The rise of grunge in the early 90s is often credited as the death knell of 80s hair metal. However, few people talk about the collateral damage that happened around the same time…the decline of Southern Rock. Although southern influences can be found in some modern hard rock bands, pure Southern Rock bands are few and far between these days. Enter Indiana’s Outlaws & Moonshine – a trio that aims to blend the past with the present with their brand of “back beat boogie woogie” infused Southern Rock – with their debut single, “Whiskey.”
As the acoustic guitar intro fades, Outlaws & Moonshine launch into a down home, southern sound that takes you on a journey back in time. The twang of the guitar and the blue-collar gritty vocals of the verses build up to an anthemic chorus that will undoubtedly have fans singing along as they hoist a few in a live setting. There’s a beauty to the simplicity of this feel-good party song and the overall stripped-down, straight-ahead sound of Outlaws & Moonshine (think AC/DC with Southern Rock sensibilities).
The band is still in the process of completing their still untitled debut album, but “Whiskey” gives a nice “taste” of what we can expect from a band at the forefront of “new Southern Rock.”
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