Blackberry Smoke – Little Piece of Dixie (2009)
On one lovely 4th of July in 2007, my husband’s band, Snowblynd, was playing a show at a local bar. Some band from Atlanta that no one had ever heard of was headlining and none of us really cared. When the band showed up, a bunch of long-haired, bearded dudes in good jeans rolled out of the van. My first thought? Wow…these guys look interesting. Then they started rolling all of their gear out of the trailer. My husband’s first thought? Wow…they have good gear; there’s a possibility they could be decent at least. After Snowblynd played, we went outside to hang out. Then all a sudden we heard the headlining band start playing and we stopped what we were doing. We all looked at each other and just hauled ass back inside the bar to see what the hell was going on. The headlining band was blowing our minds and it was Blackberry Smoke. It’s not very often that a band comes out of nowhere and knocks me flat on my ass, but Blackberry Smoke did exactly that and I’ve been hooked ever since. With their sophomore release, Little Piece of Dixie, the Blackberry Smoke boys are out to knock you on your ass too.
Little Piece of Dixie is 11 songs of solid and real southern rock. There’s something very authentic about these guys; they’re not putting on their costumes to pretend to be something they’re not. They are all incredibly talented and serious musicians from the south who have worked their asses off to get to where they are today, and they deserve every ounce of success that is headed their way.
Their chemistry is undeniable. Charlie’s vocals have a unique vintage quality that really stands out, and his guitar is playing is stellar. Paul Jackson’s guitar playing and harmonies are the perfect complement to Charlie. Brit Turner’s drums are always steady and in the pocket all while making it look completely effortless. Richard Turner may be the quiet one in the band, but his bass playing speaks way louder than words. And the recent addition of Brandon Still on the keyboards is the perfect finishing touch to round out their sound. I’m convinced that their long hair, beards and sideburns have super powers that make them sound so incredible.
The album starts off with the first single, “Good One Coming On”, which is about “drinking tequila and skinny dippin'” Charlie would say as he introduces the song at their live shows. It’s a good summertime, have fun with your friends kind of song and was featured in the Kevin Costner movie, Swing Vote. “Good One Coming On” is also the band’s first full length video.
If you’re into video games or Nascar, you may have heard “Up in Smoke” on the Nascar ’08 video game. And if you like things with engines that go fast, then you probably watch the Speed channel and may have heard “Up in Smoke” on an episode of Drag Race High. From the moment you hear Richard’s bass intro, you’ll want to hop in your car and tear down the road like the cops are chasing you. The song just has that get up and go kind of feel.
Just because these guys have a bit of that country twang to them, doesn’t mean they can’t, or don’t, enjoy some of the staples of the rock and roll life. Since they’ve already covered liquor, they had to write a song about…what else but strippers! “Shake Your Magnolia” is probably one of my favorite songs on the album. It’s a sweet little diddy about a guy falling for a stripper, and it does make you want to get up and shake it a little bit for the boys.
These days, it’s extremely rare to find such talented musicians making such amazing music. If you want to hear some really kick ass, genuine southern rock that doesn’t sound like any of that crap you hear on the radio, then pick up Little Piece of Dixie. There’s not a bad song on it. From start to finish, it’s strong and impressive. If you like southern rock, then you’ll love this album. If you don’t like southern rock, then this album will make you change your mind.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Good One Comin’ On
2. Like I Am
3. Bottom Of This
4. Up In Smoke
5. Sanctified Woman
6. Who Invented The Wheel
7. I’d Be Lyin?
8. Prayer For The Little Man
9. Restless
10. Shake Your Magnolia
11. Freedom Song
Blackberry Smoke is:
Charlie Starr – Vocals, guitar
Paul Jackson – Guitar, vocals
Richard Turner – Bass, vocals
Brit Turner – Drums
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Thanks for the love!
RT/BBS
Great band and great album , absolutely !!
I spoke of them in my music blog dedicated to Southern Rock, Blues and Country.
I’m going to get this.