Royal Southern Brotherhood Don’t Look Back (180 Gram)

Release Date: 08/21/2015
Format: 2 X LP
Label: Ruf
Release type:  180 Gram Vinyl LP Release

‘Don’t Look Back’ – subtitled ‘The Muscle Shoals Sessions’ – is a departure, but the important thing is the song quality remains the same. Out go Mike Zito and Devon Allman and in comes Bart Walker and Tyrone Vaughan (Jimmie’s son and Stevie Ray’s nephew – a new bloodline of sorts). Cyril Neville remains at the helm and the stonking rhythm section of Yonrico Scott and Charlie Wooton continue to nail the grooves. – The upshot is a rootsier direction that takes the band back to it’s New Orleans musical roots with lashing of funk, counter-balanced by hard edged blues-rock, mixed back guitars and an ever present soulful feel on deeply entrenched grooves. – Grammy winner Tom Hambridge produced this disc for the band, which won a 2014 Blues Music Award for best DVD for Songs From The Road. This one features Neville on vocals and percussion, joined by his regular rhythm section of bassist Charlie Wooton and drummer Yonrico Scott. The guitar lineup, however, is brand new. Mike Zito and Devon Allman are both gone. But string-benders Bart Walker, the operatically trained vocalist who doubles on mandolin and banjo, and Jimmie Vaughan’s son Tyrone add their own brand of fire to the mix. Rounding out the sound are Cyrill’s brother Ivan (keyboards) and a horn section comprised of Jimmy Hall and Max Abrams (saxophone) and Paul Armstrong (trumpet).

1. I Wanna Be Free – the Royal Southern Brotherhood
2. Reach My Goal – the Royal Southern Brotherhood
3. Don’t Look Back – the Royal Southern Brotherhood
4. Hit Me Once
5. The Big Greasy
6. Hard Blues
7. Better Half
8. Penzi
9. It’s Time for Love
10. Bayou Baby
11. Poor Boy
12. They Don’t Make ‘Em Like You No More
13. Come Hell or High Water
14. Anchor Me