The Band Perry (self-titled debut set for release October 12th)

I can’t help but love this modern-day family band. Admittedly, when young people say they were raised on rock ‘n’ roll and roots music, many of the older generation roll their eyes. But after listening to The Band Perry’s debut full-length record, you get the impression they truly got a good music education in the Perry household (but that must be the case when kids come up in Mobile, Alabama, eh?)

The self-titled album is a perfect balance of rock and roots tinged tunes – they split their mother’s country love and father’s classic rock influences right down the middle.  Kimberly, Neil and Reid all harmonize in a way that only family can and Kimberly’s songwriting is incredibly strong for a girl in her early 20s. (Those who don’t believe they know their stuff  — Neil Perry plays mandolin and accordion!)

And Reid says it best in their bio; “My bass and I’ve been attached at the hip since I was 10 years old. While most of my friends were playing little league, I was sitting in my room learning Rolling Stones’ and Beatles’ bass lines. It’s really all I’ve ever known.” Because, it all really shows in the album. Their equal passion making the best music they can and honoring the albums they were raised on all bleeds through.

My personal favorite is “Walk Me Down The Middle.” This song could’ve easily been cut by some of Music City’s bluegrass ladies. Would’ve been a perfect fit for Alison Krauss’ EVERY TIME YOU SAY GOODBYE or NEW FAVORITE with a more bluegrass instrumentation. Their more up-tempo first single Hip To My Heart is just a sashaying good-time and is a stark contrast to their somber, yet hauntingly beautiful, If I Die Young – the release of their first two singles really showcases their range.

Here’s hoping their raw potential and first release is only a taste of what these three can do in years to come. Can’t wait to see what they are capable of!

And so…with each passing decade the true music lover impatiently waits in frustration—ever searching and scanning the horizon for substance. In the seemingly hopeless, fruitless venture, a rare ember burns and from the dead R&R ashes rises Blackberry Smoke’s—A LITTLE PIECE OF DIXIE.

If you remember where you were when you first heard about Duanne Allman’s passing or the plane crash that silenced southern rocker Ronnie Van Zant, you are as overdue as this reviewer for a Rock & Roll revival.

With tracks like “Bottom Of This” or “Freedom Song,” let the sermon begin. It’s all here! Inspired by the likes of Zeppelin, The Faces, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers, their look and sound is vintage yet fresh…and RELEVENT. (Can I get an “AMEN, BROTHER!”) Track 6 (“Who Invented The Wheel”) is my pick favorite followed closely by “Restless” and “Up In Smoke.” I’m stoked to see these guys live. If you, like me, have ever searched in vain for a decent radio station while driving only to wish you had a crow bar to pry it from the dash, this CD is for you! R&R still beats in the hearts of Blackberrry Smoke!

-- CLEVELAND

Bluegrass golden boys Dailey & Vincent are sure to win over even more devotees with their newest collection Dailey & Vincent Sing The Statler Brothers. Available at Cracker Barrel stores nationwide beginning February 1st, this album is a 12 track homage to The Statler Brothers’ career.

Now, each of the tunes are bound to be favorites of traditional music fans as well as bluegrass and country devotees but the production and verve of the album is what makes it a standout. The bluegrass community has recognized the talents of Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent for years, and, if you are reading this and are not familiar, then run out and check out their catalogue. (They were named International Bluegrass Association’s Entertainers of the Year.)

Music fans everywhere will recognize the songs which have become standards and Dailey & Vincent have played the material for years. Dailey even notes that “the Statler Brothers are my childhood heroes” in the press release. The men do their favorite music proud with this collection.

Masters of their instruments, the men’s voices also blend phenomenally well and fare beautifully on both slow mournful numbers and quick-paced tracks. Well well well worth purchasing — and while at The Cracker Barrel be sure to get a veggie plate — it’s a great way to honor their favorite music and connect a new crop of fans to The Statler Brothers.

My personal favorite is “Flowers on the Wall” but all twelve are just infused with so much talent and care.

In summation, even though all the songs are old favorites, they are sure to be new favorites with the stringed interpretation – a fresh mix on songs that inspire the greatest type of nostalgia.

Sam and his phenomenal band of Byron House (bass), Chris Brown (drums), Scott Vestal (banjo), and Stephen Mougin (harmony vocals, guitar) offer up some delicious pickin’ (and no doubt grinnin’) on the album’s 14 tracks. Jerry Douglas and Edgar Meyer also guest on the record.

Bush still tours nation and worldwide and this album is a testament to the talent he has for both fiddle and mandolin; he’s unparalled.

The standout tracks are the title track, “Circles Around Me,” a looking back and being thankful for the life you’ve been able to have and those that aren’t so lucky, “Blue Mountain,” a rip-roaring instrumental, and “The Ballad of Stringbean and Estelle,” a heart-breaking real story of the former Hee Haw cast member.

For those not familiar with Sam Bush, Bush has been making music since he was 14 years old in his Kentucky home. Raised on bluegrass radio and Opry trips, Sam began playing fiddle and took up the mandolin shortly thereafter. While still a teen, he caught the attention of bluegrass stalwarts and played with a who’s who of traditional bluegrass veterans. In his twenties, Sam founded the Newgrass Revival and after his discovery, the bluegrass and jam band world was never the same.

Bush also arranges a handful of traditional tunes, which round out the mix of originals for the disc with all gems. Every single song on Circles Around Me is polished and true to music fans of traditional and “new grass” persuasions.

A must for mando fans for sure!

Another sub-genre in Country Music that has fallen by the wayside is the trucking song. From its’ heyday in the 1960s all the way through the decade of the 1980s, Country Music tipped the hat to the men behind the wheel on several occasions, and I’m glad to say that one of the most traditional voices out there—Aaron Tippin—is doing his best to bring those songs back.

There was an excitement to records like Dave Dudley’s “Six Days On The Road,” and maybe a little bit of romance, as well. Think about it—late night city lights…passing through towns like Terre Haute, Cullman, or driving up the rugged Monteagle Mountain…truck stop food, and keeping an eye out for that nemesis of the late night driver…Smokey Bear! There’s an image out there that these songs so vividly project.

For his part, Tippin doesn’t try to recreate these records—rather, he tries to introduce them to a new audience, and he does well in regards to that on interpretations of such classics as “East Bound And Down,” “Six Days On The Road,” “Chicken Truck,” and perhaps the very first truck driving song, “Truck Drivin’ Man,” originally a hit back in 1954 from Terry Fell.

Aaron also throws a few wild cards into the mix, including a groovin’ take on Eddie Rabbitt’s 1980 classic “Drivin’ My Life Away” that features his wife Thea on harmony, a beat-heavy nod to Merle Haggard with his 1975 # 1 “Movin’ On,” (also the title and theme of a successful NBC series Claude Akins) and Alabama’s heart-tugging 1984 smash “Roll On.” Has that song been out long enough to be a “classic?” I guess the calendar says so!

He also scores on the Cledus Maggard favorite “The White Knight,” as well as the newer truckin’ story song “The Ballad Of Danger Dave and Double Trouble,” which sounds like it could have been cut by Red Sovine, Del Reeves, or Moore and Napier.

While IN OVERDRIVE won’t solve the national debt, what I think this album will do is enable one to turn back the hands of time—whether you’re driving on Interstate 40 from California to North Carolina, or United States Highway 45 from Illinois all the way down to the Gulf, it will remind you of those timeless tales of greasy spoons, truck driving queens, No-Doz, and keeping an eye out for the weigh stations! A brilliant album from start to finish! 10-4, Good Buddy!