After the lovely 2021 album, You Hear Georgia, I am sharing my thoughts about a Blackberry Smoke album for the second time. On 16th February 2024, the band from Atlanta, Georgia, is sharing their new album Be Right Here with their fans. Here is my review.
Blackberry Smoke – About The Artists
The country rock / Sothern rock band Blackberry Smoke are active since 2000. The US-American band have never lost a band member in their band history so far. Keyboarder Brandon Still joined the band in 2009 and is thus the only Blackberry Smoke member, who is not part of the whole history of the quintet. Be Right Here is the eighth studio album by Blackberry Smoke already. With You Hear Georgia, they lead the US Americana charts, but also placed Top 20 in the (all genre) British charts.
Blackberry Smoke – Be Right Here – Track by Track
The ten track album lasts 40 minutes.
1. Dig A Hole
Blackberry Smoke went for two single releases to open the album. The heavy, a bit of dark Dig A Hole plays it safe. It shows the band as you love them to sound alike. The bass drives some groovy parts and there are some good melodies as well. This must feel like a spa treatment to the soul for fans of the US-Americans.
2. Hammer And The Nail
Sometimes you’re the hammer, sometimes you’re the nail – the second song is a straight country rocker / Southern rocker. Okay, the final line of the chorus does not come with the most optimisitc outlook, but overall, the second track is a lot of fun.
3. Like It Was Yesterday
The album continues with rock’n’roll, Blackberry Smoke style. Like It Was Yesterday is straight, does not need anything on top of simply rocking. Why should the band do something different? It is simply a good one.
4. Be So Lucky
Be So Lucky is the first song, which feels a bit of emotional as well. Not a ballad at all, but the riffs are just less hard and you feel a certain touch in the vocals. The best thing about the fourth track, though, is the lovely melody of the chorus.
5. Azalea
The fifth song has been another feature single. The thumbing rhythm is the first thing you recognize when you listen to this song. Blackberry Smoke also works nicely in these slower, a bit of lamenting sounds. Nonetheless, I love them better when they rock.
6. Don’t Mind If I Do
The first tunes of Don’t Mind If I Do tell you already: this one is about rock’n’roll again. However, the song does not go that much for a harder rocker as the opening may suggest. Still a nice and groovy Southern style track in the comfort zone of Blackberry Smoke listeners.
7. Whatcha Know Good
The instruments in this very groovy blues-rock-alike song are more in the background. This song concentrates on the story, on the lyrics. And it is absolutely worth to listen to the band for these four minutes.
8. Other Side of the Light
Some country and Americana, a touch of progressive rock – that’s Other Side of the Light. It is a nice story, a nice melody – but overall one of the most hidden, a bit of mousy, songs of the album, unfortunately.
9. Little Bit Crazy
Like coming from a far distance, the song opens with a gospel-alike message, Got to be a little big crazy. However, after some 40 seconds, the ninth song is kicking off entirely and connects to the openers of Be Right Here. I love it.
10. Barefoot Angel
Barefoot Angel is closing the album with a ballad. Good rockers do good ballads – and would you dare to doubt that in regards of Blackberry Smoke? The gospel-alike choir is back and here and there supports the band on the vocal side. Nice one.
Blackberry Smoke – Be Right Here – Spotify
Here is the album on Spotify:
Blackberry Smoke – Be Right Here – My View
I do see some slightly weaker spots in Be Right Here – but overall, Blackberry Smoke are doing really right on their 2024 album. There is nice range of songs. The album definitely makes you look forward to the upcoming European tour (see below).
Favorite Song: Like It Was Yesterday
Blackberry Smoke – Be Right Here Tour 2024
September and October 2024 will have a blast in Europe: the country rockers / Southern rockers Blackberry Smoke will tour the continent. To make it even better: They bring The Steel Woods as a support act with them. Fun guaranteed!
Mo 09.09.2024 | Glasgow (United Kingdom) – O2 Academy | |
Tu 10.09.2024 | Edinburgh – O2 Academy | |
Th 12.09.2024 | Manchester – O2 Apollo | |
Fr 13.09.2024 | Birmingham – O2 Academy | |
Sa 14.09.2024 | London – Eventim Apollo | |
Mo 16.09.2024 | Brussels (Belgium) – Ancienne Belgique | |
Tu 17.09.2024 | Tilburg (Netherlands) – O13 | |
We 18.09.2024 | Hanover (Germany) – Capitol | |
Fr 20.09.2024 | Copenhagen (Denmark) – VEGA | |
Sa 21.09.2024 | Oslo (Norway) – Sentrum Scene | |
Su 22.09.2024 | Stockholm (Sweden) – Annexet | |
Tu 24.09.2024 | Berlin (Germany) – Columbiahalle | |
We 25.09.2024 | Vienna (Austria) – Gasometer | |
Th 26.09.2024 | Munich (Germany) – Tonhalle | |
Sa 28.09.2024 | Paris (France) – L’Olympia | |
Su 29.09.2024 | Cologne (Germany) – E-Werk | |
Mo 30.09.2024 | Zurich (Switzerland) – Kaufleuten | |
We 02.10.2024 | Milan (Italy) – Alcatraz |
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