Ruf Records artist: Royal Southern Brotherhood - Don't Look Back - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Don't Look Back, from the Royal Southern Brotherhood and it's a funky, reggae, soul and blues jam. Opening with I Wanna Be Free, a hot rocker with white hot guitar riffs from new members, Bart Walker and Tyrone Vaughan, and a solid bottom from Charlie Wooton and Yonrico Scott. Reach My Goal adds just a little funk and some cool B3 from Ivan Neville with an almost Doobies sound. Cyrille Neville, Walker and Vaughan blend nice vocally and Walker plays a fluid guitar solo making this an ideal radio track. A real nice bass intro by Wooten opens reggae infused title track, Don't Look Back, with Walker on banjo and nice percussion work from Neville and Scott. Hit Me Once has a light funky jazz sound with an R&B vocal style. This is a cool track and Neville's vocals hit! Walker and Vaughan trade some slashing riffs on this track enforcing this as one of my favorites on the release. The Big Greasy has a slippery funk style with a contagious bass line from Wooton and a hot key solo from Neville. Hard Blues has a nice swagger courtesy of Wooton and Scott and Neville's vocals balance well with the stinging guitar riffs of Walker. Better Half brings it way down for a super sweet southern soul track. This is likely my favorite track on the release with a Luther Ingram feel. Excellent! Penzi has a cool Caribbean feel with excellent percussion and a great bass line holding the bottom. Walker adds a light Spanish feel with stylistic mandolin playing. Another track with broad airplay potential. It's Time For Love has a smooth soulful jazzy feel with nicely phrased guitar riffs and silky vocal lead. Bayou Baby is a really smokey track with red hot slide work. This track has a infectious groove that really gets you... try to just play it once! Excellent! Poor Boy is a R&B flavored rocker with a hot bass line. Vaughan lays out a cool guitar riff complimenting cool, Bobbie Tench like vocals. Nice! They Don't Make Em Like You No More gets into the Tower of Power range with sax work from Max Abrams and Jimmy Hall as well as trumpet from Paul Armstrong. Funky wah wah guitar riffs give this track an edge and plucky bass riffs by Wooten push it on! Nice! Come Hell Or High Water has a really strong melody and maintains an almost Isley Brothers R&B feel. Another track that could easily garner broad radio play, vocals are warm and guitar riffs rich. Wrapping the release is Anchor Me, a quiet acoustic ballad. Coming out with the big guns and retiring with a quiet track, I really like this new release by RSB.

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