Hailing from Rome, Georgia, The Georgia Thunderbolts are as Southern as their name and steeped in a slide-drenched, bluesy sound that is slickly delivered over the course of five tracks. Although the EP may have you initially thinking you have the band figured after the opening song, a deeper listen gives way to a satisfyingly diverse body of work and the band aren’t afraid to rock hard when the mood takes them.
Opening track, Looking For An Old Friend is a fine, if familiar, stroll down a southern path. Ticking all the boxes, elements of Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hank Williams are shot through the track, whilst T J Lyle’s honeyed voice sits comfortably in the centre of the mix like a warm ray of sunshine. In the same vein, So You Wanna Change The World is a laid back rocker, albeit with Riley Couzzourt and Logan Tolbert coaxing a gritty tone out of their guitars that builds to a suitably epic climax. The first track to crack the mould is Lend A Hand, which unveils a tougher, more metallic edge that suits the band down to the ground. Built around a hotwired riff and driven by Bristol Perry’s explosive performance behind the kit, it’s a strong indicator of the power the band can muster on the stage, and it proves to be an EP highlight. Spirit Of A Working Man also impresses, splitting the difference between the laid-back southern groove of the opening couplet and the all-guns-blazing rock of Lend A Hand, the hazy verses giving way to a chorus that is destined to set the live arena alight. Sensibly, the band take it down a notch on the Alice In Chains-y closer Set Me Free, bringing the EP to a satisfying close as TJ explores the possibilities of his impressive voice. A strong curtain closer, as all concluding tracks should, it promises even greater things for the future and leaves the listener wanting more.
At the outset, tracks like Looking For An Old Friend promise an EP that is little more than a decent precis of the band’s influences. However, the band practically evolve in front of the listener, with Lend A Hand and Set Me Free proving particularly powerful, and The Georgia Thunderbolt’s identity seems to be much more fully formed by the time the final track rounds the EP out. An impressive label debut and a tantalising appetiser for what will hopefully prove to be a lengthy career despite current uncertainty, this self-titled effort has much to commend it. 8/10
