These ‘Good ol’ boys’ from Alabama wear their politics on their sleeve and push their message through three guitars and drums played at breakneck speed. But again they are so much more than that. Lee Bains has such great voice and range and he could easily reinvent himself ala Nathaniel Rateliffe if he so wanted. He’d certainly have more commercial success but would probably lose a little of his soul. The band’s new album the excellent ‘Youth Detention’ is a real progression. Yes there are still the absolute rockers but this album has a real depth and light and shade across an hour and 17 tracks.
Tonight is a showcase for that album with a few oldies and a great bonus encore of 2468 Motorway added to boot. It’s a relentless hour of top quality Southern country rock. The band are tight and there’s no room for a Rixla between them both physically on stage and musically from the driving rhythm section to the understated lead guitars.
It’s good to see their audience growing after a poor turnout the last time I saw them in London and with albums and shows like this their reputation over here can only grow.
Highlights were probably ‘The City Walls’ from the new album along with the classic ‘Company Man’. If you want a rocking good night then check them out. They remind me a lot of another great Southern band from a neighbouring state, Lucero. Great songs, great musicians and they rock like a bastard.
A top top night and keep on Southern rockin’ y’all