Put the South in your mouth

September 10, 2008 2:34 PM

Southern Rock may have made a loud entrance into popular culture a few decades ago, but it certainly didn't end there. Many bands have continued the tradition of adding a real southern flavour to their music by combining blues, boogie, country and rock, while often hitting us with dual-guitar attacks. Although some are more often classified as alt-country, their sounds can range from having a heavy country influence, to being a lot more rocking.

To add some meta, here's a southern rock band singing about southern rock.

posted by Midnight Rambler (31 comments total)

Murder by Death could be describes as dark, gothic southern/western rock. They're very good.
posted by Caduceus at 2:57 PM on September 10, 2008

Cheers for the Uncle Tupelo clip.
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:09 PM on September 10, 2008

I'm familiar with almost every band in your post, but there's still a lot of meat to chew on here. Thanks!
posted by notsnot at 3:09 PM on September 10, 2008

I've been listening to The North Mississippi All Stars lately. Their output isn't terribly consistent but I like that they are just electric blues with very little pretense otherwise.
posted by doctor_negative at 3:48 PM on September 10, 2008

What, no Gov't Mule?
posted by Ber at 3:48 PM on September 10, 2008

Ladyhawk
posted by dobie at 3:51 PM on September 10, 2008

Drivin N Cryin and Cracker.
posted by infinitewindow at 4:04 PM on September 10, 2008

And the cab smelled like french fries, like an angry woman . . .
posted by jfwlucy at 4:16 PM on September 10, 2008

You have not lived until you have seen Drive-By Truckers in concert. Trust me on this.
posted by Rangeboy at 4:27 PM on September 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

I don't know where Mofro falls into the spectrum except for being in the "damn good" category.
posted by drewbage1847 at 4:37 PM on September 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

Rangeboy speaks the truth.

(it's especially true if you've split a flask of moonshine with the band before the show.)
posted by notsnot at 4:50 PM on September 10, 2008

This post needs some Down (Warning: Metal).
posted by oneirodynia at 5:11 PM on September 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

I remember going to see the Truckers with a couple dozen other folks at the Tractor before they released Southern Rock Opera and got kinda popular*. This isn't hipper-than-thou bragging on account of I've got a point.

Most bands take energy from the crowd. It's easier to effect that magical rock-and-roll moment when you've got a room full of people fully into it. And, as a member of the audience, it's easier to rock out when there are enough people to make one feel less uncomfortable.

The truckers, though. They rocked Every Fucking Bit As Hard.

*I was also at their first Arena show ever. They opened with Let There Be Rock and it was awesome.
posted by stet at 5:19 PM on September 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

No Wet Willie or Potliquor? Ther's more to old school southern rock than the Allmans and Skynyrd.
posted by jonmc at 5:21 PM on September 10, 2008

Also, the Truckers are pretty damned good.
posted by jonmc at 5:22 PM on September 10, 2008

I'll just never understand how My Morning Jacket is southern rock.
posted by nola at 5:29 PM on September 10, 2008

@nola
I agree the My Morning jacket is a little borderline, but a lot of their older, pre-'Z', songs (At Dawn, Lowdown, Run Thru, etc.) have a lot more of a southern rock feel and that's what I was thinking of.

@jonmc
Ya, there is a lot more, but I wanted to put in more newer bands than old. Also I made a point not to say they invented it, but were a couple of the major popularizers.

Otherwise, I've had some good music thrown back at me which was my somewhat selfish reason for posting, thanks.
posted by Midnight Rambler at 6:00 PM on September 10, 2008

I'll just never understand how My Morning Jacket is southern rock.

I think it's the beards.
posted by Rangeboy at 6:51 PM on September 10, 2008

Hey, has anyone mentioned Kings of Leon yet. They're from Tennessee, that's the South ain't it.
Consider Four Kicks, or Red Morning Light .
posted by Akaky at 6:53 PM on September 10, 2008

If they come to your town, you go see Drive By Truckers.
You dont think about it, you just go.
They play for almost 3 hours, sometimes more if they are in the mood and every song feels like a hit youve known all your life.

I recently did a poster for the Truckers when they played here in town.

Patterson called it "fine art" as a compliment and I beamed.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 11:15 PM on September 10, 2008

The Parlor Mob
posted by PenDevil at 11:24 PM on September 10, 2008

I don't know where Mofro falls into the spectrum except for being in the "damn good" category.

Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you .

So funky, but with that southern flavor, and yet still rock... You, sir, win an internet.

Also thanks to Midnight Rambler for the post. I knew there must have been more going on besides Skynyrd.

My contribution; Not really rock, but it's the closest I got:

Seasick Steve
CW Stoneking
posted by Grimp0teuthis at 11:36 PM on September 10, 2008

Hood/Cooley '08

DBT is the last real rock band.*

Can I post some random MySpace pages of some southern rock bands, too? Cool!

This thread needs some Dexateens and maybe Southern Bitch. Or, if you wanna get high, get loud, and get greasy, how about some Dixie Witch? But you know who's gonna be huge? Damn, boy (mp3)! And I hear Dan's big in Europe.

Since we're doing it, might as well do it right and include some Glossary (hell, here's the whole damn record, legit).

And this seems an appropriate place to suggest that this might be the best song yet about the Iraq war. This is a great song, too. Jason Isbell's solo record is a mighty fine thing.

Oh. And the Sadies are from Canada. So here's a better southern rock band.

*With apologies to The Hold Steady, who are touring this fall with the Drive-By Truckers. Go see them, y'all. Change your life. Swear to God. Disclaimer: I have met several of the artists linked in this comment. I do not work for any of them or hang out with any of them and only one of them owes me money.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 1:18 AM on September 11, 2008

I always liked Southern Culture on the Skids.
posted by chuckdarwin at 2:28 AM on September 11, 2008

Where the fuck is the rock in Southern Rock?

I still say most of it is Adult Contemporary with lap guitar...
posted by quintessencesluglord at 5:17 AM on September 11, 2008

You guys do know that the Toadies just put out another album, right? You could set a seven year watch to their releases.

Also, thanks in advance to most in this thread as you have convinced me to get tickets to see DBT this year.
posted by dogwalker at 5:45 AM on September 11, 2008

You're not a real Southern Rock band until the most talented people die young and the hollow shell of the band carries on, like the Allman Brothers, Little Feat, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:30 AM on September 11, 2008 [1 favorite]

gotta throw in a little Band of Horses
posted by blendor at 9:06 AM on September 11, 2008

Freebird!
posted by Pronoiac at 9:28 AM on September 11, 2008 [1 favorite]

Pain
posted by emmling at 2:36 AM on September 13, 2008

Not sure they truly fit this genre, but o'death is one of my favorites. They bill themselves as gothic/country/punk. Either way, they're awesome.
posted by runningwithscissors at 8:27 PM on September 14, 2008