The four-piece from Kentucky is in top form. From the first track to the last, they leave no room for doubt and put themselves in the running for one of the best albums of the year.
I still remember listening to their debut album and it seems like yesterday when they put out gems like “Rain Wizard”, “Hell or High Water” etc. Since then a lot of water has flowed down the drain, they’ve put out some very good albums, some not so good, played all over the globe, are recognizable and dare I say accomplished. Into all of this put the first member change with the replacement of bassist Jon Lawhon two years ago by Steve Jewell Jr. I don’t know if that was what gave them the extra motivation, or if the material was there before, I guess they will say that in their interviews, the bottom line is that this album is excellent with very good songs that has an amazing flow. And if the debut album I mentioned before had bits and pieces, but it was somewhat anarchically structured, on this one Black Stone Cherry are masters of crafting an amazing album, like “Screaming At The Sky”.
Also, their sound has become heavier than ever, and there are plenty of spots where the arrangements become a bit more complex and bold, but I am sure that those almighty grooves have certainly put the foundations of the barn, where Black Stone Cherry usually rehearse, to the test! A lot of work has also gone into the choruses which are easy on the ear, which always helps. Finally, it may be just me, or I may be being presumptuous due to Lawhon’s departure, but it seems that the bass has more space and spots with short solos, something I don’t recall as prominent on previous albums.
“Screaming At The Sky” is excellent, I’ll say it one more time, it rolls along perfectly from start to finish and goes on repeat mode in the stereo without a second thought.
