The best southern rock band since Skynyrd?
Their incendiary performance on Later…. With Jools Holland last week (seriously if you haven’t seen it yet, make sure you do) might have put them into the mainstream, but in truth, Blackberry Smoke have been building in the best old school way imaginable for a long time.
MV’s story is typical of many, no doubt, but about three years back a text from someone who knows what we like around here said this: “I’ve just heard a song on Planet Rock that you’re going to love.”
It was “Shakin’ Hands With The Holy Ghost” a track from what we now know to be the most astonishing Blackberry Smoke record “The Whippoorwill” – an almost perfect blending of rock, blues and country, which frankly couldn’t have been better if Springsteen, Steve Earle, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Eric Church had collaborated on the damn thing.
The old maxim of be so good they can’t ignore you (roughly translated as a brilliant song is still a brilliant song whatever the state of the music business) was never truer than here. Their live shows were as good too, hillbilly hoedown is not just a line in one of their songs its actually what happens, now they are selling out the venues slightly smaller than arenas and appearing live on BBC2.
In that context, then, album number five (for the purposes of clarity, it’s the third in three years released in Europe, but they’ve been knocking around since 2004) is more than just important, it could be the one.
It deserves to be too. It is the latest in a long line of brilliance from the five piece. One which showcases everything you’ve loved about them since the start. “Waiting For The Thunder” is possessing of the type of stomp that they do so well, while “Let It Burn” could be the Georgia Satellites as it tells its tale of small town frustrations.
It is precisely those tales that set BS apart. The characters in the songs are so believable that they simply must have come from real life. “The Good Life” – a song about Charlie Starr’s father is wonderfully evocative, but on the other hand, the dirty, raunchy bluesy shuffle of “What Comes Naturally” is testament to the fact that a man got needs.
The title track almost dares you to take it on, while “Ought To Know” wears its Credence Clearwater Revival influences proudly on its denim jacket, better still, is the gorgeous and glorious “Sunrise In Texas” one of the best songs they’ve managed in their career to date.
Lets put it out there, no one is doing this type of blue collar rock n roll better than Blackberry Smoke “Workin’ For A Workin’ Man” – equal parts Springsteen and Black Crowes – proves that, and if “Believe You Me” adds a funky, soul like side then that’s cool too.
“Like An Arrow” ends with “Free On The Wing” – featuring Gregg Allman no less – and if nothing else that is the only validation that Blackberry Smoke need to prove they’ve made it, really.
Who knows why people in the middle of the English midlands and elsewhere are so in the thrall of US Southern Rock, the fact is though that we are, and right now Blackberry Smoke are the best at it. Rock n roll’s longest serving and hardest working overnight sensations have done it again.
Rating 9/10
