Southern Rock didn’t die it just went underground.
 Atlanta’s Blackberry Smoke have been carrying the torch for ballsy southern rock since releasing their first CD in 2004 and carry it further on their awesome new fourth full length CD “Holding All The Roses.”

 There are plenty of catchy riffs superb guitar playing and seething lyrics.
“ Holding All the Roses” features 12 total ear worms beginning with the mid tempo rocker “Let Me Help You (Find the Door)”.
 The title track is my favourite, starting with a huge drum beat, piano and an acoustic guitar riff that morphs into an electrifying riff that would do Govt. Mule proud.
It also features a finger frying fiddle solo dueling with a couple blazing bluegrass inspired guitar solos and finishing with a finger bleeding face melting electric guitar solo backed by an unstoppable beat that just makes you want to press repeat.

 The title track epitomizes everything I love about southern rock and what I love about this CD — a melding of a variety of different musical styles from rock and roll, blues, a touch of honky tonk country, bluegrass and a smidgin of  metal.
 The Cd has an even mix of crunchy riff heavy rockers and mellower material. You’ll find fiddle, some subtle steel guitar and honky tonk piano sprinkled throughout all of the songs. There is enough variety on the CD to make just about the perfect crossover between today’s ’70s style rock and roll revival and modern Top 40 country though Blackberry Smoke has plenty of the grit and rebel spirit sadly missing from modern country.
 They always tell a great story like on “Lay It All On Me” and these boys sure know how to play their instruments.

“ Wish In One Hand” features a pair of harmonized guitar solos which has become somewhat of a lost art.

 They hit you right out of the gate with four big rockers “Let Me Help You (Find the Door), “ Holding All the Roses, “ Living In The Song” and “Rock and Roll Again” before giving the listener a little bit of a breather with a couple slower, acoustic tracks including a beautiful one minute long instrumental “Randolph County Farewell”  “ Woman in the Moon,”  which reminds me a little of Jupitar Coyote, and the haunting country of “ Too High.”
 They pick up the pace with “ Wish In One Hand” and “Payback’s a Bitch.”
  They slow down with the haunting “ No Way Back To Eden” which takes you back to the mellower side of the ’70s.
They end on another upbeat note, “ Fire In the Hole.”