Can you describe 'Southern Rock' ? it is immensely difficult to nail it to a post because of
the differing styles of rock bands from the Southern states of the USA. A band from the southern end of the Appalachian mountains (Georgia, South Carolina etc) Hush Money can lay claim to the geographical title of a Southern Rock band but that is not really telling you how they sound their songs on the new album Industry Standard punch the buttons in the same way Skynyrd and ZZ Top do - with outright killer riffs, inspired lyrics you can hear the influences of both those great bands but there is more. Some will make you think of the era of the British Invasion with bluesy passages others have a distinct nod towards the later Beatles Sgt Pepper era.
When you start listening to the album some songs start quiet bluesy slow like ripples in a lake expanding in to big waves of sound filling and washing over , you find the next song lands like a float plane you hear the intro coming and then POW its all motion and action. The changes in style through the album are partly achieved by changing vocalists each bringing his own flavour into the songs. This makes it a little difficult to sum up the overall impression of the album, I've not really had this issue since Slash released his amazing solo album which drew on the talents of his many friends to bolster the experience into something unexpected and great. Hush Money have achieved an album that keeps you guessing they bring headbanger's tunes like 'Devil on my Tongue' which surely must get my denim brothers rocking, then to the slightly slower 'Tied Down' which is a pure stomping rocker. Then 'Still Around' is more core Southern Rock with a touch of steeliness inserted You have eleven songs to enjoy on the record no duds and all very individual. Is there a stand out song in the bunch? It depends on my mood I have run through the eleven repeatedly attempting to pull out the plum and I probably have it down to 'Where It All Went Wrong' but that might just be the truck driver in me surfacing
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Hush Money will be visiting the UK in 2024 and we are awaiting updates on the tour latest news is they are confirmed for Call of The Wild Festival, Lincoln May 24-26th
A load of the bands earlier songs are available on YouTube including the album and the kickass
Bourbon Street Queen
Industry Standard
