If you’re a fan of southern rock, then hang on to your hats and get ready for Red River Hymn. This is an exciting rising southern rock band. Whether it’s the saucy guitar licks or the tight harmonies, they’re a band you’ll be excited you’ve found.
The first track here to feature is “Kudzu.” Anyone who has ever driven through the American Southeast has seen this invasive vine all over anything that doesn’t move out of the way. It can choke out all life. “Look how the kudzu has grown,” the key lyric of the song, is about something – presumably not actually the vines – choking out the health of someone’s life. It could be about drugs or a negative relationship, but it’s got some fun guitar lyrics and a good group vocal part.
“Broken Strings” has a good chill vibe to it. The combination of the guitar and the tenor lead vocal works really well. It’s one of those songs by rockers for rockers. You can tell these guys have some genuine experiences with the rock life. It’s just a really complete track that calls on the memory of great rock bands from the 70s without sounding like a cover band. There’s a little Tom Petty, a little Allman Brothers, and a whole lot of modern freshness in this sound.
“Cheap Prizefighter” feels a bit like the Drive-by Truckers. If you’re a fan of this type of southern rock or Americana rock music, that’s pretty high praise. There’s something deeply satisfying the way that the lead vocal just sort of glides across the string work. The drums keep the song moving along, creating a genuine rock feel. The whole composition feels like a storytelling rock song, as is often the case with southern rock.
These are three solid tracks that provide great promise for Red River Hymn. They’re definitely a band on the rise and we look forward to hearing more from them in 2018.
