| Rebel Syndicate “Welcome To The South” By: Alley Spann, Georgia-Country.com A true music lover is forever in search of new sounds that bring feelings of delight, sorrow, passion, and vengeance. That, my friends is what I do. I search for music that stands out from the every day mundane loop of things. I crave music that jumps out and catches me off guard. Vocals that make you stop and turn up the stereo and soak up each verse. My most recent find is an album by a band of country misfits. I would like to welcome you to the world of Rebel Syndicate! With that being said, I was recently afforded the chance to listen to and review their new album, “Welcome to the South”. Though you can always find a similarity here and there to other country songs, there truly is no other sound quite like them. Each song offers something new to the listener. The album kicks off with a bang with the title song “Welcome to the South”. It is a true southern anthem. From there it takes the listener on a journey through country living, heart breaks, drinking, vengeance, bar fights, and of course love. The song “That Man Don’t Live Here” is everything a male anthem song should be. It is brought to life by rich and confident vocals. The market is flooded with songs of bitter women destroying trucks or moving on to bigger and better things. This song offers the same thing for men, except they don’t destroy her vehicle, or cut up her clothes, or wreck her apartment. Through out the album there are songs that vary from traditional country style to a blue grass feel and southern rock. The tune “Beer Don’t Bitch” has the potential of being the next huge bar hit such as Garth Brooks’ infamous “Friends in Low Places”. It has an addictive chorus that sticks, makes you smile, and brings on the desire to have a drink! What more do you need? They say opinions are like, well you know, but facts are hard to deny. The facts are that the vocals are there, the instrumental talent is there, and the attitude is there. The music speaks for itself. |
| This is a translation (from French to English) of a review of our CD “The Family Album”. The article is from a Southern Rock webzine and radio show called ROAD TO JACKSONVILLE "Voila, another group that has put an album out online on the site CD Baby. Rebel Syndicate is a group from Florida, the musical universe, on its named album. The Family Album is strewn with laid back tempos and superb sets, especially on Grace of God, that makes the hairs on your arms rise, in a southeast country rock vein from the great epoch. But, also on the other hand more of a rock style on "Nobody Cries for Outlaws," that is a superb arrangement constructed perfectly; with a fuzzy guitar sound that has a musical theme of Ennio Morricone, (The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly). This theme was also taken pre-1975 by the American Group "Dixie Peach" on their Raintree US LP with a harmonization similar to the Allman Brothers band, but this record is hard to find. To conclude, I would say that this album has a calm southern ring to it and deserves to be discovered by many. Also, when the last song stops, the CD continues and a blues title emerges (a hidden track)." Jacques Dersigny |
| I have a new found love for Southern Rock. As an avid music fan, saturated in songs from my 70+ years on this rock, I thought I had seen the best days of this genre gone. Having had seen the greatest bands in the height of their passion such as Glen, Frank, Elvis, John and his boys, Duane, I have been witness to the sad death of passion in music over the last 25 years. I have never been what one would call a fan of Southern music, and unfortunately, my love for Southern people has seen better days as well. I surmised that I was just an old man, with a taste for good music in a world where music seems to be more about lights and smoke made without love and respect for your craft. I was first introduced to this band, Rebel Syndicate, in the most haphazard fashion, with a conversation about the fall of man and the loss of dignity. My story starts like most good ones do, with a question of love. I was sitting at a friends bar in a dirty backwater town in Florida, celebrating the coming of spring and St. George Island Chili Cook Off. On a bench across from me was a man singing to a child, a young boy, with the curious name of Trucker. This man, Randy Johnson, the name overheard in conversation, was obviously some local celebrity. I watched as car after car passed them by with young girls and old men yelling out of their windows, “Hey Y’all” . I cautiously asked this man what could that mean, he said, “People find love in life where they can, just go with it.” And with that he left the bench and gave what looked like a hobo a bear hug and they walked away, obviously with a great and passionate history between the two of them. As my friend came out from the bar I asked who that man was, he laughed and said, “ That was that last of the best, but hopefully just the beginning.” He smiled and walked into the bar, obviously touched in some way by him as well. The night started as it does, drinks, women, lies and song. Great songs, done poorly by old drunks, sadness. I was anxiously awaiting this band, new to me, but I was obviously in the minority. The name Rebel Syndicate was on the tip of every tongue. It was a carnival. It was a throw back to the days of Zepplin and The Who. People were telling stories about the times they had seen this band from past adventures like they were hero soldiers coming home from war. I was to find out in a most abrupt fashion that they indeed were soldiers, exalted Southern warriors, sons of the Rebelution. It hit me like a fist to the mouth, I hear, “Hey Y’all,” then boom, I am struck. Struck not so much by the song, I think it was Charlie Daniels, but by the sound, love and truth. It is obvious when it happens. When a group of true musicians get together in a common bond of love and truth that sound is unmistakable. Here it was after all this time, they had brought back the soul of the music. Song after song, note after note, the rebirth of Southern music. I stood back in awe and watched as this band of brothers turned the fate of music from the fires of hell. Standing like battered heroes, ready for battle, breathing as one. After the carnage was done I had a chance to speak to Randy. He pressed through the throng of drunkards and lovers to ask me a question, “ Howdyaliketheshow? “ I could only respond in kind, “Thank you.” He smiled and reached out and gave me a hug. Now we have history. Now I know. I was given a copy of the CD Welcome to the South the following day. Randy stopped me in the parking lot after the riot was over, really a riot, and pressed it into my hand with his email address. He asked me to listen to it and please let him know what I thought. I did. It is solid. I expected something more bloody, maybe darker. Great songs done well. Be proud of it as you are of your beloved South. Thank you for everything you do. You now have a true fan, one of many, one of few. So find love as you find it, I will roll with it as well. Such wisdom. Kaeryn Thaile P.S. Bill Nash would love what you did to his guitar, some people pay attention to the good stuff. |
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About Us
CD review by Twang Nation
| MySpace Showcase - Rebel Syndicate Posted in alt.country on November 28th, 2007 Rebel Syndicate are a Southern-Rock band outta Jackson County, Florida that write hell raising booze soaked rave-ups (Beer Don’t Bitch) and talking-song shuffles on Southern pride (Grace of God). These guys are doing it right and keeping it righteous. Check ‘em out. Twang Nation |
"The Family Album"
| I am simply blown away by this band. The CD has been on my desk, sitting there in the “In box” for a few weeks now, and I keep saying “I gotta check these guys out.” Well sir, this morning I did, and they are amazing. A little bit 38 Special, a little Hank and some Little Texas, mixed with a heaping dose of Florida sunshine and a shot of Jack, Rebel Syndicate are consummate professionals. Their songs are expertly crafted and flawlessly performed. Honestly, there's not a bad song on the whole record. “All But Gone” is a perfect, beautiful country song reminiscent of the band Alabama, and the title track, “Welcome to the South” is a Southern rockin’ tribute to our home land that stands as a rebel yell to kick off the party. “Anything But Me” is another excellent song with a catchy melody and heartfelt lyric, all about finding someone, something to blame for the way the writer was feeling at the time. “Drive On” is another beautiful song that should be blazing across the airwaves of country radio. One of my favorites on the record is the redneck party song “Beer Don’t Bitch.” You can pretty much tell what that one is about. “Beer don’t bitch and whiskey don’t lie/I never seen a tear in Jose’s eye/Jim Beam never told me what to do.....And Jack Daniels never walked out and said we’re through.” You go guys! The end of the song brings the entire bar crowd into the studio for a sing along. “That Man Don’t Live Here” is an excellent uptempo rocker that sounds like Bruce Springsteen if he’d been born South of the Mason Dixon. I’ve got to be honest here. I know what I really like, and I was drawn straight into this joint on the first listen. This is a CD I will play over and over again. I am putting it in rotation in my personal CD changer alongside The Marshall Tucker Band, Bo Bice, The Outlaws, Tommy Talton, The Boxmasters, Amanda Martin, Bruce Springsteen, Sugarland, and The Winters Brothers Band. Hell yeah! -Michael Buffalo Smith http://www.swampland.com/main/section/gritz/ http://www.swampland.com/reviews/view/title:welcome_to_the_south |