Blackberry Smoke Be Right Here (LP)

(3 Legged Records) 10 tracks, gatefold cover

When Charlie Starr started writing the songs for the new Blackberry Smoke album Be Right Here, the first track the singer and lead guitarist came up with was "Dig A Hole". The swampy psychedelic rock song, made up of an old guitar riff and a Wurlitzer chorus written by keyboardist Brandon Still, is a powerful statement about choosing one's path in life - whether to give in to temptation or take a more righteous path.

"In life, we're all presented with choices," Starr says. "Do we do good or do we do bad? Do we love or do we hate? We only have a limited time, each of us on this earth. So we probably want to make the most of it instead of wasting time."

"Dig A Hole" is the title track of Be Right Here and sets the tone for another expansive set of rock'n'roll from Blackberry Smoke. As always, the Georgia band - Starr, Still, guitarist/vocalist Paul Jackson, bassist/vocalist Richard Turner and drummer Brit Turner - draws inspiration from Southern rock, blues-heavy classic rock and rootsy vintage country. But on Be Right Here, Blackberry Smoke sound even more confident, from the songwriting to the musical execution.

Over the past two decades, Blackberry Smoke has developed that confidence and earned a loyal fan base, resulting in their last five full-length albums achieving major chart success, including 2021's You Hear Georgia, which reached #1 on Billboard's Americana/Folk Albums chart.

The band wrote and recorded You Hear Georgia during the worst of the pandemic, but delayed its release until they could tour again. Starr says Blackberry Smoke took the same deliberate approach on Be Right Here, which was recorded in late 2022 and early 2023, around the time drummer Brit Turner was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of brain tumor. "We didn't feel like we had to put pressure on ourselves to make this album quickly," says Starr. Today, Turner continues to receive treatment, but remains an active and steadfast force in the band.

Blackberry Smoke once again collaborated with Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb to create music that sounds raw and immediate. The album was recorded live in the same room, an approach that Cobb also favors as it contributes to a loose vibe. "I remember several times where I said, 'I think we should redo this,' and he was like, 'No, leave it like this. ' It's magical that way," Starr recalls. "It's just as natural and real as possible.