BlackberrySmoke__81_a30fe
@BlackberrySmoke__81_a30fe
BLACKBERRY SMOKE
There’s a void on rock radio, and it’s downright criminal. Not since the heyday of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet and 38 Special has southern rock truly owned the airwaves. Sure, there were breakthroughs here and there by the likes of Jackyl, the Black Crowes and Sister Hazel, but in this age of prefabrication, honest, heartfelt, whiskey-soaked rock ‘n’ roll has been relegated to regional entertainment. That’s primed to change in a big way with the rise of Blackberry Smoke, an Atlanta four-piece armed with the chops and cred to lead the new breed. With sophomore full-length A Little Piece of Dixie (Big Karma / Adrenaline) blending bluegrass, boogie, country and hard rock sensibilities, BBS flaunt not only a potent arsenal, but the blessing of their influential forefathers.
Due out in June, A Little Piece of Dixie is already spawning hits—the hard-driving, layered riffing of “Up in Smoke” popped up in EA While listeners enjoy the tunes regardless of categorization, the band enjoys making prestigious friends criss-crossing the country—check out the MySpace pics of BBS hanging, and often playing, with heavyweights like Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Slash and Kid Rock—and opening for heroes like outlaw country icon David Allan Coe.
Sports’ NASCAR 08 (Starr’s son looped it to the point of nearly driving his father crazy), and anthemic first single “Good One Comin’ On” featured prominently in the Kevin Costner political comedy Swing Vote. The rest of the record oozes addictive melodies and hooks, not to mention multiple shots of Starr’s trademark dry wit. When he sings about getting to the “bottom of this” in the song of the same name, he means a bottle just as much as his problems. But Dixie isn’t exclusively fun and games; Starr’s just as passionate describing the rigors of being away from family on the road in the poignant “Say a Prayer for the Lil Man,” co-written by Grammy-winner Craig Wiseman (Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw).
There’s a void on rock radio, and it’s downright criminal. Not since the heyday of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet and 38 Special has southern rock truly owned the airwaves. Sure, there were breakthroughs here and there by the likes of Jackyl, the Black Crowes and Sister Hazel, but in this age of prefabrication, honest, heartfelt, whiskey-soaked rock ‘n’ roll has been relegated to regional entertainment. That’s primed to change in a big way with the rise of Blackberry Smoke, an Atlanta four-piece armed with the chops and cred to lead the new breed. With sophomore full-length A Little Piece of Dixie (Big Karma / Adrenaline) blending bluegrass, boogie, country and hard rock sensibilities, BBS flaunt not only a potent arsenal, but the blessing of their influential forefathers.
Due out in June, A Little Piece of Dixie is already spawning hits—the hard-driving, layered riffing of “Up in Smoke” popped up in EA While listeners enjoy the tunes regardless of categorization, the band enjoys making prestigious friends criss-crossing the country—check out the MySpace pics of BBS hanging, and often playing, with heavyweights like Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Slash and Kid Rock—and opening for heroes like outlaw country icon David Allan Coe.
Sports’ NASCAR 08 (Starr’s son looped it to the point of nearly driving his father crazy), and anthemic first single “Good One Comin’ On” featured prominently in the Kevin Costner political comedy Swing Vote. The rest of the record oozes addictive melodies and hooks, not to mention multiple shots of Starr’s trademark dry wit. When he sings about getting to the “bottom of this” in the song of the same name, he means a bottle just as much as his problems. But Dixie isn’t exclusively fun and games; Starr’s just as passionate describing the rigors of being away from family on the road in the poignant “Say a Prayer for the Lil Man,” co-written by Grammy-winner Craig Wiseman (Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw).