The Georgia Thunderbolts, Can We Get A Witness Review

The Georgia Thunderbolts are a rock band from Rome, GA, hitting the music scene with their intense brand of southern rock with their debut album Can We Get A Witness. The album features thirteen songs imbued in soulful southern saunter, powerful blues, and intense rock. With a wide swath of inspirations, from southern gospel and Hank Williams to Merle Haggard, Neil Young, Little Feat, Ozzy Osbourne, and, of course, Lynyrd Skynyrd. The quintet developed by cutting their teeth performing with everyone from The Allman Betts Band and Blackberry Smoke to Kentucky Headhunters & Black Stone Cherry. That hard work paid off when they hit the iconic Barrick Recording Studio in Glasgow, KY, to record with producer Richard Young. The Georgia Thunderbolts are TJ Lyle, vocals, piano, harmonica; Riley Couzzourt, guitar, slide guitar; Logan Tolbert, guitar; Zach Everett, bass, backing vocals, keyboards; and Bristol Perry, drums. There’s a message to what we’re doing,” Bristol says, “It’s okay to be yourself. If you’re going through hard times, the music will always be there. We’d love to remind everyone of that.” “Rock and roll is something that comes naturally for us,” Riley, Zach, and Logan conclude. “We love it and are in it for the long haul. We feel like we can bring it back.”

Bottom Line:  Can We Get A Witness is the quintet’s first full-length debut for Mascot Records, and it embodies the spirit of the blue-collar worker who has put their foot down on the accelerator towards the rock ‘n roll American dream. “Take It Slow” opens the album with a catchy Southern rocker with a solid medium groove. Lyle’s vocals are certainly influenced by the rich history of Southern rock singers. His gritty vocals sing, “Got a full tank of gas, and I’m headed down the road, no money in my pocket, destination still unknown,” and it sets the tone for the album. To be true, Southern Rock, you have to have a strong guitar sound, and both Couzzourt and Tolbert deliver. The bluesy influenced, “So You Wanna Change The World,” has a solid dynamic change from verse to chorus. The vibrant “Looking For An Old Friend” was the first song the band wrote together and is filled with tasteful slide guitar work and full vocal harmonies. The Georgia Thunderbolts are not afraid to let their experiences of living in Rome, a town with deep agricultural roots, influence their music and lyrics. This can certainly be heard in “Spirit of A Workin’ Man,” and they come across as sincere and believable. “It’s got a deep lesson to it. You can’t knock down the little man,” Lyle explains. The title track, “Can We Get A Witness,” represents “overcoming the obstacles in life,” Lyle adds. “Everybody has their ups and downs, but it’s how you persevere and prosper through adversity that shows your true colors. The song ‘Can I Get A Witness’ is a statement that goes out to anyone who has the desire and faith in themselves and others to be successful.” Overall, a solid Southern Rock band that will entice with solid vocal phrasings, potent songwriting treatments, and scorching guitar playing. Can We Get A Witness will fit into any playlist, and it stacks up to be a bold, in-your-face sound that celebrates the Southern Rock psyche. That’s the short of it!

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