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The songs' musical and emotional appeal is further elevated by the band's three-part vocal harmonies and expanded arrangements that make judicious use of fiddle and added percussion. The 12-song set-produced by Brendan O'Brien, whose previous production clients have included AC/DC, Aerosmith, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young-showcases the Atlanta-based quintet's emotion-charged mix of bluesy rock, gospel soul, and country, with Starr's raspy twang matched by his and Paul Jackson's snarling guitars, Brandon Still's hauntingly expressive organ and piano, and the propulsive sibling rhythm section of Richard and Brit Turner. Indeed, Holding All the Roses compellingly captures the energy, attitude and honesty that have already helped to make Blackberry Smoke one of America's hottest live rock 'n' roll outfits, as well as a grass-roots phenomenon with a large and fiercely loyal fan base that reflects the band's tireless touring regimen and staunch blue-collar work ethic. The album comes in a number of formats CD, download, and an array of limited edition vinyl versions that are sure to become collectors’ items in years to come."I think that this record does a really good job of conveying what we do and what we're about," Blackberry Smoke singer-guitarist-songwriter Charlie Starr says of Holding All the Roses, the band's fourth studio album and its first Rounder release. Who said bands didn’t make ‘albums’ anymore?Īll in all a solid album that should delight existing fans and help push the band’s profile higher still in the UK. It’s a very cohesive album and for all the variety be it blues, country, folk or straight ahead rock all the songs sit very well together.
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It will get under your skin and get stuck in your brain you’ll be humming this one for months. ‘Rock And Roll Again’ is one of the more simple songs on the album, with an almost Quo like quality. Ultimately, Blackberry Smoke is the epitome of a good time band. The tight harmonies are there as you’d expect and even when the subject matter and lyrics are clearly quite downbeat such as on ‘Living In The Song’, the delivery and passion of the music is uplifting. ‘Holding All The Roses’ itself is an up tempo country rock classic and is complemented by violin and searing lead guitar breaks the kind of country rock of a moonshine gang chasing you in a pickup with pitchforks set to stun.įor those who have bought the Leave A Scar live album will already be familiar with ‘Payback’s A Bitch’, and indeed a couple of these tracks were aired at their recent UK shows too. Opening track ‘Let Me Help You (Find The Door)’ with swirling keys and guitar is reminiscent of early Tom Petty. Produced by Brendan O’Brien (AC/DC, Springsteen, Pearl Jam), you may expect this to be a slightly rockier affair than previous outings, and while there are heavier moments, none of their variety is lost. With such activity it seems hard to believe that album number 4 is upon us already. The latter half of the year saw them keep up momentum with the release of a double live album and another tour of larger venues. The release of The Whipporwill album in February was the first UK release by the band, although it was their third album, and the subsequent tour saw venue upgrades aplenty with tickets sales buoyant from considerable airplay. 2014 was the year Blackberry Smoke eventually made their mark on the UK.