I was listening to Joe Bonamassa interview Eddie Trunk on his podcast the other day. JB asked the DJ a question: “When did you know?” What he meant was, “when did you know that rock n roll was what you had to make your life.”
If you think about that yourself, what would you say? For me, the answer is always four fold. Bon Jovi, I was nine years old in 1986, the very second music became mine and not my mum’s. Guns N Roses. That bit when Axl says “you know where you are?” and I heard danger. That night I saw Skid Row play at my first ever gig and I knew it was the best thing in the world.
Then there’s the fourth. An odd one in the mix, perhaps. But for Christmas one year (I know it was 1988 thanks to Google) my Gran got me a tape called Rock The Nation. Right there, was a glorious thing I’d never heard the likes of before. Georgia Satellites “Battleship Chains”. That led me to an exploration of what I know now to be “southern rock”, but back then was only really cool. All kinds of bands, ZZ Top, Skynyrd, and loads more, The Black Crowes mostly. All came from that.
Listening to the Georgia Thunderbolts here, my only thought is: “wouldn’t it be ace if some kid, somewhere did the same, but with this as the touchstone moment.”
It is that good. This is seriously good. How good? Well you remember the first time you heard Blackberry Smoke? Whiskey Myers? Black Stone Cherry? Yeah? This is in that class.
Five songs. That’s all. But at the same time, that’s all you need to get proper excited. It’s not that you haven’t heard this before. In fact, that’s exactly why this is brilliant. Because just as much as you get to the first line on “Looking For An Old Friend”, and think, “crikey this is like The Allman Brothers” then so do Georgia Thunderbolts. They are just fans. They love the music they play. No, more than that: they are the music they play.
They are aiming big too. “So You Wanna Change The World” (note it’s a statement, not a question) almost introduces Riley Couzzourt and Logan Tolbert, as the latest guitar duo and sounds thunderous in so doing.
“Lend A Hand” has a real stomp about it. Rock n roll. A bit of Monster Truck, happier on the barbecue than it is in the honky tonk. Meaty great slabs of riffing, and TJ Lyle – lets be fair – he knows a bit of a Ronnie Van Zant sound too.
Proudly blue collar, and happy to get down with the blues. “Spirit Of A Workin’ Man” is as timeless as you want, and it soars. Indeed, its like each of them is a tantalising glimpse into the road that might be taken in the future. If it is, then “Set Me Free” is a proper epic. And if they leave here tomorrow, then their heart will always be somewhere at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. There is something as pure as the mountain air about this sound, certainly.
Only a debut, only five songs, and blah blah blah. Whisper it quietly and all that. No, forget that here. Shout it loud. Georgia Thunderbolts are coming and they are set on creating a massive bang. This is their blinding early flash.
Rating 9.5/10
