Blackberry Smoke
Holding All the Roses
Reviewed by: Jane Roser
Well folks, Atlanta, Georgia’s reigning Southern rock band Blackberry Smoke has done it again. Their fourth studio album, Holding All The Roses will release February 10th on Rounder Records and their loyal fan base should be pleased and pleasantly surprised by the follow up to 2012’s acclaimed album, The Whipporwill.
Recorded live at The Quarry Recording Studio in Georgia and Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood within a little over a week, Holding All The Roses is a mixture of harder-edged material with a few ballads peppered into the 12-track album. The band (Charlie Starr- lead vocals/guitar, Paul Jackson-guitar, Brandon Still-keyboard, Richard Turner-bass and Brit Turner-drums) worked with famed producer/mixer/musician Brendan O’Brien (The Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen) to create a record that captures their spirit, passion and playful cheekiness.
Kicking off with “Let Me Help You (Find The Door)”, which incorporates heavy percussion and electric guitar to create a fun, textured beat, the album catches its breath on “Woman in the Moon” before going into the catchy, old school country-style tune “Too High”.
I first heard “Rock and Roll Again” as an encore at a live show and it blew me away. When I interviewed Starr soon afterwards, I asked him if it would be included on the new album. “It should,” he said, “it’s a good rock and roll song.” With a swagger that packs a wallop, this tune is like a white-hot, turbo-powered muscle car: “She made me rock and roll again/put the dirty in my mind again/ain’t nothing to it, boy she pulled me back in again/my baby made me rock and roll again.”
“Randolph County Farewell” is a short (1.17 minutes) instrumental ditty on acoustic guitar and a great segue into “Payback’s A Bitch”, which was on the band’s 2014 Leave A Scar: Live in North Carolina album. It warns the object of their distaste to keep looking over their shoulder “’cause every day gets closer to what’s coming for you.” It’s lyrically colorful, ballsy and kicks your ass, then hangs you out to dry.
One of my favorite tracks is “Wish In One Hand” which has a chorus riddled with Southern expressions (“wish in one hand, shit in the other and see which one fills up first” basically means when a person wants the impossible). It’s classic Blackberry Smoke and the lyrics are deliciously witty: “Wishing that you would have nothing to hide, but if wishes were horses, we’d all get to ride” and “The envy of everyone you’re aching to be/If wishes had eyes then the blind man could see.”
If you pre-ordered this album and purchased tickets for their upcoming tour, then well done you! If not, hop to it. This album is golden and makes me want to rock and roll again.
Rating: Iconic
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I think you nailed it with this review. The thing the readers need to truly understand about this band is that they are one of the best live performing bands today. You get that way when you do over 250 shows a year. The band is tight and they have one of the biggest loyal following’s out there. I’ll be hosting those fans when they come to Louisville Kentucky on March 14. I expect people from at least 15 different states to come in. If you haven’t caught onto Blackberry Smoke yet then you’re missing a real treat.