Blackberry Smoke - The Whippoorwill review
Country rock riffing
As old mates of The Black Crowes, it's to be expected that some of the Robinson brothers' sound would have rubbed off on Atlanta Southern rockers Blackberry Smoke.
Shakin' Hands With The Holy Ghost is a case in point; Paul Jackson's lead riff sounding like By Your Side's lost hit-maker. It's when the Smoke turn away from the Rich Robinson riffs they run into trouble. The country rock One Horse Town and Skynyrd-influenced Six Ways To Sunday are musically derivative and lyrically ham-fisted, but are the exception rather than the norm.
3 out of 5
Get the MusicRadar Newsletter
Want all the hottest music and gear news, reviews, deals, features and more, direct to your inbox? Sign up here.
Rich is a teacher, one time Rhythm staff writer and experienced freelance journalist who has interviewed countless revered musicians, engineers, producers and stars for the our world-leading music making portfolio, including such titles as Rhythm, Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, and MusicRadar. His victims include such luminaries as Ice T, Mark Guilani and Jamie Oliver (the drumming one).
“It didn’t even represent what we were doing. Even the guitar solo has no business being in that song”: Gwen Stefani on the No Doubt song that “changed everything” after it became their biggest hit
"There was water dripping onto the gear and we got interrupted by a cave diver": How Mandy, Indiana recorded their debut album in caves, crypts and shopping malls