Artist: Royal Southern Brotherhood
Album: Don't Look Back
Label: Ruf Records
Release Date: 05/26/2015
It’s hard to believe that the Royal Southern Brotherhood have just released their third album, Don’t Look Back. Seemingly, these guys have emerged out of nowhere but have helped reintroduce us to the beauty of the southern flavored blues/rock/soul that we loved so much growing up. Recorded at the renowned FAME Studios (Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, etc.) in Muscle Shoals, Don’t Look Back solidly honors all that FAME Studios represents.
RSB delivers hard-driving rockin’ blues such as on “Wanna Be Free,” “Hard Blues” (with it’s standout vocals) and “Poor Boy.” It’s on these tracks that the guitar fills and the driving rhythms propel the songs. There are tinges of Little Feat in the cuts, “Reach My Goal” (also sounding like late ‘70s, Seger) and “Bayou Baby” as well as the calypso sound of Santana on “Penzi.”
If you believe that variety is the spice of life then you’ll enjoy the banjo laced, “Don’t Look Back,” or the funky stylings of, “Hit Me Once.” Everything from the Lionel Ritchie sounding (“Better Half”), to Michael McDonald and Pablo Cruise (“It’s Time For Love”) can be found on Don’t Look Back.
Don’t Look Back is a solid effort from a band that is positioning itself to be around for a long time…if they choose to be.
-Steve Walbridge
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