Basically, it’s like this. When it comes to Southern Rock, if Black Stone Cherry is the boys you can take home to your mum for some good, clean fun, then Texas Hippie Coalition is the sort of blokes that if they moved in down the road, you’d put a For Sale sign up.
Take “Deadman” for example. As Big DAD Rich puts it: “I’m a mean cuss, I come from Texas.” And the inference is clear. If you’re coming for them, come heavy or don’t come at all.
“Baptized In The Mud” is surely the best song that Black Label Society never released; however, there’s one thing you can never ignore when it comes to THC: They’re bloody good at it!
“Bones Jones” is like a slab of the catchiest, most addictive stuff you can think of, and as if to prove they have a tender side, “She’s Like A Song” is a proper ballad. She probably had some good homegrown…
Their more natural hinterland is the chunky biker stuff of “Droppin’ Bombs” and the bluesy middle finger defiance of the title track.
“I sell weed and liquor to the city slickers,” offers Rich. He does so in a manner that suggests he gives not a single f**k.
This is their eighth album—and if they’ve been a favourite of mine for years, then they haven’t written many better than the blues of “Eat Crow.” Indeed, everything seems up a notch here. The solo on “Million Man Army” or the groove on “Test Positive” is not that of a bunch of stoners but rather that of a serious rock band.
And if they are never going to change, then why should they? It all ends with “I’m Gettin’ High,” an acoustic little piece of fun that sets out their worldview. Good for them. You wouldn’t want them any other way. Hell, they couldn’t be any other way.
Authenticity and brilliance all wrapped up in one slightly scary package—that’s Texas Hippie Coalition. If Sons Of Anarchy had a house band, “Gunsmoke” proves it’s this one.
Rating: 9/10
REVIEW: TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION – GUNSMOKE (2024)
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