There’s much to be said for being old enough that something you loved as a kid has become cool again. In this case I’m talking about the multiple lead guitars with fiddle or pedal steel fed by a driving rhythm section that became known as Southern rock. Several new albums heavy on that style have crossed by playlist recently, with one of the best being the debut of Austin’s The Ransom Brothers. It’s called Resurgence, in a nod to the newly felt energy we all had coming out of the pandemic.
Particular places play a big part of several songs on the record. East Side is sort of a travelogue about a good night on the town in East Austin, replete with the sounds of a party in the background. Perhaps a nod to an encounter on that same night is Jesus Dancing, where he meets the man himself out on the dance floor. Back To Today injects a lighter sound lending an aural support role to a road trip out west. One Night In Charlotte is fairy tale country waltz about love at first sight.
You can hear the Bible Belt upbringing of the boys in the band on a couple of songs. Baby Doll starts out a cappella and morphs into an organ-tinged rocker with a musical heart somewhere between Memphis and Muscle Shoals. Black Flags dives headlong into church organ as an accompaniment to life full of adventure. Probably my favorite tune is Decatur. It’s a country ballad about the drive back to the hometown for a funeral. It has just the right touch of melancholy, and the story will be familiar to anyone who’s made that drive back to a small town.
I’m sure The Ransom Brothers have a loyal fan base in Texas hill country and I’m equally sure Resurgence will attract an additional crowd. If you like that Southern rock/outlaw country sound, you can transport yourself to a familiar time and place with a listen to Resurgence.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.