Album Review: The Georgia Thunderbolts - Rise Above It All

I’ve been in love with the sound of country and southern rock since I was a small boy. So, I’m always on the hunt for that next sound that brings back that sense of nostalgia. There’s like the dulcet tones, the southern drawl and the heartfelt lyrics that just brings that sense of comfort for me. This year has given me some great records and another one to add to the collection is this record. I first came across The Georgia Thunderbolts from a recommendation. Their new single “Rise Above It All” had just dropped and I was immediately in love with this sound. I quickly learned that this single was building up to the release of their new album of the same title, Rise Above It All. This is their sophomore release acting as the follow-up to their 2021 album, Can We Get A Witness. I took a listen to all of their music, including their EPs and fell into a bit of a rabbit hole. They have all of the soul of the outlaw country but beefed up with hard rock elements that would make the most serious of rockers take note. 

The album opens incredibly strong with “Gonna Shine” a tune that gets you bouncing straight away. It’s a jovial and fun track that has that outlaw country feel. The crisp textured sound of the guitar cuts through the production and adds that rock layer. The hook is simple but effective and reminds me of the classic summer anthems for yesteryear. Something that overall remains in your head and something that I’d learn on the guitar to sing along with friends. The next track is a little jarring, instead of another rock track, the album flows into a soul ballad. “Rock and Roll Record” is a classic story-telling track about being in a rock band and playing live and how all things are recorded in the history of rock and roll. It also plays on the fact that this is a rock and roll record, as in a vinyl record. It’s pretty epic. It feels like a statement piece with a big guitar solo and the vocals soaring high on the mix.

The album snaps back into gear with the title track. The song that brought me to them. I think this is a fantastic single. Solid riff and a fantastic hook that sinks its teeth into your soul. I think this is something that The Georgia Thunderbolts do quite well on this album. The whole record is a balancing act of their hard dirty-south rock sound with tracks like “She’s Gonna Get It”, “Ain’t Got No Money” and “Whiskey Talkin’” with their more soulful country side with tracks like “Crawling My Way back To You” and “Wait”. I think they manage to cross the tightrope really well. It’s such a balanced record that showcases all of their strengths. The production is so finely tuned giving every piece of the instrumentation its own little shine. I couldn’t pick an element that was missing from the record. Each member plays their part to ensure that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 

You can definitely hear their influences as they wear it so prominently on their sleeves. You can hear all of the legacy bands that came before them in the tone. However, I do think that their sound is their own. It's not like they’re copying homework. Like most southern rock, they honour the classic legacy while telling their own stories. They have their own valid life experiences to share and their music is that outlet. Yeah, you might hear half a dozen southern rock bands playing in rotation and these guys might just be another song that comes up on your recommended feed. I will argue it's another thing entirely to experience a full album from them. Their bold writing and clean production make for a captivating listening experience. I would say there’s at least one song (if not more) on this album for everyone.

Rise Above It All is a great record and one that I’ve loved listening to. They’ve taken what worked on their past releases and refined the formula down to an art. For a year that’s already given us some of the best southern rock and outlaw country, The Georgia Thunderbolts have left their mark. I just hope they’re as good live as they are on record because as soon as I’m able to I’m getting to a show to hear what they can do!

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