Music Review // The Georgia Thunderbolts "Rise Above It All" (Mascot Records)

From the very first song on "Rise Above It All", The Georgia Thunderbolts beam with positivity.   As the first song, "Gonna Shine", says "We're gonna rise above that noise" and this sets for the pace for the album and its message.   This is also re-enforced by the second song- "Rock and Roll Record"- which starts with slow piano type sounds (like Bob Seger's "Turn The Page") and then kicks in heavily distorted.

These first two songs seem to be most important to the rest of the album because it's letting you know that not only is this album about overcoming, it's a rock n roll album the way that there just used to be rock n roll albums (which don't really happen as much any more, not since prior to the 1980's I'd say)  There was a time when artists came out with these grand explorations of rock music and that's what The Georgia Thunderbolts are doing here.

With sweet guitar solos, The Georgia Thunderbolts also are not afraid to bring out those organ keys and bring out more of a soulful / blues sound.  This comes out on "Ain't Got No Money", which I enjoy because the chorus says: "I ain't go no money but I sure got a whole lot of love"  "Crawling My Way Back To You" comes out slower and bigger, more like a power ballad, as I hear elements of Silverchair and Guns N Roses throughout the album.

"She's Gonna Get It" has a harder driving, heavier rocking sound to it while "Little Jim" tackles a heavier subject.  "It Ain't Easy" feels like a more traditional blues song and no rock n roll album would be complete without a song about drinking, which is where "Whiskey Talkin" comes in.  The Georgia Thunderbolts have created not just one of the finest rock n roll albums of the year but also of all time.