With seven albums under their belts and a global pandemic fading further into the rearview mirror each day, it’s safe to say that Atlanta Rock group Blackberry Smoke has weathered the storm.
Formed in 2000 and referred to by fans as “Smoke,” the line-up consisting of Charlie Starr (lead vocals, guitar), Richard Turner (bass, vocals), Brit Turner (drums), Paul Jackson (guitar, vocals) and Brandon Still (keyboards) offer their newest album, “You Hear Georgia.”
Released on May 28, opening song “Live it Down” and the song to follow, “You Hear Georgia,” are a crash course in Southern Rock.
The bass and keys fading into the mix on the former, makes for a gritty-sounding, yet optimistic, backing track. Combined with the sing-along chorus, “Oh give me all I can carry. Oh, said it’s cheaper by the pound. Oh come on, baby doncha worry, let’s live it up till we can’t live it down,” “Live it Down” vibrates with enough stadium energy, that it’s begging to be considered the next great Southern Rock ode.
To the benefit of their collective chemistry, “You Hear Georgia,” is a prime cut with gritty guitar tones and a good use of melody. Explaining the song upon its release as a single, Starr said, “Lyrically, the song is about the South being misunderstood. It’s obviously a rough and tumble world and there’s a lot of bad people. But there’s a lot of good people, too. It started with the idea of how people might have a preconceived opinion of you because of a thick Southern accent, then expanded into the reality of how some people just seem to have such a hard time getting along, thanks to political or religious views, or simply what part of the country you come from.”
“Hey Delilah features a New Orleans-style groove over Gospel-inflected verses and is a good example of how “Smoke” honors Southern influences in a subtle way,
“Ain’t the Same,” is a softer guitar-driven tune that juxtaposes lore from the home range, “He saw the lightning flash across the sky, saw the rain creep across the road. Well he stopped and said that’s the devil beatin’ his wife” with modern troubles.
It’s a sobering tale about a veteran returning from war with PTSD. What’s more, the soldier feels displaced in his home country, forced to deal with his demons alone.
One of two guest spots on the 10-track album, “Lonesome for a Livin’” features Jamey Johnson and a heart string-pulling slide guitar over mature lyrics that draws from real life experiences that musicians are faced with.
Elsewhere, the Warren Haynes feature on the funky “All Rise Again” with red hot guitar solos, is bolstered by Haynes’s deep sounding vocals. His and Starr’s harmonious vocals, “Now is the place, here is the time. Keep me from losin’ my mind. Oh, how could we know where’d it all go? How did we all get here” is stirring.
Closing in strong fashion, the latter half of “You Hear Georgia” shows more aspects of the group’s versatility. “Old Enough to Know” is another song coming from a place of wisdom, this time with acoustic arrangements gently controlling the mix.
“Morningside” with soulful backing vocals and “All over the Road” are the most straight-forward Rock songs on the record. The last mentioned conjures high-octane dreams of unshackled freedom.
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June 04, 2021 at 06:00PM
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Smoke releases 'You Hear Georgia' | Showcase | avpress.com - Antelope Valley Press
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