Blackberry Smoke's 'Find a Light' - Album Review

When the Atlanta-based southern rock five-piece Blackberry Smoke finally secured a deal with extreme metal label Earache Records (a strange pairing if there ever was one) to release their music in Europe in 2014, it seemed that the band would make big waves. The band's third album, 2012's The Whippoorwill, was released here in the UK in 2014 and it was an instant hit in the rock world. The band had played small venues in the UK prior to The Whippoorwill's eventual release over here, but were soon catapulted to much more prestigious mid-sized halls when they returned later that year. The band's mix of southern rock, blues, and country music certainly struck a chord with a lot of people, with hints of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Eagles, and even occasionally Status Quo in Blackberry Smoke's organic rock sound. The show I saw in London on the Winter 2014 tour was excellent, and The Whippoorwill became one of my most-listened to albums of the time. Despite releasing two albums either side of The Whippoorwill however, their 2012 release remains their high water mark - for me at least. That album contains the songs which best represent their sound, with rock, blues, and country represented in almost-equal measure. Since then however, maybe in an attempt to really make a big name for themselves in their native America, Blackberry Smoke have really been pushing the country in their sound to the fore - often at the expense of everything else. 2016's Like an Arrow (which I reviewed here) was the culmination of the push towards this country-above-all-else sound, and it really suffered as a result. Re-reading my review of that album reminded me that Like an Arrow contained only three real rock tracks, with country blandness permeating many of the remaining tracks. I have not listened to the album since I wrote that review in December of 2016, and I cannot see myself returning to it any time soon. When I saw that the band were releasing a follow-up a mere 18 months after Like an Arrow I really hoped that this time they had decided to be a rock band again. An early listen to a single did not fill me with confidence, but when the album dropped through my letterbox last month and I gave it a listen to I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Find a Light, the band's sixth studio album, still has a lot of country DNA in its blood, but the band has also remembered that they are allowed to let their hair down sometimes! The rock and blues sounds that made The Whippoorwill, the two albums before it, and even 2015's raw Holding all the Roses (which I reviewed here) so enjoyable. Bandleader and songwriter Charlie Starr seems to have regained some of his mojo here, and plenty of dirty bluesy, southern riffs are to be found throughout which sees the band sounding, thankfully, more like their old selves.

The album opens with Flesh and Bone, a fuzzy bluesy rocker that packs much more of a punch than the majority of Like an Arrow's songs combined. A simple riff drives the song, which leads to an organic verse which sees the band's two guitarists settling into the groove of the riff while drummer Brit Turner lays down a hollow beat. Starr's vocals are as drenched in southern drawl as always, which fits the sound perfectly, and he really lets rip as the song reaches the chorus which is totally enveloped by Brandon Still's Hammond organ. The pace of the song remains the same throughout, at a speed slightly slower than the traditional mid-pace, but this suits the bluesy feel of the song perfectly and really allows the keyboards to shine during the chorus sections. The song fades out on a smooth guitar solo atop the bluesy riff, which instantly brings back memories of the band's earlier work. Run Away from it All has a brighter sound, mixing blues rock and country perfectly to remind the listener of some of the songs found on Holding all the Roses. It is one of a few songs here that Starr co-wrote with former Buckcherry guitarist Keith Nelson and the partnership seems to have been a fruitful one. The mix of a country bluesman and a sleazy rocker seems like a strange mix, but the songs the two have written together are great additions to this album. This one has all the classic Blackerry Smoke hallmarks, with subtle guitar leads throughout from Starr and fellow guitarist Paul Jackson, a strong chorus, and a mixture of electric and acoustic instruments. Like the previous number, this song features a long closing guitar solo that is packed full of great bluesy phrasing. It is good to see the band letting their hair down again here as they were awfully restrained throughout their previous outing. The Crooked Kind is a slightly heavier piece, with booming hollow drums and a fast-paced pre-chorus that really packs a punch. Throughout the song the guitars, which have a raw bluesy tone to them, continue to intertwine perfectly mixing in subtle leads among the rhythms. The main draw of this song however is the southern rock riffs that are constantly peeled off here. After the laid back approach taken on the previous album, it is great to see the band channelling their inner Lynyrd Skynyrd again with some proper rock riffs to drive their songs. After three rockier pieces, Medicate my Mind is the first acoustic-led piece. It is not a country ballad however, but a mid-paced country rocker with a strong percussive backing and acoustic guitars that sound like they are being played in the same room as you. Hammond organ is used throughout to add a bit of depth, but it is the guitars that drive everything here as Starr croons the lyrics. The song does build up as it moves along, with electric guitars and proper drums being thrown into the mix towards the end, but it is the early acoustic sections that stick most in the memory.

I've Got This Song is another country piece, but this has more of a ballad feel with a slower pace and a mournful chord sequence that forms a darker backing for Starr's lyrics. Songs like this filled Like an Arrow, but fewer placed in the context of a more varied album such as this one make them more palatable and interesting. Session player Levi Lowrey adds some violin to the piece, which helps to add to the sorrowful feeling with some twisting lines that work well alongside Starr's vocals. There is even a violin solo instead of the traditional guitar solo which helps to reinforce the song's country kudos. Best Seat in the House returns the rock to the album, and plays out as a mid-paced country rocker that sounds like the sound crafted on The Whippoorwill. As a result the piece is one of my favourites on the album as it really reminds me of why I fell in love with the band in the first place. The chorus is packed with hooks, and has a vocal that you can easily sing while the band settles into a southern groove. Those who loved the band's early work will certainly find plenty to enjoy in this song, and could turn heads of a few of those who have been turned off by the band's other recent work. This is modern country rock at its best, and shows that Blackberry Smoke can still write top quality songs. This level of quality is maintained on I'll Keep Ramblin', which is probably the best cut here. Starr wrote the song with famed pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph, who is featured throughout, and it is a powerful southern rock piece in the Lynyrd Skynyrd or Molly Hatchet mould, but with a little more of a county twang. The riffs throughout are excellent, and sees the band jamming well with Randolph for a melodic and soulful sound. Still plays the piano, and attacks it in that barroom style that the late Billy Powell made a career out of. Further on in the song a gospel choir is used to great effect to create a really upbeat vibe that is sure to see some movement if the band choose to play the song live. This leads into a choppy guitar solo which fits in with the kinetic energy created throughout. Seems So Far is another country ballad that ticks all the boxes but fails to truly hit the spot after two excellent rockers. The piece is acoustic-led as is to be expected, but some occasional slide guitar breaks help to add some additional melody where required. Sadly the song just fails to really lodge itself in the brain due to a lack of real hooks. Starr mostly croons the song without really injecting a lot of character into his delivery, and there is no real chorus as such to hang everything around. It was an abundance of songs like this that made Like an Arrow fall so flat, but luckily here these kind of songs are few and far between.

Lord Strike Me Dead is a bluesy piece that has plenty of Hammond organ from Still and choppy riffing that allows Starr to sing with his drawl. The keyboards actually form the basis of the song's main melody, and it is great to see Still brought the front here. Sadly Blackberry Smoke seem to have underused Still's talents throughout the majority of their discography and it is great to here him driving everything with a John Paul Jones-esque organ riff here. The best southern rock bands make liberal use of keyboards, and I feel that this is an area that Blackberry Smoke could improve to vary their sound up a bit. Lay Me Down Easy is another country piece, but this one is more upbeat with punchy percussion and the occasional organ riff shining through. Starr sings the song passionately, and is backed up nicely by session vocalist Amanda Shires who harmonises well with Starr to create an honest, old fashioned country sound. Despite the over-reliance on country in their recent works, songs like this are perfect for Blackberry Smoke and are still packed with enough melodies to make them able to hold their own against the rockier pieces here. Speaking of rockier pieces, Nobody Gives a Damn is a raw rocker that really harks back to the band's early albums. The song is blessed with a great chorus and some excellent bluesy guitar tones that really crash out of the speakers. The short guitar solo that comes in after the first chorus really comes out the blue and slices its way through the mix perfectly. Moments like this show Blackberry Smoke channelling some of the best southern rock bands of old and is another reminder of what good me so hooked on The Whippoorwill a few years ago. In fact this song probably contains the best lead guitar display on the album, with a few solo sections sprinkled throughout the piece for plenty of bluesy goodness. Till the Wheels Fall Off has a similar sound, but slows things down a little to make something which is somewhere between a rocker and a ballad. There are some great southern riffs here, and it is also good to once again here Still's organ positioned quite high in the mix for washings of retro sounds. While not as powerful as the previous song, it still fills the speakers nicely as the album beings to wind down. The album's closing number Mother Mountain is another piece of true country with twangy vocal harmonies and dense acoustic guitars. It is only a relatively short song, but it works well to close out the album with something that sounds like it could have been recorded 50 or 60 years ago. After two big rock pieces, this soothing song helps to end the album on a bit of a calm note and allows everything to relax a little after the previous blues workouts. There is something much more interesting about songs like this than say songs like Seems So Far, and shows that pure country can be good when done right and mixed in with other sounds. Overall, Find a Light is a bit of a return to form for Blackberry Smoke and is easily their strongest album since The Whippoorwill. It is great to see the band returning more to their rock roots here churning out some powerful riffs alongside more gentle acoustic pieces.

The album was released on 6th April 2018 via Earache Records. Below is the band's promotional audio clip of I'll Keep Ramblin'.