The Georgia Thunderbolts
Can We Get A Witness!
Track List Band
1- Take It Slow TJ Lyle- Lead Vocals
2- Lend A Hand Riley Couzzourt- Guitar
3- So You Want To Change The World Logan Tolbert- Guitar
4- Looking For An Old Friend Zach Everett- Bass, Keyboards
5- Spirit Of A Workin’ Man Bristol Perry- Drums
6- Midnight Rider
7- Be Good To Yourself
8- Half Glass Woman Produced By:
9- Dancin’ With The Devil Richard Young
10- Can I Get A Witness
11- Walk Tall Man
12- It’s Alright
13- Set Me Free
14- Better Run From The Beast (Vinyl Only)
Label Official Site
Mascot Records https://www.georgiathunderbolts.com/
Before we dive into the music we need to take a minute and just check out the CD packaging. It’s very well done. You get a lot of detail with the liner notes. I like that they put a photo of the band under the CD tray. The label spent a lot of money on putting this together verses the CD sleeve or just a generic front and back cover. I just think you should take the time and read through and see all the detail that they give.
Take It Slow has a real nice groove, the kind that pulls you in for the ride. Bassist Zach Everett and drummer Bristol Perry really earn their keep on this one. Now the guitar licks and riffs are from the band’s lethal duo of guitarists Riley Couzzourt and Logan Tolbert. They give the song the hard driving rock sound that takes the single to another level. But, to me the real magic here and not to be understated is TJ Lyle’s harmonica playing. It seems to come in at the right time and where it needs to be. His vocals are always on the money but when he plays the harmonica, well that’s the sweet spot for me. All of these components together just make these guys pull ahead of the rest. It’s a nice opener for the album.
Lend A Hand is a straight ahead up tempo rocker with great harmonies. You’ll be pumping your fists to this one. T.J. Lyle has a lot of power and attitude when he sings this one. The band has a nice groove but then Riley Couzourt’s guitar solo kicks in and you just go what just happened, it’s eargasmic.
So You Want To Change The World slows things down the pace of the record and for good reason. This song is an uplifting one so it makes sense to take your time to listen to the message. When you read the second verse it should put it in perspective;
”You’ve loved everything you’ve ever known You spread your love you see how far it’s grown Touched everyone so the people they say If there’s a brighter light, there’s another day”
I don’t think you could paint a better picture than that. You interpret that any way you like, but therein lies the message. Next up is Looking For An Old Friend. It has a Lynyrd Skynyrd vibe to it. Lyle shows us his range from rocker to soulful singer. He tells his tale with conviction. The band does a nice jam with a slide guitar solo that is something that needs to be heard. Trust me, this one will get on your playlist if you like these guys.
As per my way, I always let you discover some of the tracks on your own. Spirit Of A Workin’ Man, Midnight Rider, The Allman Brothers cover, Be Good To Yourself and Walk Tall Man are four you can check out on your own.
Half Glass Woman brings us back on track with the Southern swagger and attitude that we’ve come to expect from the boys. This is one of my favorite songs on the record. The rhythm section of Bristol Perry on drums and Zach Everett’s bass really make this track pop. Lyle does some ad libbing and gives the song a lot of flavor. This i one you crank up and just rock out to.
Dancin’ With The Devil is a song that grows on you as it builds up to the chorus. I have to say that the opening the verse really gets your attention I mean when you hear them especially the way Lyle sings them in an advisory tone;
”You can’t keep dancin’ with the devil, And wonder why you’re still in hell. You can’t keep poking at the fire, and wonder why you’re getting burned”.
Wisdom is something we seek and you get the advice from someone who’s been there. This one tells it like it is. This song doesn’t tip toe around the problem that comes at you. Shape up or pay the price.
Can I Get A Witness takes music up a notch. This is a rocker right out of the gate. It’s moody and full of angst. The song is proving all the doubters wrong. Once again the lethal combo of Couzzourt and Tolbert guitar playing and soloing shows they are a force to be reckoned with. I can see this song being a crowd favorite pumping their fists to the beat of Perry’s drums. I’m sure you can picture like I do when you listen to it.
It’s Alright is one of the band’s singles from the record. One listen and you’ll know why. The opening riff is catchy, just listening to it brought a smile to my face. One thing is clear in this song is that no matter what you are going through, everything will be alright. Just the kind of Southern sermon we need to hear now. They do a nice job conveying that here. I truly love the rhythm and guitar licks throughout this feel good track. One of the many highlights in this is Lyle’s high notes, especially near the end.
Set Me Free closes out the album. It’s the longest track on the record clocking in at 7:07. It’s a nice way to end the record, just the right mix of soulful feeling and emotional pain that still delivers the punch. Now, there some cool things happening here, the vocal delivery by Lyle’s. You get the full capacity of what he can do with his voice. Amazing at times. But I truly enjoyed the subtle guitar licks throughout the track.
Better Run From The Beast is a bonus track on the album. The only negative thing I’ll say is I’m sad it’s not on the regular release. That aside, this is worth the price of teh vinyl edition of this record. This a great tune that should be heard by everyone.
In closing, I want to say this band where’s their heart on their sleeve. They write very relatable songs with a lot of Southern pride. I feel these guys are going to be huge and are the real deal. There isn’t much not to like about these guys, the music speaks for itself.
Songs to check out, Take It Slow, Lend A hand, Half Glas Woman and Can I Get A Witness.
Check out their latest single It’s Alright Below.
Comentarios