Tag Archives: Southern Rock

ALBUM REVIEW: Black Stone Cherry – Screamin’ At The Sky

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When your first two albums are such bonafide classics as to not only launch you to rock fame but also firmly establish your sound and style in everyone’s conscience, it can be difficult to find the space to grow amongst the weeds and weight of expectation, particularly when your third album saw some of the earnestness and depth not quite sacrificed at the altar of “the commercial gamble” (one that paid off, whether or not you choose to blame it on the Boom Boom), but tempered in exchange for slick, rock arena fillers.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Faith In Jane – Axe To Oak

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Since forming in 2008, Thurmont, Maryland trio Faith In Jane has racked up an astounding eight releases of which Axe To Oak (Grimoire) is the latest. Quite impressive when you consider it takes a band such as Guns ‘N’ Roses decades to put out new music. The band is comprised of Dan Mize – guitar/vocals, Brendan Winston – bass, and Alex Llewellyn on drums.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Monster Truck – Warriors

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Canadian quartet Monster Truck have returned with new album Warriors (BMG). This is their fourth record and the title track kicks things off in fine fashion – it is a bouncy number with retro, eighties-era Iron Maiden guitar harmonies provided by guest axeman Dave Baksh of Sum 41 fame. This track sticks to Truckers tried and tested formula, fuzz drenched southern rock with chunky riffs, catchy choruses and chant along backing vocals that do not outstay their welcome.

 

This recipe served them well on 2018 predecessor True Rocker and the same is true here, as the propulsive, no nonsense boogie of ‘Golden Women’ shows. Perhaps the best taster of this is ‘Fuzz Mountain’, a Black Sabbath inspired chugger which is helped along by the insistent background hum of keys.

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ALBUM REVIEWS ROUND-UP: The HU – Revival Black – Long Distance Calling – Miss May I – Beach Rats

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The HU – Rumble of Thunder (Better Noise)

The HU and their joyful rock laced with Mongolian folk condiments rode into our collective consciences with 2019’s brilliant The Gereg, establishing themselves immediately by managing to produce something new, yet simultaneously neither novelty nor cheesy despite its requisite ingredients. A skilful piece of musical chef-ery indeed. Second time around, the HU have sought to refine things a little, less bold in some of their choices, yet with an eye on producing something more palatable to more people now that the attention has been piqued.Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Cave In – Heavy Pendulum

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Released some twenty-five years into a career that saw them burst out of the east-coast hardcore scene in the mid nineties, Heavy Pendulum (Relapse Records) is Cave In’s seventh album, and is a landmark release for the band who sadly lost their bass player Caleb Schofield to a car accident in 2018. Schofield also provided many of Cave In’s heavier vocals, and his role in the band is assumed by close friend Nate Newton (Converge, Deathriders), and who also has a mean voice himself.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Blacktop Mojo – Blacktop Mojo

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From the opening salvo of big bruising rocker ‘Wicked Woman’, you know what Blacktop Mojo’s new self titled album (Cuhmon Records) has in store – a heady mixture of Southern Rock, Grunge and Hard Rock. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Soundgarden and Black Stone Cherry are the ingredients, with the outcome being muscular riffs, big choruses, plenty of volume, and an angsty, grunge-like atmosphere.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Blackberry Smoke – You Hear Georgia

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Southern Rock maestros Blackberry Smoke are back with their seventh album You Hear Georgia (3 Legged Records/Thirty Tiger). The Georgian septet are deep in their groove by now and as the title suggests this new record pays homage to their home state, with Dave Cobb (Rival Sons, Europe) on production duties.

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EXCLUSIVE STREAM: Dusty Bo – “The Red”

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Southern Rock singer Dusty Bo has a name and a backstory that sounds like an old-school country artist. But he brings the modern rock/indie fire and an unmistakable soulful voice along with his killer songs. Formerly the frontman of the band Future Villains, His new single “The Red” comes from his second EP Fox, the latter half of the two-part full-length The Vulture and The Fox coming soon. Hearing him calls to mind Shooter and Stapleton, but also a throwback to earlier singer-songwriters from Kris, Hank, and Croce! Jam out to the new single now, here at Ghost Cult, and purchase and stream it on all DSPs tomorrow.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Jakethehawk – Hinterlands

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At first, Jakethehawk’s second album closely adheres to the relentless wave of Stoner Doom. But while Hinterlands (Ripple Music) is rife with the heavy riffs and spaced-out psychedelia typical in the genre, it reveals a deep pool of influences that include Prog Rock, Shoegaze, Alternative, Folk, and a bit of Southern Rock among other tastes. The results are similar to the eclectic blend seen on Fostermother’s 2020 debut, though with a dramatic scope more in line with the likes of Howling Giant or Sergeant Thunderhoof.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Blacktop Mojo – Under The Sun

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I adore being entrusted with juicy secrets, ask my Skullpals. That does not necessarily mean I am successful at keeping the aforementioned secrets, also ask my Skullpals. Being the Skullgurl, I am privy to hearing new music before the general public. Every once and while I am sent a new album and I find myself checking to see if it was sent to me by the C.I.A. or the F.B.I. because the music is so mind-blowing, it must be highly guarded national secret. Such is the case with the new album by Blacktop Mojo, Under The Sun (Self-Released) The tertiary album by the Southern Rock dynamo’s is a secret that should not be kept, cannot be kept, from the music-loving populous. Full disclosure, I jumped on the Blacktop Mojo magic carpet ride in 2014 when I was sent their debut album, and have been continuously knocked on my keister by the magnitude of talent these five Southern gents possess.Continue reading →