Review – Blackberry Smoke’s “Holding All The Roses”
Yes, yes, and yes.
Blackberry Smoke comes rip rearing out of Atlanta, GA with their asses on fire, delivering this power packed, rockin’, country-fried brand new offering called Holding All The Roses that doesn’t let up, doesn’t give in, and keeps spitting out flavorful hooks, delicious riffs, and infectious grooves one after another, all adding up to one hell of a good time worthy of immediate repeat and strong recommendations to friends and loved ones.
Where their last album The Whippoorwill from 2012 had surprisingly more country than what you would expect from a band labeled Southern rock, Holding All The Roses swings in the opposite direction, submitting itself to the holy ghost of the loud and resonant guitar riff and holding nothing back. Did that send this cultured and dignified country music critic recoiling away from the speakers, holding my tender ears more preferential to the dulcet moans of the steel guitar in abhorrent objection? Hell no. When the music hits home so hard and heavy as it does on Holding All The Roses, who gives a holy hot damn how you label it, or what’s counted at its heaviest influences. Just sit back and enjoy.
If I had to offer a summation of this album in one phrase, I would say that Holding all the Roses is Blackberry Smoke in its purest form. For the first time we find the band totally unfettered from superfluous obligations to labels and overbearing business lackeys, and in this space they’re simply allowed to be themselves. Seven days in the studio and this puppy was sent off to mastering without anyone breathing down their necks or making undue calculations unfit for the creative process. And the result is a golden effort that’s hard to press pause on.
Heading into this album the talk was about how producer Brendan O’ Brien was Blackberry Smoke’s dream collaborator; the one the band wanted to work with their entire careers. But this is the sort of word you hear ahead of almost every album. Nobody says, “We settled for the producer that fell in our lap.” Well except Jason Isbell, whose Southeastern was supposed to be a Ryan Adams production, and he ended up settling for Dave Cobb. And we all know how that turned out.
Frankly, I find myself being surprised by just how good Blackberry Smoke is, even though I should know better by now. It’s because no single element of the band is going to blow your mind or be considered the apex best of any discipline. It’s the entire package, the blue collar approach, and the vibe they put out when it’s all humming together that makes them one of the preeminent acts in their Southern rock field.
But the production of Holding All The Roses is where it goes from damn good, to being their best album to date in this critic’s esteemed opinion. The entire thing is just so damn tasteful. There’s brilliant separation in mood and texture between the various songs. You’re ears never given a chance to rest. There’s no lull. It’s not that the guitar playing is God-like, or the songwriting is the be all end all of the discipline. It’s that it all works together so seamlessly and becomes immediately seductive to the listener.
Something else surprising about this album, and something that I never though I would hear myself say, is that there’s some 80’s rock textures involved, and not only do they not feel dated, they may be one of the album’s premier assets. The almost gated reverb vibe of “Woman in the Moon” makes for this spatial experience that is completely unexpected. The final track “Fire in the Hole” also has a very 80’s rock vibe, but one that also adds some compositional wrinkles and an extended, loose-ended jam that takes a song clocking in at 3:47 and makes it feel like it goes for over seven minutes.
If you’re looking for some direction of where to find the country in this album, point your nose towards “Too High” which has these restless and lonesome verses, and an excellent twangy payoff in the chorus. “Lay It All on Me,” might be the most straight up country offering of the album, while the fingerpicking of the unexpected and stripped back instrumental “Randolph County Farewell” is a track music fans of all stripes will enjoy, and is the perfect gear shift in the center of the album.
About the only mild moment for this listener was the song “Payback’s a Bitch.” But even though the song felt a little immature, the structure still pulls you in, and makes you resist reaching for the skip button. “Lay It All on Me” seemed to lack just a little bit in energy compared to the other tracks. But “Living in the Song” includes just about everything that’s right and good about music. Great writing, perfect textures, timing, and pentameter—songs like this never go out of style, and never get old. “Wish in One Hand” is another standout, getting you to sing along to the “Wish in one hand, shit in the other,” line and laughing.
Maybe not as much country as some will hope for, but as many good times and as much good music as you can expect from any outfit, Holding All The Roses stands out as simply one of the most enjoyable listens this cantankerous and hard-to-please critic has had the pleasure in listening to for a long while.
Two guns up.
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February 12, 2015 @ 9:17 am
I didn’t have much in the way of expectations for this record, but it is really, really good. Love it. Solid all the way through. Wonderful production. Great song writing.
February 12, 2015 @ 9:32 am
great band and a great bunch of guys. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting these guys several times around town. Definitely not as country as some of their older stuff, but it’s not any less country than anything FL/GA line have ever put out. Not to say that they deserve to even be mentioned in the same breath. the point being that with their southern rock sensibilities, they are making better country music by accident, than most main stream country artists are making on purpose.
February 12, 2015 @ 9:37 am
Charlie Starr is the real deal. Best frontman in southern rock by a very long shot.
February 12, 2015 @ 7:46 pm
Agreed. BBS is the best band out there, Southern Rock or otherwise. If there name is on the album, you can rest comfortably putting your $15 down because you will get far more in return. Love everything about these guys.
July 14, 2015 @ 8:00 am
Just listened to this record when my local library got it. Probably the best countryfied rock band to come along since CCR.
February 12, 2015 @ 9:50 am
I think this is their best album! You hit it right on the nose with this is Blackberry Smoke in their purest form. Fantastic, entertaining listen!
February 13, 2015 @ 1:31 am
I keep telling myself the same thing but then i remember just how damn good the whipporwill is. Love Blackberry smoke. great group of guys.
February 12, 2015 @ 10:14 am
By far, my favourite album of Blackberry Smoke. You can hear the evolution of their talent and how large is their style. Favourite band for the past few years and they just keep getting better and better year after year.
February 12, 2015 @ 10:19 am
I’ll give this a listen today. Love to hear your take on some other new stuff: Dallas Moore, Robert Earl Keen, JD McPherson
February 12, 2015 @ 10:26 am
Waiting to buy my copy at the show next month. Friday the 13th–look out!!
Very encouraging review–the first couple teasers out there had me worried.
Great live AND great on record!
What a band!!
February 12, 2015 @ 10:59 am
So now we’re at the point where we praise generic rock records by guys playing Skynyrd dress-up? This record would’ve been laughed at in the 90’s
February 12, 2015 @ 11:41 am
Mo Crawford – Have you heard the record, or are you just being a hipster?
February 12, 2015 @ 11:50 am
One of the things that blew me away about this record is how with some songs they took sonic textures that on the surface should be completely outmoded, if not cheesy, and gave them brand new life. I’m not even sure exactly how they did it, but doing something that is familiar, that can evoke nostalgia, and you can immediately warm up to and lose yourself in are assets all music should strive for no matter how you get there. You’re right, on paper this record would have been laughed at in the 90’s, and I think Blackberry Smoke knows this and doesn’t care. They made the music they wanted to.
And I know to some people reading this review, they may think I went a little over-the-top with my plaudits. But I’m sorry, I think this album is a joy and very well made, and I just wanted to share my enthusiasm with others.
February 17, 2015 @ 12:51 am
Laughed at in the 90’s??? What do the 90’s have to do with anything? Hope nobody is implying that music then was some sort of milestone or setting of the bar????
BBS new album is awesome( as mentioned by you) it’s so hard to find good rock music that isn’t pure garbage, so when I found these guys 6 or so years ago I was very happy. As with anybody using the ” Next” anything , but Skynyrd in this case, I wish people would just stop comparing that way… Its ridiculous.
February 17, 2015 @ 12:54 pm
I was simply answering Mo Crawford’s concern. I agree judging what people would think of an album released today in the 90’s seems like a very strange exercise.
February 12, 2015 @ 11:56 am
Ha! Please keep your comments to yourself….fake hipster.
February 12, 2015 @ 8:36 pm
So on a site dedicated to fighting to bring back old style country music rather the newfangled “garbage” of today, you trash a band bringing back another old and much loved style of music that no one performs these days. I think you are on the wrong site Buckwheat. As a fan of skynyrd, abb and Marshall Tucker (as well as Molly hatchet and 38 special), I welcome a band like blackberry smoke. I saw them in LA last week and they were great. ..and thanks to Trigger for bringing them to my attention!
February 13, 2015 @ 12:19 am
Thanks Mo.
You validate my decision to focus on the positive and not dwell on the negative.
Have a lovely day.
March 17, 2015 @ 11:49 pm
Laughed at in the 90’s??
Dude,i Laughed at the black crows in the 90’s!!if these fine gentlemen we’re around then they would have surely made the crows look like pigeons!
October 21, 2015 @ 8:02 am
This is Charlie Starr’s mama, and you should see me sticking my tongue out at you.
February 12, 2015 @ 11:56 am
Thanks for that really interesting review.
going to buy the album.
It was pretty easy, but I’ve sold some other people on this band since I was introduced to the band at SCM.
” It”™s that it all works together so seamlessly”
which comes from
14 years of touring with the same guys who are all good at their job, and who all know and agree on what they want to do musically.
Sure wish they’d tour Canada. It’s closer than Britain. Comeon up guys!
February 12, 2015 @ 12:08 pm
Just want to ad, this band is in no way generic. If you don’t like them fine, but generic?
nope.
I would immediately have known who that band was without being told the name.
they have their own distinct sound within the Southern rock sound;
Their songs are distinctive in what they are about, they have their own vocal sound, (highly recognizable lead vocalist) their own guitar sounds, an outstanding communication and feel between the bass player and drummer, (found out, those two are brothers, so it explains it) .
Not in any way generic.
February 12, 2015 @ 1:06 pm
Glad to read the positive review! Waiting for my copy. Been a fan ever since I saw them open for Zac Brown Band, and they blew ZBB off the stage, which is a tall order.
February 12, 2015 @ 1:14 pm
Mo, you’re probably right, in the 90’s this album would have been laughed at. But this isn’t the 90’s anymore, it’s 2015, and what was old is new again. These guys are like the best part of Skynard that wrote songs like Simple Man and Tuesdays Gone, mixed with Drive By Truckers before Isbell left the group, with a little Red Dirt Country thrown in to make it interesting. My recommendation is to see them live, before digging too far into any of their recorded stuff. Like any good rock/country band, they live and breath by the live show.
February 12, 2015 @ 1:34 pm
The best of SkynArd? Simple Man and Tuesdays Gone? If actually heard more than their radio hits you’d know how to spell their name. As for Red Dirt they couldnt carry Jason Boland and the Stragglers road cases. And I’ve seen them live,very mediocre. 38 Special has more soul than these guys
February 17, 2015 @ 12:37 pm
Mo no sure where the animosity is coming from, just calling it the way I see it. And for the record, I have listened to a lot of Skynyard deep cuts, but there was a reason those songs were big hits…it’s because they they were good. So I stand by my comment. Also, if you’re going to say that BBS aren’t worthy to carry a red dirt country bands cases, at least say they aren’t worthy to carry Turnpike Troubadours, or Reckless Kelly’s cases…then you might have gotten me to agree with you.
February 12, 2015 @ 1:49 pm
Interesting album. Based on the preview, I would say that the most country song on the album, and the one I enjoyed the most, is “Randolph County Farewell”.
February 12, 2015 @ 2:24 pm
I’ll give this a second spin based on your review, Trig. The first time through, I thought it was more of the same ole and if I was in that kind of mood, I’d got listen to Black Crowes. But, Two Guns up warrants a second listen.
February 12, 2015 @ 2:35 pm
I would’ve bet my house this was the Black Crowes…just not my thing. I enjoyed the read of the review much more than the album’s first listen.
February 12, 2015 @ 2:25 pm
Thought you might want to review this country number next. It’s called Stand With Hillary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfU3hI8ML30 I’m pretty sure it’s in the same vein as the Michael Jackson Montgomery but with way cooler hair.
February 12, 2015 @ 3:43 pm
Beat you to it:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/stand-with-hillary-clinton-country-campaign-song-is-hilarious
February 12, 2015 @ 2:32 pm
And what is going on this year? Usually January and February are pretty lean months for impactful new releases. I’ve heard 7 albums so far this year that could have been considered AOY candidates last year – American Aquarium, Daniel Meade, The Decemberists, Jake Xerxes Fussell, Steve Earle, Ryan Bingham, and The Packway Handle Band. I wish some of them would have been released in the 4th quarter of last year!
February 12, 2015 @ 3:44 pm
The end of 2014 was pretty down. 2015 so far has had some big surprises from established names.
February 12, 2015 @ 2:50 pm
Been a true fan of these guys from first time I heard them, seen them 4 times live. Great band, however I disagree, this album is no where close to Whipoorwill, or Little piece of Dixie. I couldn’t turn the 2 above mentioned albums off, this one I can. This new album is still better than most out there in there genre, which really isn’t country! But still average compared to the previous albums I mentioned. Now if you want to talk about someone truly country, saving country, that would be Sturgill Simpson!
February 12, 2015 @ 3:45 pm
Who’s this Sturgill you speak of?
February 13, 2015 @ 9:09 am
Oh, you know — the most overrated country artist of the past 10 years. 😉
February 12, 2015 @ 3:54 pm
Just listened to this record twice.. I am thoroughly disappointed in myself for ignoring them for so long.
February 12, 2015 @ 4:54 pm
I have been looking forward to this release for months. You know when that happens and you actually listen to the record and then go ” What a disappointment. I expected so much more.”
Didn’t happen this time. Great album by a great band.
Show me in the bylaws where it says good music can’t be celebrated regardless of how “country” it is. And besides, Trig said a good thing about 80s rock. So there’s that.
February 13, 2015 @ 7:11 am
OMgosh… Trig, they charge $50 for a VIP meet n Greet, not counting the $25 for a show ticket. Trig, better rail on them
https://savingcountrymusic.com/want-to-meet-shooter-jennings-that-will-be-85
February 13, 2015 @ 9:39 am
Yep…and a good portion of that M+G fee goes to charity. Well done, Blackberry Smoke!!!
http://northfulton.com/stories/Blackberry-Smoke-to-donate-30K-to-cancer-center,12908
February 13, 2015 @ 11:46 am
Mike O,
A few things:
First, I value your feedback here as a reader, and even though you have disagreed with a lot of my Shooter coverage in the past, I think you’ve always taken a fair assessment with other issues. However, comments like this are what stimulate the resurrection of what is very much a dead feud that both Shooter and I have done our best to walk away from, but surrogates from both sides do their level best to dredge up again and cause unnecessary consternation for everyone.
This is why I don’t write about Shooter Jennings anymore unless his name is pertinent to other information, and have avoided contentious issues that I could have been opportunist with out of respect. Because in the end I don’t desire conflict.
If I ignore this comment, then it looks like I’m guilty of a double standard. If I respond, immediately the sycophantical toadies of Shooter Jennings immediately rush off to bitch to him and his management. And if I delete the comment to avoid the whole exercise, I’m accused of censorship and suppressing dissent.
That article was written nearly two years ago. I’ve moved on, and Shooter has moved on. But just so you know, Shooter was not mad at me as much about that article as he was at who was managing his meet and greets. If you read the article, my main beef was that the meet and greet was being offered at the Muddy Roots Festival, and other festivals. Despite all the people who defended Shooter because he plays their music on his satellite radio show, even Shooter did not want to offer meet and greets at those festivals, and they were offered by mistake by the company managing the meet and greets. I’m glad I took that stance and would do no different today if it came up again.
Now, as for Blackberry Smoke’s meet and greets, my stance still remains that I am against all meet and greets, VIP sections, and other institutions that segregate fans along the lines of financial privilege, aside from when an act gets so big, this is really the only way to manage personal meetings with fans, or when it’s used as a way to reward fans who participate in street teams, fan clubs, have special needs, etc. etc. However, this would NEVER factor into how I feel about a band’s music. That would be a conflict of interest on my part. That’s why your comment here is irrelevant.
All that said, I think there is a dramatic difference between Shooter’s meet and greets, and Blackberry Smoke’s. First, Blackberry Smoke is a bigger draw than Shooter Jennings these days, and their draw continues to rise, as Shooter’s has been virtually cut in half over the last few years. This is not a knock on Shooter whatsoever, this is just a statistical fact. Blackberry Smoke draws more people. But, they’re still offering their meet and greet for nearly half of what Shooter’s is. Again, if you read my criticism of Shooter’s meet and greet, one of my main beefs was how the price was not in line with his draw as a live artist. Since then, his draw has arguably been diminished even more in certain markets. And since then they have raised the price another $5 to $90 total. There are artists who sell out arenas who don’t ask $90 for their meet and greets. In the end, the meet and greets were implemented because Shooter was facing dwindling guarantees, and this was a way he could stay in a bus instead of downgrading back to a van. Nonetheless, he can do what he wants, and if people are willing to pay it, then I guess the joke’s on me.
And yes, let’s also factor in the charitable contributions of Blackberry Smoke, and the many missives I’ve seen about Shooter’s meet and greets like this:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/want-to-meet-shooter-jennings-that-will-be-85#comment-521321
Now I’ve given some Shooter fan who’s really really into wrestling and manufactured drama plenty of fuel to go off and bitch about how I hate Shooter once again, starting the cycle once again, and we all lose.
February 25, 2015 @ 8:37 am
Trig – that is a good explanation. Thank you for the compliment, I like it here and hope I contribute well.
At the end of the day my rub with the original article on SJ doing meet n greets or any act doing the same was and still is….. It’s what the market will bare. I don’t care if it is at a charity concert, festival or part of a road tour. If it is associated with a fest or charity I trust the act charging for VIP will use said funds accordingly, but that too is not my battle. In essence, a much- to- do- about- nothing op-ed piece.
As far moving on from Shooter issues, good for you, good for him. Unfortunately this site is better off when he is not mentioned. Quite frankly, its also a shame. Both parties push for the same goals in my opinion. Both parties also have an inability to just let things go (same can be said for me).
Now as far as Blackberry Smoke goes. I went to their show in Lincoln, NE last night (did not do VIP, never have) and what a solid show, left very pleased. All three acts were excellent and I think it was a good value at the end of the day ($30) Ben Miller Band earned enough of my liking to buy a CD on the spot and give them a slap on the back, The Temperance Movement I would see again as I would Blackberry Smoke (this was my first time). the venue was absolutely packed and loud.
Maybe you could do a op-ed on people paying good, hard earned money to see an act perform for them and partially ruin the event by wanting to sing along with every farking song. After the first six songs I as politely as I could tried to explain this to the drunk 20 something behind me. “Friend, I paid my $30 to hear him sing, not you, no offence” he looked at me with that 20 something mainstream FGL fight loving look of “lets go!”, too a “good point” look within about 8 seconds….
June 3, 2015 @ 5:14 am
Wow dude its too bad someone showed up to a show to sing along and have fun. Everyone calm down no fun MikeO is trying to chill. Sounds like your venue isn’t loud enough.
February 13, 2015 @ 8:03 am
Great review, Trig. I agree with most of what you said, but I didn’t really enjoy the album. I’m a fan of Blackberry Smoke and love them live, but isn’t my favorite release. I love that they tried new things and did not repeat what they’ve done in the past. It’s still a Blackberry Smoke record, but it’s a little less country and a little more 80ish rock. Love the band. Love the fact that they are artists and continue to express themselves. The songwriting is great. I just didn’t really like the music that went along with it. I’ll still go see them and buy their records, but not my favorite release.
February 13, 2015 @ 9:47 am
The word that comes to mind (and that Mo Crawford should look up) is sublime. Not the Brad Nowell ska punk band, but ‘tending to inspire awe, usually because of elevated quality’ (saved you the trouble, Mo).
BBS has that ‘more than the sum of its parts’ feel. Their musicianship, songwriting, showmanship, integrity–it all comes together in the right way. The result is they come a whole hell of a lot closer to their (supposed) idol Lynyrd Skynyrd than, for instance Zac (‘I’m different because I throw in a B7 chord’) Brown comes to his idol, James Taylor.
I drove to 2 states to Tennessee to see BBS headline, versus locally to open for ZBB. BBS is a headline quality band all the way.
$50 to hang with these guys? Sounds like a bargain, Mike O. That would be a sublime experience.
February 13, 2015 @ 10:09 am
I worked at a concert venue one Summer (only 1 summer because I realized dealing with drunks listening to music, was less fun than getting drunk and listening to music) and Blackberry Smoke was one of the opening acts. They had their meet and greet prior to the show and the fans really seemed to like it. They said all the guys were down to earth and really great to be around. I’ve never met them, but the people who did said it was money well spent.
Also at the same show, the yuppie concert venue manager would not allow people to stand during the show, saying that it infringed on the viewing of the people behind them. This turned into a bit of a scene as I kept telling the people they could stand if they wanted and the manager kept sitting them down. Blackberry Smoke saw this as they were performing. At the end of their set, Blackberry Smoke sent over a representative to bring the group that was standing backstage. They got a bunch of signed stuff, photos, etc. It was one of the coolest things I’ve seen a band do.
February 16, 2015 @ 8:01 am
By any chance was this in Aurora, IL? This same thing exactly happened to me and my gf and a friend…we got there 4 hours early to get to a good spot and they said we couldnt stand which really pissed us off… long story short, after arguing with security and management through almost their whole set, we were invited backstage to meet BBS and Drake White… They were all extremely nice and very grateful to their loyal fanbase by taking a few moments that they really didnt have to. It was something that I will never forget.
February 13, 2015 @ 10:12 am
Sooooo much better than their previous release (which I think was victim to a lot of bad production and weak writing). Lot’s of great southern rock infuences. Might not do it better than their influences but still pretty damn good. I am going to see them next week kinda by deflaut because I am more hyped about the opener the Ben Miller Band but hearing this makes me believe they are going to pretty cool live.
February 18, 2015 @ 6:17 pm
Listening to this album cranked all the way up. Awesome.
It is better than the Whippoorwill, but not as good. Make sense to anyone?
Don’t care for the Leslie-type effect on many of the track’s vocals.
Vocals are too compressed. It would be better with more breathing room.
Don’t understand the choice of envelope filter on the slide solo on Too High. Makes a serious song sound clownish.
Woman on the Moon has the type of space I like to hear.
Rock and Roll Again is too fast. Needs to be more of a stomper.
Still not enough keyboard. They went to all the trouble to add an organ player. Why bury him in the mix??
Payback’s a Bitch needs to come across meaner. Slow it down. Simple it up. A touch more snare. Plain, bare, and mean.
No Way Back To Eden–the acoustic guitar needs to cut through more.
Overall, a little too slick, a little too fast, a little too effected. And still the best album of the year.
It is definitely worthy of 2 guns up, but if I grade on a curve based on expectations I’d go 1 3/4 guns up. I know they can do better.