Let’s face it, life in the modern world is rather complicated. Completely engulfed in the digital age, people are less human than ever before and the divisive tension is so thick that you may not even want to look outside your front door. A sad reality of a world gone mind; does it really need to be this way? A complex question, in truth, the answer is no, because we are the controller of what affects us. These thoughts in mind, many are realizing this each day, and Kentucky’s Blackstone Cherry explicitly amplifies this on their brand-new album Screamin’ at the Sky.
The band’s eighth overall studio record, and fourth with Mascot Records, Screamin’ at the Sky is also their first minus original Bassist Jon Lawhon (who bowed out in 2021), and first to include new member, Bassist Steve Jewell Jr. (ex-Otis). Emerging on September 29, 2023, and a follow up to 2020’s The Human Condition, Screamin’ at the Sky is a bit of change in pace for the band sonically. What does this mean? Well, if you have followed Black Stone Cherry through the years, you are aware that while they have always stood tall as a Hard Rock band. Although, as time has waned on, they have mixed in various different tones; ranging from Southern Rock to even Alternative Rock.
This considered, some might go as far as to say that Screamin’ at the Sky is the band’s heaviest album since their powerful 2006 self-titled debut. What this means is the overall approach is by and large filled with very heavy riffs. Not a bad thing, the album is loud, proud, and very in-charge – prime examples include the opening title-track, plus the lead singles “Nervous” and “Out of Pocket.
However, the album’s boldest moments lay in songs like “When the Pain Comes,” “Show Me What It Feels Like,” and “Who Are You Today?” Each strong song musically and lyrically, the overall theme is to be resilient in the face of the madness around us. This is exemplified in the words, guitars, and of course Chris Robertson emotional vocal delivery. And this vibe is also felt on other songs such as “Smile, World” which reminds us… hey, stop taking yourself so seriously, have a thicker skin, lighten up, and enjoy life.
In all, Black Stone Cherry delivers a heavy Rock-n-Roll record that is both mature and intelligent. This album provokes the thought that, yes, we are surrounded by negativity, liars, cheats, and people getting rich off the division they are feeding. It is a machine which lives off confusion, weakening human bonds, and dividing everyone for the sake of control. However, there is hope, and Black Stone Cherry is, well, screaming at the sky with a strong message on how to break free of these chains. In enough words, we must be like a large rock amidst a river and let the water (negativity) go around us, not through us. A dose of straight-ahead, soulful, heavy Rock-n-Roll, Cryptic Rock gives Screamin’ at the Sky 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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