Blackberry Smoke Are Holding All The Roses

I saw Blackberry Smoke open for Jackyl somewhere around 2003.  They did a cover of Molly Hatchet's "Flirtin' With Disaster"  and the following day so did my band.  There are elements of Southern Rock I really dig and some not as much.  But basically I love thick heavy Les Paul's played through JCM 800's with lyrics filled with wisdom so simple that it never ceases to be true. 

 

Blackberry Smoke has come a long way in developing their style and sound since then.  The band I saw over a decade ago was a loud beer guzzlers soundtrack to southern living.  Now they are all that with a little more nuance.  Their latest offering Holding All The Roses isn't a balls out rocker but it is filled with plenty of balls and plenty of rock.  The type that makes southern rock addictive even to those of us in the North Star state.

 

Brendan O'Brien produced and if you pay any attention to rock music that name doesn't need much explanation.  A-Y, he's worked with everyone from AC/DC to Neil Young and his production on this record doesn't disappoint.

 

The record opens with the foot tapping "Let Me Help You (Find The Door)" followed by the title track which didn't seem right to listen to without a beer.  "Rock N Roll Again" is sure to be a staple in their set list. "Wish In One Hand" is so southern it burned my neck.  It's so southern Neil Young just wrote a song about it.  It's so southern I voted for Huey Long after listening to it.  So yeah. Its pretty good.

 

While there are definite highlights I wouldn't say there's a bad song on the record.  Like all good southern rockers Blackberry Smoke has mastered the art of using cliché's without sounding cliché'.  There's a song called "Payback's A Bitch" for fucks sake.  And it kicks ass.  "Lay It All On Me" is probably the funnest song on the record for anyone who's a sucker for a catchy acoustic riff.  Not the most original composition but when it's this good who cares.   

 

So here's the thing.  Blackberry Smoke recently played my town.  In the middle of winter.  I have summered in Minnesota (where I live), Arizona, Texas, California, North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia.  And I don't mind saying.  As much as the Minnesota winter sucks it is hard to beat our summers.  In other words.  Bring your country asses back in July and play in my alley.  There is little doubt this record won't be the soundtrack of some weekend that finds me in my backyard smoking the tasty parts of a hog as I crack another beer and reach for my wife's ass.

 

Buy this record and see this band.  Don't forget to use the Amazon link and help keep Decibel Geek rollin'.    

 

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Danko Jones - Fire Music

"I wanna save the world and fuck in toilet stalls"

 

That may be the smartest lyric in the history of Rock N' Roll if not the best.  I fucking love Danko Jones.  Which kinda sucks because the country I live in seems to go to great lengths to keep him from crossing our border. I can say for certain I am not King of this land because if I was Danko Jones would play every Super Bowl, sing the national anthem at my christening (That's a thing for Kings right?) and I would only wipe my ass with toilet paper endorsed by my official Ambassador of Kick Ass.  (Danko)

 

Since I can only inspire to make all things right in the world I may as well take my personal powers (bias) and use it to wield a subtle change and explain why you are wrong to not love Danko. Well as much as I can with a record review.

 

I have three (count em') complaints about Danko Jones.

 

1. I can't purchase the song Rock N Roll Proletariat

2. I live in Minnesota which is basically Canada of the United States.  He should come here more often.

3. He's not my BFF

 



 Ambassador Of Kick Ass

After the eternal chub I got from his 2010 release Below The Belt I was a little let down by it's follow up Rock N Roll Is Black N Blue.  (The fanboy in me wants to disagree but it's true) so, I really want to like this record.  Here's the thing.  Danko is what's right about Rock N Roll.  Every musician, no matter the genre', should approach their craft with the same realness Danko does.  Rock N' Roll is very real to him.  Drugs booze and bitches only work if you do it well.  A boring song about boning a groupie is really just a boring song.  But a great song about killing so many people you need body bags (ie. plural) is a great song.  If you don't get that you won't get Danko.  Or good music.  Why are you reading this?

 

The first song Wild Woman is of course an upbeat rocker.  Danko seems to have fallen for a girl that won't listen to love anymore.  And she's wild.  And a woman.  Pretty straight up.  Kind of reminds me of Dio in that he would always start his records with an upbeat song that was good but not great.   

 

The Twisting Knife has that punk Danko feel.  It's on songs like this his similarity to Michael Graves singing really hits.  On the first few listen's this was flyover for me.  But it's really quite good.

 

Gonna Be A Fight Tonight stays the course.  Danko don't do slow.  From twilight up til' dawn.  Danko stays true to his formula.  Which is quite simple:  Kick ass and take a shower.  Body Bags is the song about killing so many people you need a shovel and multiple body bags.  A Ziploc commercial tie in seems reasonable.  This song... I love.

 

Live Forever may be my favorite.  I can't tell if the woman is alive or dead but she is smooth like butter.  This is Danko at his best.  This song is so Great if it were a wall it would keep out Monguls.  There is so much rock in this song you need a Geologist's to transcribe it for guitar.

 

Do You Wanna Rock asks the obvious.  Do I wanna rock?  Well that depends.  Does a Canadian buy health insurance before crossing the U.S. border?  Probably the closest thing to filler on this record.  Kind of that fake jammy thing turned into a song.  I do wanna rock.  Just not to this. 

 

Getting Into Drugs is where you'll hear what I christened (still a thing right) the smartest lyric in rock history.  Danko is well known for his straight shooter ways but his powers of observation haven't been weakened by his sobriety.  He nails (although satirically) the attitude of abusers regardless of addiction.  Plus it's a great song.  Unfortunately its making me regret giving up Lucy.

 

Watch You Slide is, of course, upbeat and frankly... kinda weak.  Thankfully I Will Break Your Heart is a reminder why you bought this record.  It's as close to a slow song as you will get from Danko.  And it's awesome.  Piranha is a throwaway that screams "You can do better".  The record ends with She Ain't Coming Home which again harkens to post Danzig Misfits.  Killer track to end a killer record.

 

If you live anywhere but the United States... buy this record.  If you live in the United States... buy this record.  You just have to pay for an import or wait until April 21st for some reason.  That is all.

Danko Jones

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