Black River Sons - Poison Stuff

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 BLACK RIVER SONS are from Lille, France. Now when I think of Southern Rock, France does not come to mind, ever. EDM, Metal, Doom, Blues, Modern Rock and Jazz but never a sub-genre like Southern Rock which has diminished along with the general rock and music scene in the US of A, its inarguable birthplace. And at times I think “What a shame that this awesome music doesn’t have some progeny.” Then I hear BLACK RIVER SONS and I am flabbergasted .. they are that good and have a Southern vibe with some Australian pub rock flourishes – actually a foot in both rock genres.

"Born Again" might just be the catchiest track on this release and goes above and beyond in the songsmith- they coulda wrapped this tune up in 4 minutes but the songs reaches out and to good measure. This one is a rocker. "Poison Stuff" track #3 has bad-ass guitar tones and a tasty guitar lick with some fine vocal choruses that would be right at home within the Skynnrd wheelhouse. Catchy and layered with some tasty slide guitar. "Charcoal’s Blues" brings the grits and lets the grease run down your chin. Take a listen to the rollicking twin guitar harmony lines that figure a staple in the Southern Rock presentation.

The more you listen to this release you start to pick out where the Southern Rock influence begin and end. The guitar tones, slide guitar and riffing is largely in the southern fried down home hookabama camp. But then I detect some Aussie take no prisoners rocknroll cufflinks like on track #2 Born "Again,  Way of Life" track #9 and the last track Wheels of Fortune at 7:17 minutes long begins like a long lost out-take from "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" before heading right into Free Bird outro riff-o-mania and man, these cats burn this down. The Australia-USA comparison makes musical sense from a history standpoint - the USA and Australia country and cultural foundations were born on the backs of agriculture, ranching and long days in the New World’s hot fields, a down home chittlin fried historical view.  BLACK RIVER SONS draws on musical influences which themselves refer to these foundational lores as their musical guideposts… and these guys are from France!

BLACK RIVER SONS cuts the dijon here mightily lads and laddies. Have a listen. And Good lord, turn your earholes to lead throat Emeric Martel. He sounds and sings a whole lot like Steve Marriott and German singer Lenny Wolf, founder of KINGDOM COME. Great company to keep for your musical influences and among my favorites.  Good work, BLACK RIVER SONS.

Songwriting: 8
Musicianship: 8
Memorability: 9
Production: 8