Blackberry Smoke's 'You Hear Georgia' - Album Review

Atlanta's Blackberry Smoke are a band that I have been into since around 2014. The band's third studio album The Whippoorwill, which was originally released in 2012, was the first of their albums to be officially released in the UK in 2013 - and I am sure that I am not the only person here that was turned onto the band as a result of the press that The Whippoorwill belatedly received as a result. Since then however, Blackberry Smoke have always enjoyed a cosy relationship with UK rock fans. The band's live shows are always well attended, and many of their albums have sold well over here - with some even charting. This is somewhat surprising, considering that country music has never been particularly popular over here. American country acts that regularly fill stadiums throughout the US are relatively unknown in the UK, but Blackberry Smoke have somewhat bucked that trend. In truth, the five-piece are not exactly a pure country act - but they have always had a big dose of country in their sound, and it is something that they seem to have focused on more and more over the years. The band's early work was much more southern rock-orientated, but with a country vibe, but more recently the band have had more of a country sound with a southern rock vibe. This has meant that some of the band's more recent work has not really connected with me. In my view, the band's peak is The Whippoorwill, which is a fantastic album, but the albums that followed have all been weaker - with 2016's Like An Arrow (which I reviewed here) being the low point for me. 2018's Find a Light (which I also reviewed here) was a step in the right direction, but in truth it is not an album that I have revisited that much of late - despite enjoying it quite a lot around its release. When I reach for Blackberry Smoke it is usually either The Whippoorwill or 2009's Little Piece of Dixie, with the band's more country-focused work getting much less of a look in. I was hoping that the band's seventh album would be a bit more up my street, so I was pleasantly surprised when You Hear Georgia dropped through my letterbox last month. Produced by Dave Cobb, who has done excellent work with both Europe and Rival Sons in recent years, You Hear Georgia is easily the most southern rock that the band have sounded since The Whippoorwill. There is still plenty of country to be found, but the balance between harder-hitting tracks and the country sound is tipped more in the favour of the former this time around. Frontman and songwriter Charlie Starr has really upped his game here, and I am sure that Cobb's rock pedigree helped bring the best out of the band too. The band have also been joined in the studio by a couple of choice special guests - as well as members of their now-expanded live entourage. Guitarist Benji Shanks (who specialises in slide) and percussionist Preston Holcomb are featured throughout; while sisters Sherie and Sherita Murphy add their voices to a handful of songs.

Those who, like me, have wanted Blackberry Smoke to properly return to their rock roots will be very pleased with how this album opens up. The first couple of tracks here are proper southern rockers, with just enough blues and country to recall the band's early albums. These first two songs were co-written by Dave Lizmi (The Four Horsemen), and showcase the band doing what they do best. Live It Down opens with a brash guitar riff, and it really sets the tone perfectly for the opening portion of the album. Blackberry Smoke have rarely sounded this raw in recent years, and the track is a real showcase for the whole band. Richard Turner's prominent bassline helps to drive the song, especially during the bluesy verses, while Brandon Still's roaring Hammond organ provides the perfect segue into a catchy chorus that makes great use of the Murphy sisters' soulful voices as they harmonise with Starr. The song's guitar solo is very country influenced, but the dirty guitar tone used helps it fit in perfectly with the song's raw overall aesthetic. The album's title track follows, and it continues on the raw rock vibes of Live It Down. You Hear Georgia is more of a mid-paced song however, so it feels a little tougher as a result - despite the country vibes still being present. There is a big Lynyrd Skynyrd feel throughout the whole song however, thanks to a combination of Shanks' tasteful slide guitar leads and some subtle boogie piano melodies from Still. Still, in my opinion, has always been underused in Blackberry Smoke - so it is great to hear his playing given much more space in the mix throughout this album. You Hear Georgia is one of those songs where everything just seems to pull together perfectly - and as a result it is a great overall representation of the band's core sound. The balance between hard-hitting southern rock and country is perfectly balanced, and the prominence of Shanks' slide playing in particular is what make the song a real treat. Hey Delilah is similar, but with less of an overall toughness and more of a laid back country groove. It works well however, with Starr's playful, infectious vocal melodies sticking in the brain while Brit Turner and Holcomb lay down a shuffling drum/percussion groove. Slide and rumbling piano add colour throughout, but it is the song's overall groove that makes it stand out. This is the sort of country that I like, as it still has enough southern rock to make it tick. There is a bite to the song despite its somewhat more laid back vibes, and it is sure to go down well live as a result due to its infectious rhythms and dirty slide lines.

Ain't the Same, which was co-written by Keith Nelson (Buckcherry), is a much smoother song that recalls some of the ballads on the band's more recent albums - but the song seems much more well-rounded as a result. Cobb's production gives the band much more space to breathe, with both Still's piano and Richard Turner's bass adding a lot to the flow of the country ballad. I think it helps that the vocal hooks are much stronger this time around too. The song's chorus is a great one, and Starr's mournful voice is perfect to deliver the low key melodies. It is a very memorable chorus as a result, with some more occasional slide lines helping to really add depth overall - and helping to turn the song into one of the band's best ballads for a while. Lonesome for a Livin', which is sung as a duet between Starr and country star Jamey Johnson, is the album's first real moment of pure country. It actually recalls Yesterday's Wine from Little Piece of Dixie a little, which also featured Johnson, with its downbeat vibe and raw overall sound. Johnson's deep voice is very different from Starr's more southern rock twang, and the two play off each other very nicely throughout - while acoustic guitars and laid back slide lines create a strong atmosphere. This side of Blackberry Smoke might not be my favourite, but I can enjoy their pure country moments on occasion - and there are far fewer moments like this throughout You Hear Georgia, which makes them far more enjoyable for me. All Rise Again returns to more rockier pastures, with Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers Band; Gov't Mule) adding his voice and guitar talents to a song that he co-wrote with Starr. Haynes is always a good addition to any southern/blues rock album - and his bluesy voice fits perfectly within the raw, mid-paced rock of the track. There is some great guitar playing throughout the song, but the overall highlight for me is the vocal interplay between Starr and Haynes. Having two duets in a row is an interesting concept, but the songs show the vocal diversity of Starr - as well as his ability to team up well with other singers. There are lots of great harmonies between him and Haynes throughout All Rise Again, and it is another memorable cut as a result. Old Enough to Know is another pure country track, with lots of acoustic guitar melodies and the occasional aching slide line. Again however, the song just seems much more well-rounded than some of the similar songs that have appeared on the band's other recent albums. I do feel that Cobb's influence on this album has really improved the Blackberry Smoke sound in nearly every way however, as there is just so much more going on in even the most basic of acoustic songs. As mentioned earlier, Still's keyboards are much more prominent throughout this album - and his contributions give these country moments much more depth than they would have had previously.

Morningside is another rocker, but it has an atmospheric depth that recalls songs like Crimson Moon from the band's past. Morningside is much slower in pace however, but the riffing throughout is very strong - with Starr and Paul Jackson teaming up throughout for some weighty moments. The Turner brothers' rhythms and grooves perfectly compliment this more hard-hitting approach too, while the atmospherics provided by Still's keyboards creates the song's swirling depth. As a result, the song is one that really brings the best out of everyone involved, and is the sort of showcase piece that the band have not really done for a few years at this point. There are a few songs like this on their older albums, but with their pursuit of a much more country-based sound of late this depth has been lost. It is great to have it back, and the song is likely to be a great addition to the band's live shows as a result. All Over the Road picks up the pace, and is a great slab of boogie blues rock that features brash riffing borrowed from the album's opening moments and plenty more of Shanks' excellent slide work. There is nothing complicated about this track, but it is a perfect mix of southern rock, country, and blues that all comes together nicely to make a song that allows everyone involved to really let their hair down. This is, again, something that has largely been missing from the band's more recent albums - and the carefree attitude throughout the song is refreshing, as it just packed full of great southern rhythms and boogie. The album comes to a close with the dynamic Old Scarecrow which was co-written by Rickey Medlocke (Lynyrd Skynyrd; Blackfoot). Sadly Medlocke is not featured here, but his songwriting style is apparent throughout. It opens slowly, with some country-infused guitar picking and Starr's vocals, but it soon explodes into a hard-hitting mid-paced rocker with some great blues inflections and plenty of screaming slide guitar leads. The album opened in tough fashion, and Old Scarecrow allows it to end in a similar way - although the album's closer is much more dynamic in style, shifting between acoustic-based sections and tougher, bluesier sections with ease. It is one of the few songs here that does that too, with most of the other numbers here largely sticking to one style throughout. It helps to make Old Scarecrow a great closing number as result however, as it contains a lot of the band's core tropes in one song - which will help to remind listeners one final time what a great band Blackberry Smoke can be. In truth however, I think that the whole album acts as that reminder - at least it has for me. I have been somewhat disappointed with a good chunk of the band's more recent albums, but You Hear Georgia is consistently great and has really renewed my faith in the band. There is a lot of great southern rock throughout the album, and even the pure country moments are much more enjoyable this time around. It is easily their best album since The Whippoorwill, and it one that I will be listening to a lot over the coming months I am sure.

The album was released on 28th May 2021 via 3 Legged Records. Below is the band's promotional video for You Hear Georgia.