Review by Ritchie Birnie for MPM.
As Record Store releases go this one is a banger. Not just your typical re release, exorbitantly priced single, picture disc or rather iffy live recording this is an album of two sides, the first the studio tracks, made up of bonus tracks, B sides and covers with the second side dealing with the live tracks.
We dive into “American Horse” with John Cooper and Ayron Jones and this is what BSC was built on. Anthemic, powerful and as catchy as hell. This Cult track is blistering.
“Out of Pocket” slows things up very briefly before going in for the kill and Jesse Leach adds the silver lining to what is already a beast of a track.
If you want to know how to reinvent a song take a listen to this version of Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to do with it”. For anyone who listened to the radio in the 80s this was massive and if you played this version to most of those listeners it would take about two minutes before they could place it as this has no correlation to the original. The boys have stripped it down, rocked it up and blown the roof off.
It is time for a reworking of a classic in Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason” and they have kept the intro similar with the acoustic but then it goes full on Southern and it works.
We go to the latest album for an original in “Have You Ever Been Lonely” and this goes to prove how far this band have come. It has all the elements of what broke them in the first place but it mixes the lessons learned after all these years and the songwriting is top notch.
The side finishes with ‘I Miss You” and the boys leave with a powerful statement. BSC grit, groove and grind in equal measures and a stunning track.
Now onto the live side and anyone who has witnessed the boys on stage know that this is where the band thrives. There is a whole slice of magic to this band live and you instantly feel it on “ When the Pain Comes”. the band are on fire here. The almost Nu Metal brutality screams at you from the speakers.
“Peace is Free” is just something very special. You have Lzzy Hale for starters but man, this band know how to do a ballad and Chris sounds amazing. A Brilliant song and a brilliant rendition.
The heavy Southern is dragged out on “Again” and with it not being one of the big hitters from the back catalouge I was surprised at its inclusion but it sounds incredible. It is recorded from the Skydeck and it sounds heavenly.
It is over to France for this version of “Lonely Train” and you just know that Hellfest crowd went batshit crazy for this monster. This is always a highlight live and this does not disappoint.
Time to bring on the fun for that French Crowd and boy do they get their baguettes in a twist with “Blame it on the Boom Boom” this is BSC at full intensity and a moment that binds a band and an audience. Pure unadulterated entertainment.
The French fun continues with “White Trash Millionaire” and this is BSC at full throttle, that is three songs that the band and the live set are built on. These are moments in life that you live for, a crowd, a brilliant band and tunes to lose your shit too.
This is a Black Stone Cherry release that MUST be in your collection but if you missed the physical release do not fear as you can (and will) get it on digital release risght now! this one is not to be missed.
This is Black Stone Cherry’s RSD album. The band really likes it.’ tracklist:
Side A – Studio
American Horse (ft. John Cooper and Ayron Jones)
Out Of Pocket (ft. Jesse Leach)
What’s Love Got To Do With It
Give Me One Reason (The Plug)
Have You Ever Been Lonely
I Miss You
Side B – Live
When The Pain Comes – Live
Peace Is Free – Acoustic (ft. Lzzy Hale)
Again – Live from Skydeck
Lonely Train – Live from Hellfest
Blame It On The Boom Boom – Live from Hellfest
White Trash Millionaire – Live from Hellfest
In the past two decades, BLACK STONE CHERRY have set a new standard for Southern rock, revitalising the tradition with its burly riffs and stirring rock hooks. The four-piece consists of Chris Robertson, vocals/guitar; Ben Wells, guitar/vocals; and John Fred Young, drums and Steve Jewell Jr. on bass/backing vocals.
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