You Hear Georgia

You hear Georgia when I open my mouth, sings Blackberry Smoke leader Charlie Starr on the title track of the bands seventh album. Starr isnt wrong. Ever since their first indie records back in the 2000s, Blackberry Smoke has been steeped in the traditions of Southern rock, occasionally recalling Georgian heavyweights the Allman Brothers Band but more frequently bringing to mind the greasy, flinty style of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Both bands loom over You Hear Georgia, but Blackberry Smoke manages to find a few new wrinkles, such as the Little Feat funk that keeps Hey Delilah simmering. Still, the group spends most of You Hear Georgia sticking to their tried and true boogie, punctuating the rockers with barroom ballads like Lonesome for a Livin and the wistful backyard picking of Old Enough to Know. Its nothing unexpected but its all effective, from the sturdy song constructions to performances that know when to lean into the muscle and when to let things swing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine