are strangely uplifting. It's possibly the greatest tune the band have recorded, and it's over in under three and a half minutes. For proof, behold the exceptional title track.īeginning with an acoustic motif that sounds like Lindsey Buckingham at his most fiery, it swiftly switches to an electrifying groove before unleashing a storming onslaught of piano flourishes, giddy hand claps, lashings of fiddle and searing six-string heroics. The band have distilled their textured repertoire into each economical cut. Persist, and you'll appreciate the depth of craftsmanship involved. At first, it seems too accessible and structured, with only three tracks lasting over four minutes. But, while it’s a cliché, the record needs repeated spins to reveal its charms. 'Holding All The Roses' sounds like a cross between those two, served with contagious hooks, a fresh vibe and slick production. Where 'Little Piece of Dixie' brought huge melodies to authentic southern sensibilities, 'The Whippoorwill' delivered rootsy Americana with a seething restlessness. But have they sacrificed something of themselves in the process?Īlthough these Georgian gents never steer too far from a tasty recipe of southern rock ‘n' roll baked with gospel, bluegrass and soul, they've a wonderful knack of imbuing each album with its own unique flavour. With that in mind, Blackberry Smoke have recruited Brendan O'Brien - of Springsteen, Pearl Jam and AC/DC fame - to ensure that album number four takes them to the promised land. When a band's career is on a sharp upward trajectory, they often hook up with a big name producer to capitalise on the momentum and strike gold.