While there might not be many home-grown UK bands out there that are playing genuine southern rock, with the exception of Sons of Liberty who have started to make some waves over the past couple of years, it is a genre that has always been popular over here. The blues-based boogie rock genre, with hints of bluegrass and country, has always chimed with UK audiences in the same way that homegrown boogie-based acts like Status Quo do - and some of the genre's pioneers have always enjoyed large followings in the UK. Lynyrd Skynyrd, even as recently as 2019, still can fill large venues over here, while bands like Blackfoot almost made the UK their home during their 1980s heyday. The UK rock fans love all things southern, and that extends to the genre's modern exponents too. Black Stone Cherry and Blackberry Smoke both do very well over here, with the former even reaching arena status a few years ago - despite having slipped back down the rankings again a little more recently. All of this makes me think that we are soon going to start hearing quite a lot about The Georgia Thunderbolts in the UK rock press - a new, southern rock act from Rome, Georgia who have recently released their debut EP. I say that we will soon be hearing 'quite a lot' about this band in the press, because some of the UK-based rock news sites are already starting to feature them - which is how I discovered them a month or so ago. This may be because the band have already been picked up by Mascot Records and have seemingly been mentored by Black Stone Cherry, but The Georgia Thunderbolts seem to have the music to back all of this steam-gathering up. The band's debut self-titled five-track EP, which was produced by Richard Young (The Kentucky Headhunters), shows The Georgia Thunderbolts to be a mature and confident young band. The Georgia Thunderbolts is certainly not the most raucous and hard-rocking collection of southern rock songs that I have ever heard (it is certainly not a Molly Hatchet album) but each of the five songs here is extremely enjoyable, filled with emotion, and packed with memorable guitar playing. Frontman TJ Lyle has something of a young Ronnie Van Zant about his laid-back, almost solemn vocal delivery (I think people sometimes forget that Van Zant was never really a hell-raiser, despite the genre's reputation); while guitarists Riley Couzzourt and Logan Tolbert trade bluesy riffs and slide passages throughout. There are moments here that rock pretty hard, but this is actually a fairly atmospheric EP. It weaves the more low-key elements of southern rock with blues-based harder rock perfectly; and the result is a very strong debut release that certainly leaves you wanting more.
While it might have been wiser to open the EP with one of the heavier tracks, in truth Looking for an Old Friend perfectly encapsulates what The Georgia Thunderbolts are all about. If you are looking for a collection of songs to knock you off your feet and to party to then this EP might not be for you, but those appreciate the breadth of southern rock will certainly grow to love it. A short acoustic-based intro opens the song, before the rest of the band join in around drummer Bristol Perry's laid-back groove. Aside from Lyle's excellent vocals throughout the EP, the other real standout feature of the band's sound is the slide guitar work. I do not know if Couzzourt or Tolbert (or, perhaps, both) is responsible for this excellent addition to the EP but, for me, the sheer amount of slide work really helps the band to stand out. Slide guitar has always been a feature of southern rock, but The Georgia Thunderbolts have made it a core of their sound - with Looking for an Old Friend essentially packed full of wall-to-wall slide lines that constantly harmonise with Lyle's soulful vocal delivery. There is a lot of blues to be found here, but those classic southern rock melodies are still present - and the whimsical chorus will certainly become stuck in your head after only a couple of listens. A faster, blue-based guitar solo sees the energy raised a little, but on the whole the introduction to The Georgia Thunderbolts is a laid-back sunny afternoon of good company and good beer. So You Wanna Change the World is similar, and in fact sounds like the natural continuation of the EP's opening song. While the rhythms here are a little tougher, and the slide melodies a little less prominent, the vibe is extremely similar. The slide is mostly left to roll out some of the songs main melodies, in a way very reminiscent of Lynyrd Skynyrd's The Ballad of Curtis Loew. In fact, that song is a very apt comparison for the core sound that The Georgia Thunderbolts have settled for. There is an aching, storytelling vibe that permeates through many of the band's songs; from the simple grooves all the way to the grounded lyrics. Again, a solo section sees the energy reaching more of a traditional harder rock level - but on the whole the song is another laid-back track that oozes class and maturity. Lend a Hand changes things up, and is easily the hardest rocking track here. The Black Stone Cherry influence is certainly evident here, as the song's main riff sounds like something that would have featured on one of their early albums, but The Georgia Thunderbolts still manage to make their own sound feel at home within the confines of the slightly heavier riffing. The verses are quite stripped back, with Perry's punchy drumming and Zach Everett's snaking bassline really dominating, before the guitars crash back in for a somewhat anthemic chorus that features subtle vocal harmonies and the occasional slide guitar lick. It is another very memorable moment that sticks in the brain after only a couple of listens; while a screaming guitar solo fills the latter part of the song with plenty of classic rock swagger and energy.
Spirit of a Workin' Man is also slightly more riffy, but the heaviness of Lend a Hand is mostly stripped away to leave a heavy blues groove that perfectly melds Free-esque riffing with the laid-back southern sounds of the EP's opening two numbers. Bands like Free were probably something of an influence on the early southern rock acts, and it is great to see The Georgia Thunderbolts continuing this blues-based trend with strutting riffs weaving in and around the genre's natural country bent. While The Georgia Thunderbolts are not a country band in the way that Blackberry Smoke are for example, being a southern rock band there is a certain country vibe present in many of their songs. The hypnotic guitar line that dominates this song's verse has a bit of a country flavour to it, but rocked up somewhat to fit within the slightly tougher blues-based structure. Subtle Hammnd organ helps to fill the song out even further, giving the track a big sound that shows the ambition of this young band. The EP comes to a close with the seven-minute long Set Me Free which, while certainly not a Free Bird, certainly allows the band a bit more of a chance to cut loose. While Couzzourt and Tolbert have filled all of the EP's songs with plenty of strong leads and slide parts, Set Me Free puts a bit more of an emphasis on their playing - with the closing portion in particular showcasing some excellent soloing. It seems to be an unwritten rule that every southern rock band needs to have an anthemic song with a lengthy guitar workout at the end, and Set Me Free seems to be that song for The Georgia Thunderbolts - especially at this early stage in their career. While, for me, the song is not as memorable vocally as many of the other cuts here, it is the guitar work that makes it stand out. The main guitar line that backs the verses is very hypnotic, but also packed full of bite thanks to the raw production, and there are plenty of little leads here and there that cut through the mix to showcase the talents of the band's two guitarists. It is the aforementioned closing section that really brings the best out of the two players however. Lyle's emotional vocal howls add to the lengthy instrumental section too, his voice almost an instrument in its own right, but the bluesy leads are what make the song what it is. Tellingly however, the band never go over the top at all here. They are clearly going for a natural, laid-back sound and the guitar playing here really showcases that. There is no need for them to go all-out as their talent can be heard from the choice notes that they play - and this certainly helps what is already a very strong EP to end on a high. Overall, The Georgia Thunderbolts is a really good debut release from this new, young band who certainly have the potential to have a big future ahead of them. While some may prefer their southern rock a bit ballsier, I really like the approach that the band have taken and I am already looking forward to hearing where they will go from here.
The EP was released on 21st August 2020 via Mascot Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Looking for an Old Friend.
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