New and Notable: Hill Country Revue

Formed by North Mississippi Allstars members Cody Dickinson and Chris Chew, and featuring Daniel Coburn of Dixie Hustler along with several other well-known Memphis musicians, Hill Country Revue is a soulful blues-rock group that just released their first album today - Make a Move. The recipe here is fairly simple, and often familiar, but it produces some solid results. The boys use their collective musical chops to create hard-hitting rock 'n' roll with copious amounts of fiery guitar solos and some spectacular work on the rhythm section that makes the ten tracks of their debut an exciting blues record that should satisfy enthusiasts of the genre.

Explosive opener "Alice Mae," the impassioned "Let Me Love You," and the raw, gripping "Ramblin'" are good examples of the band at their best, churning out crunchy riffs and spectacular solos in between soulfully-delivered vocals. Though the album is relatively long (45 minutes) for ten songs, the group keeps their jam band tendencies to a minimum here, only showing those colors on a couple tunes, including the lengthy, solo-heavy closer "Growing Up In Mississippi." It's quite obvious this isn't the first go 'round for the boys, and while there's not much to really 'explore' on Make a Move, there's plenty to enjoy.

For a taste, head to my previous post to download "Alice Mae," or find more at the band's MySpace page.

Hill Country Revue set to release debut LP - offer free single

The name Hill Country Revue may be new, but you might have heard members Cody Dickinson and Chris Chew's other group, North Mississippi Allstars, or Daniel Coburn's band Dixie Hustler. Together, and with several other well-known Memphis musicians, the boys formed this new project - seeking to become the "the modern blues band for the new generation." The music is heavily steeped in classic Southern rock, with plenty of incidiary guitar riffs and a solid rhythm section making songs like "Alice May" an irresistable update of a timeless sound. Their debut album, Make A Move, will be released on May 12.

"The North Mississippi Allstars haven’t broken up,” Cody Dickinson says. “We’re just off doing different things. Hill Country Revue, for Chris and me, is like a big jolt of adrenaline. It changes our blood chemistry and has us firing on a whole different set of synapses. Also the input from the other guys in the band, both as musicians and friends, is amazing. So everybody gains!”

Download the track "Alice May" below, and check out the tour dates for this Spring and Summer:

Alice May (MP3)

04.24.08 – Backbeat Jazzfest Series/The Republic – New Orleans, LA
05.02.09 – George’s Majestic Lounge – Fayetteville, AR
05.16.09 – Batesville Springfest – Batesville, MS
05.23.09 – Summer Camp Fest – Chillicothe, IL
05.30.09 – The Jewish Mother – Virginia Beach, VA
06.05.09 – Wanee Festival – Live Oak, FL
06.27.09 – North MS Hill Country Picnic – Potts Camp, MS
07.05.09 – Rothbury Music Fest – Rothbury, MI
07.10.09 – All Good Music Festival – Masontown, WV
07.31.09 – Verizon Wireless Center – Noblesville, IN **
08.01.09 – Verizon Wireless Center – Noblesville, IN **