Brothers of the Southland “Brothers of the Southland” (ZOHO Music 200906)

by Beverly Paterson in Album Reviews

Are you ready for a new supergroup? If so, cordially cock your ears towards the Brothers of the Southland. Composed of Bo Bice from “American Idol,” along with members of Wet Willie, The Outlaws, The Allman Brothers and The Black Crowes, here’s a band highly educated in the fine art of southern rock, and plays the music in the manner it was intended to be played.

Southern rock, as we know it today, was conceived in the late sixties and early seventies, when it seemed as though every single greasy haired, bell bottomed group was experimenting with different sounds and styles. By pumping strains of soul, blues, funk, country and gospel into hard rocking improvisational jams, southern rock was born. The music was initially aimed at the counterculture crowd, but within a few years commercial success came calling. The Allman Brothers, Wet Willie, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, The Outlaws, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Marshall Tucker Band, Blackfoot and The Charlie Daniels Band were especially responsible for putting southern rock on the mainstream map, as they scored top forty hits. By the time the seventies started winding down, it wasn’t unusual for such bands to share the airwaves with disco acts or pop purveyors like Barry Manilow and Billy Joel. But by no means did southern rock lose its underground footing. FM radio staunchly supported the bands, who were equally accepted by fans of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin as they were by those listening only to AM stations. Southern rock obviously had the best of both worlds.

Powerful and to the point, “Brothers of the Southland” is rich with melody and dazzling instrumentation. These guys may be rehearsed professionals, but they’re still loose and natural. Guitars wail, harmonicas screech and a honking saxophone is always close at hand. Launching off to the bracing bluster of “Rock And Roll Survivor,” the record retains its energy and elasticity throughout the show. Navigated by funky rhythms, “Travlin’ Light These Days” gets the head bobbing and the knees knocking, “Dixie Highway” swivels, crunches and rocks with total assurance, and the gritty “Back In The Day” is an ode to music of the past, when it was “good and loud” as the lyrics state. Sculpted of weaving arrangements, the title track of the album is moving and emotional, while “Change Is Comin’” smokes with fervor and “Long Goodbye” is potent mid-tempo ballad. Loyal covers of Gregg Allman’s “Dreams” and The Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See” also cement the album. A homegrown feel, matched by an inbred instinct for the music makes “Brothers of the Southland” a rewarding effort.