Sons of Liberty's 'Aces & Eights' - Album Review

I often talk on this blog about how the UK has never been a hotbed for various genres of music. This usually relates to European melodic metal (i.e. power, symphonic, and progressive metal), but another genre that the UK has never been a big exporter of is southern rock. Unlike European melodic metal however, which is not significantly popular over here, southern rock has always been loved by UK rock fans. Southern rock is almost exclusively an American export, but the UK has always lapped it up. Lynyrd Skynyrd can still pull big crowds here, and Molly Hatchet regularly tour the UK's club scene. It is also possible that Blackfoot were more popular in the UK than they were in America during the early 1980s - something which goes to show the strong relationship between the UK and southern rock. It could be seen as strange then that not many southern rock bands have been formed in the UK, but I think that the genre is so ubiquitously American that it is hard for non-Americans to truly tap into the southern rock spirit. I see southern rock as America's version of the early 1970s blues and boogie rock boom that was so popular here in the UK - with bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers Band being the American equivalents of UK bands like Free and Status Quo. Blues-based music took on different directions in both countries; meaning that southern rock is just as much a cultural phenomenon as it is a musical one. The UK band that has probably come closest to tapping into the southern rock sound over the years is Foghat. While I would not consider Foghat a southern rock band, there are some similarities in the band's sound to the southern rock genre. I think it is telling too that many people are surprised when they find out that the band from then UK - as they just sound so American. There have been a few other UK-based bands that have attempted to emluate the southern rock sound, and the latest to do so is the Bristol-based five-piece Sons of Liberty. I am not sure when the band were formed, but they released two EPs, ...Shinola and Aged in Oak, in 2018 and their debut album Animism in 2019. They have been making a bit of a name for themselves here in the UK, and their take on southern rock is proving to be popular. I am not sure that the band's southern rock sound is truly that authentic, as is probably true of every southern rock band that is not from America, but there is certainly a lot to enjoy about Sons of Liberty - and their new second album Aces & Eights. I like the band's two EPs a lot, but I never really got into Animism. In truth it was an album that I probably never gave the time it deserved, but for whatever reason it never really grabbed me when I did listen to it. I have been enjoying Aces & Eights a fair bit since its June release however, and for me it is certainly a step up from Animism - with a tough Molly Hatchet-esque grittiness that fuses southern rock with classic British blues.

The album kicks off with the hard-hitting Ruby Starr, a tribute to the late singer who was often a part of Black Oak Arkansas' live entourage. Sons of Liberty certainly know their southern rock trivia, and Ruby Starr is packed full of attitude from the off with its barrelling main riff and strong, blues-based grooves. The band's guitar duo, Fred Hale and Andy 'Moose' Muse, definitely operate at the tougher end of southern rock. There is little of the subtle guitar interplay of bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, and instead approach the genre with a rawness that is certainly more akin to bands like Blackfoot. There southern-fried grooves are not always quite there, but there is still a lot of groove of a different nature to be found - with the song having a strong blues flavour. The song's wah-drenched guitar solo is more Slash in style than Duane Allman, but it is still captivating, while the gang-vocal led chorus is certainly packed full of attitude - with frontman Rob Cooksley demonstrating his vocal grit. Don't Hide Behind Your Weakness is a bit more firmly southern-fried than the album's opening. Dynamics have always been a big part of southern rock, and the mix of clean guitar melodies and more riffy sections makes Don't Hide Behind Your Weakness feels a bit more authentic. Mark Thomas' walking bassline keeps the verses ticking, while the big guitars of Hale and Moose crash in for the song's chorus which is again packed full of attitude. Sons of Liberty are not a band who trade in soaring melodies, but instead rely on grit and attitude to get their message across - and it works. When all taken together, there is much more authenticity to be found in Don't Hide Behind Your Weakness - and it is a strong cut as a result. Black Blizzard also goes for a more dynamic approach, with lots of acoustic guitars and some subtle Hammond organ courtesy of producer Josiah Manning (Kris Barras Band). There are heavier sections, but on the whole the song is a bit more organic sounding - which provides a nice change of pace. Southern rock bands often feature songs of this nature, but usually they take on a more soulful sound than what is achieved here. As good as Cooksley is at belting out the band's hard rockers, I am not convinced that he has the voice for songs that warrant more of a subtle approach. His gruff voice is sometimes a little jarring throughout Black Blizzard, which is a shame. As if to prove my point however, the hard-hitting Beef Jerky Boogie soon crashes in to really showcase the best of Cooksley. I do not like to talk him down, as I like his voice, but he certainly shines much more when the band are operating at full-tilt - and Beek Jerky Boogie is one of the best cuts here. The pace is blistering, and there are Molly Hatchet vibes aplenty. While some of the songs here flirt with southern rock and end up not quite sounding authentic, Beef Jerky Boogie really does. The grooves are there in spades, and the guitar riffing really captures the sound of the south - all while Cooksley wails atop everything. A stand-out moment for me however is the build-up to the song's guitar solo; which features some excellent twin guitar riffing that captures the spirit of the genre perfectly.

Damaged Reputation is similar. While the song is not as fast, the overall vibe is similar - and it is sledgehammer heavy with some powerful riffing and a strong Thomas bass presence. It is similar in style to Ruby Starr, but it just sounds a lot more authentic. Southern rock needs to have a certain spark which is not easy to describe - but it is usually obvious when a song is missing it. For all the reasons that Ruby Starr did not quite hit the southern rock mark, despite being a decent song, Damaged Reputation corrects all the faults - and is packed with stomping grooves that are sure to get anyone moving. Texas Hill Country returns to the more dynamic approach of songs like Don't Hide Behind Your Weakness - with clean guitar-led sections sitting side-by-side with tougher riffing and the occasional screaming lead. I am not sure what a band from Bristol knows about Texas, especially enough for any song that they write about it to be authentic, but the overall sound is strong. Cooksley manages to sound soulful enough to make the slower moments work well, while the song's chorus is pretty memorable with some big backing vocals and a hypnotic guitar melody. On the other hand Fire & Gasoline sounds much less like a southern rock song, and much more like a modern AC/DC track. There is a bit more of a dynamic approach taken than is found during the average AC/DC song, but the guitar tone, some of the riffs, and Cooksley's chorus vocal certainly recalls the Australian legends. Even Steve Byrne's drumming is very reminiscent of Phil Rudd's style here, with the plodding rhythms and the simple bass line from Thomas grounding the song in that AC/DC vein. A bluesy solo caps everything off perfectly, and the song is one of my favourite cuts here - which is strange as it is a bit different to Sons of Liberty's usual fare. Cooksley in particular shines, with his high-pitched chorus screams being packed full of attitude. Doc's Remedy returns to the band's core sound following the short AC/DC-esque excursion, but it is not a track that particularly stands out for me. Some of the riffing is strong, but the grooves just do not really hit home. A big part of what makes southern rock so good are the grooves, and if they are not strong then the song is not going to shine. There is some great slide guitar playing during parts of the song however; it is just a shame that the boogie cannot really back it up. With a bit more rhythm and bounce the song would have probably felt stronger, but for me the grooves do not pack the required punch here.

I Come in Peace has aspirations to be a big southern rock ballad, and it largely works. Despite my reservations about Cooksley's ability to sound soulful enough for these sorts of songs he does an admirable job, and the overall atmosphere is pretty strong. The subtle keyboards throughout add just the right amount of depth, while the guitar melodies are interesting - with a few little leads that add the flair that southern rock is known for. For me, the best part of the song is its chorus. While Cooksley is perhaps not soulful enough for the verses, he really owns the choruses - where he cranks up the power a little and really goes for it. The emotion he pours into the chorus makes up for his lack of a soulful delivery - and this emotion is also channelled during the song's excellent guitar solo. Dead Man's Hand ups the heaviness again, and returns to the sound that was forged on songs like Damaged Reputation, but with even more of a focus placed on groove. The guitar interplay between Hale and Moose is some of the most true southern rock-sounding interplay on the whole album, and Thomas' bassline plays off their work perfectly to create the grooves that the genre is known for. Southern rock is much more complex musically than most give it credit for I think, and Dead Man's Hand does a good job at capturing that. It also helps that the song's chorus is another earworm, with gang vocals and plenty of attitude from Cooksley helping to bring the song to life. Lights Are On features a lot of prominent slide guitar, something which in my opinion the album could have done with some more of. It is a key component of southern rock, and Lights Are On is the first song here that goes all out and bases a whole song around a slide guitar riff. This is something that I would like to see the band explore further in the future, as it really helps to up the overall authenticity of Sons of Liberty's sound. Slide always sounds great in a southern rock context, and when paired with a strong chorus and a gritty vocal the results are usually excellent. The album comes to a close with the down-and-dirty blues of Whiskey is My Vaccine, a song which has a strong ZZ Top vibe. Cooksley even sounds a little like Billy Gibbons throughout, while Thomas nails the walking bass playing style of the late Dusty Hill. Some call ZZ Top a southern rock band, although I have never seen them as a such personally. Regardless of ZZ Top's genre, they are a great band - and Sons of Liberty can do a pretty good impression of the Texas three-piece when they want to. Whiskey is My Vaccine is memorable as a result as it sounds quite different to the rest of the album - and it brings the album to a close with a real slab of good, old-fashioned blues rock. Looking back across the whole album, it is clear that Sons of Liberty have done well with their second full-length release. While I sometimes feel that the band's take on southern rock is not that authentic, there are enough moments where they get things right that it makes Aces & Eights a worthwhile listen. There is a lot to enjoy throughout the album, and any fan of southern and blues rock should certainly check it out.

The self-released album was released on 18th June 2021. Below is the band's promotional video for Damaged Reputation.