Preacher Stone – V
V by North Caroliina-based southern rockers Preacher Stone is, title-unsurprisingly, the band’s 5th album.
What might be more surprising however is the fact it has been eight years since the band – Ronnie Riddle (lead vocals, harmonica, mandolin), Marty Hill (guitar, slide, dobro, vocals), Ben Robinson (guitar, vocals), Johnny Webb (keys, vocals), Josh Wyatt (drums, vocals) and Jim Bolt (bass, vocals) – released previous studio offering, Remedy.
But it’s been well worth the wait as the band have delivered their best album yet, albeit one that will always be associated with loss and sadness – Johnny Webb sadly passed away in January, prior to the album’s release (the album cover art pays tribute to him by bearing his signature); three months later, in April, and not long after the album's release, the band lost co-founder Marty Hill.
While a little too on the Skynyrd nose back in their formative days (that said, the Skynyrd-esque 'Not Today,' which featured in two seasons of the hit Fox TV series Sons of Anarchy, did them no harm), Preacher Stone have gone on to find their own southern sound, one that retains that southern tradition of, as the band proudly state, having songs about "real life, real people and a real good time".
Traits that are evident on this long awaited fifth chapter.
Opener 'Hard Life PhD' is a great example of the band’s modus operandi.
There’s nothing particularly original here (if it’s southern, you already know the sound and sentiment) but this is southern rock spelt southern rawk, with a confident swagger, tight arrangement and some unexpected stops/starts in the chorus. Ronnie Riddle makes a big voiced impression from the outset and his delivery absolutely fits the band’s raison d’etre.
'My, My, My' introduces some harder edged twin guitar riffing as well as adding in a bit of swing.
Riddle again impresses before an elongated guitar duel ensues prior to the final verse/chorus; the song then plays out on some well executed Hammond B3 from the late Johnny Webb.
Up-tempo rocker 'Ain’t As Easy As It Looks' ups the ante further with an almost southern-metal approach, a strong hook for a chorus and another couple of great solos. Impressive stuff.
In the best traditions of southern rock melancholic reflection or hope are never far away, and the band impressively deliver not once but twice on V.
Ballad 'Till We Meet Again,' a song of friendship and those we have in our lives, features a very pleasing chord sequence, more dual guitar lines and increased tempo section for the guitars to take centre stage.
The downtempo and atmospheric 'Rise Up,' a call to be the best we can in difficult times, is a true highlight.
There’s no change to the song's tempo but it doesn’t need any change-ups, anchored as it is by a heartfelt lyric (and another great vocal from Ronnie Riddle), tasty Hammond section and killer guitar solos.
What might be more surprising however is the fact it has been eight years since the band – Ronnie Riddle (lead vocals, harmonica, mandolin), Marty Hill (guitar, slide, dobro, vocals), Ben Robinson (guitar, vocals), Johnny Webb (keys, vocals), Josh Wyatt (drums, vocals) and Jim Bolt (bass, vocals) – released previous studio offering, Remedy.
But it’s been well worth the wait as the band have delivered their best album yet, albeit one that will always be associated with loss and sadness – Johnny Webb sadly passed away in January, prior to the album’s release (the album cover art pays tribute to him by bearing his signature); three months later, in April, and not long after the album's release, the band lost co-founder Marty Hill.
While a little too on the Skynyrd nose back in their formative days (that said, the Skynyrd-esque 'Not Today,' which featured in two seasons of the hit Fox TV series Sons of Anarchy, did them no harm), Preacher Stone have gone on to find their own southern sound, one that retains that southern tradition of, as the band proudly state, having songs about "real life, real people and a real good time".
Traits that are evident on this long awaited fifth chapter.
Opener 'Hard Life PhD' is a great example of the band’s modus operandi.
There’s nothing particularly original here (if it’s southern, you already know the sound and sentiment) but this is southern rock spelt southern rawk, with a confident swagger, tight arrangement and some unexpected stops/starts in the chorus. Ronnie Riddle makes a big voiced impression from the outset and his delivery absolutely fits the band’s raison d’etre.
'My, My, My' introduces some harder edged twin guitar riffing as well as adding in a bit of swing.
Riddle again impresses before an elongated guitar duel ensues prior to the final verse/chorus; the song then plays out on some well executed Hammond B3 from the late Johnny Webb.
Up-tempo rocker 'Ain’t As Easy As It Looks' ups the ante further with an almost southern-metal approach, a strong hook for a chorus and another couple of great solos. Impressive stuff.
In the best traditions of southern rock melancholic reflection or hope are never far away, and the band impressively deliver not once but twice on V.
Ballad 'Till We Meet Again,' a song of friendship and those we have in our lives, features a very pleasing chord sequence, more dual guitar lines and increased tempo section for the guitars to take centre stage.
The downtempo and atmospheric 'Rise Up,' a call to be the best we can in difficult times, is a true highlight.
There’s no change to the song's tempo but it doesn’t need any change-ups, anchored as it is by a heartfelt lyric (and another great vocal from Ronnie Riddle), tasty Hammond section and killer guitar solos.
'Horse To Water' is an interesting mid-tempo that carries a slightly funky vibe and some great slide work that threads its way through almost the entire song; another excellent Hammond contribution and a tasty guitar solo further elevate this number.
"Loved me and left me" number 'Damage is Done' is another mid-tempo, one with a kicking riff and a whole lotta southern swagger; it’s also another where Ben Robinson and the late Marty Hill dovetail superbly well in twin guitar harmonies and short solo bursts.
'Dance With The Devil' sits four-square in Kossoff/ Free territory (think a southern version of 'Mr. Big' and you’re pretty much there); as such it becomes the album’s 'rock' number, one with a strong chorus and a purposeful rhythm supplied by Josh Wyatt & Jim Bolt.
The up-tempo, feel-good nature of 'Rain or Shine offers itself as the album’s southern AOR moment, here with a positive lyric about ignoring the media’s mixed messages on current events and just shaking loose from what you can’t control ("find some friends and free your soul, save some room for rock and roll… it’s time to dance!").
'Home' could only be the closing track. A southern ode to our wanderings and travels always leading us back to where we come from, 'Home' is led by nice chordal work on acoustic guitars before another series of bravura guitar solos kick in toward song’s end. An apt ending to what is a very strong album.
Recorded at the legendary Gat3 Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina, and produced by multiple Grammy winner Glenn Tabor, V keeps the southern flag flying, Preacher Stone style, and in honour of Johnny Dale Webb and William Martin "Marty" Hill Jr.
Nelson McFarlane & Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
"Loved me and left me" number 'Damage is Done' is another mid-tempo, one with a kicking riff and a whole lotta southern swagger; it’s also another where Ben Robinson and the late Marty Hill dovetail superbly well in twin guitar harmonies and short solo bursts.
'Dance With The Devil' sits four-square in Kossoff/ Free territory (think a southern version of 'Mr. Big' and you’re pretty much there); as such it becomes the album’s 'rock' number, one with a strong chorus and a purposeful rhythm supplied by Josh Wyatt & Jim Bolt.
The up-tempo, feel-good nature of 'Rain or Shine offers itself as the album’s southern AOR moment, here with a positive lyric about ignoring the media’s mixed messages on current events and just shaking loose from what you can’t control ("find some friends and free your soul, save some room for rock and roll… it’s time to dance!").
'Home' could only be the closing track. A southern ode to our wanderings and travels always leading us back to where we come from, 'Home' is led by nice chordal work on acoustic guitars before another series of bravura guitar solos kick in toward song’s end. An apt ending to what is a very strong album.
Recorded at the legendary Gat3 Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina, and produced by multiple Grammy winner Glenn Tabor, V keeps the southern flag flying, Preacher Stone style, and in honour of Johnny Dale Webb and William Martin "Marty" Hill Jr.
Nelson McFarlane & Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ