Tishamingo: Wear 'n' Tear

So, you might ask what a modern day Southern Rock band is doing on Magnatude Records, a division of Magna Carta, a label that helped the prog revival back in the mid 1990's? Well, over the last few years, Magna Carta has branched away from prog and prog metal a bit, losing many of their acts to competitor InsideOut Music America, and releasing CD's that fall into the genres of jazz, funk, hard rock, and now Southern Rock. Tishamingo are a four-piece band originally from Tallahassee, FL, but now have taken up residence in Athens, GA. These guys create quality psychedelic and blues based rock and roll, sure to please fans of the Allman Brothers Band, Molly Hatchet, the Marshall Tucker Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Govt. Mule, and Widespread Panic, featuring twin lead guitars, Hammond organ, and fiery vocals.

Kicking off with the Allman's flavored "Wastin' Time" sets things in motion on a high note, with the lead and slide guitar licks from Cameron Williams and Jess Franklin and some nasty organ leading the charge. There's some great Southern melodic ballad's, like on the smooth "Hillbilly Wine", complete with passionate vocals that reminded me of Warren Haynes, or the country tinged twang of "Billy". Of course, if you like hard rockers, there's plenty of those, and one of the best is the ripping fury that is their cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Poison Whisky", which hints at The James Gang with its main guitar riff. The best however are the smoky psychedelic pieces, such as the alluring "Magic", with its intoxicating and dare I say progressive keyboard and guitar passages, and the instrumental guitar jam "Rome", which sees bassist Stephen Spivey and drummer Richard Proctor dig into a deep groove while Williams and Franklin weave some impressive jazz and rock solos.

If you like the more country/blues/rock style of the Marshall Tucker Band or Charlie Daniels, Tishamingo offers up fine Southern tunes like "Smoked Mullet", the chicken pickin' of "Willin' to Die", and the cowboy flavored "Worn Out Soles". You could say that this band hits every Southern Rock style that was ever made famous, which for many will be a very good thing. Their music doesn't sound dated at all, and the band shows they can really cook on their instruments as well as carry a fine tune vocally. Southern Rock lives on people, check it out!

Track Listing
1) Wastin' Time
2) Hillbilly Wine
3) Poison Whiskey
4) Magic
5) Rome
6) Billy
7) Smoked Mullet
8) Willin' to Die
9) Legend of George Nelson
10) Worn Out Soles
11) Ain't Got Time
12) Reprise

Added: February 19th 2005
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: Tishamingo's Website
Hits: 4743
Language: english

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