Hillbilly Prophet

Hillbilly Prophet Live at Molly Malone's, December 12, 2009
You get the unexpected when you attend a Hillbilly Prophet performance.
With a commanding stage presence, guitar heavy sound, slide-guitar rich, lush harmonies and attention-getting, enigmatic lyrics the results are the most unique sound in Hollywood today.
HBP consists of consummate, professional, multi-talented musicians worthy of seeing repeatedly. Their set inextricably showcases lead guitarist, vocalist and front-man M. Tripp Smythe's talent of answering catchy hooks in the well-worded and uniquely vocalized lyrics with heavy 'get up and dance' guitar riffs.
HBP grabs your attention from the first eerie note and the first "oh yeah, yeah"
in the title track of their current album - Realign the Lines. Changed Reality thoroughly exhibits Tripp's aforementioned arranging talents with the slide answering the lyrical hook. You'll Never Know is a nice bluesy tune ridden with slide guitars reminiscent of the Stones. Just As Well consists of more complex guitar playing and is again rich in harmonies. Come the Salvation is a straight on rock song with a rockabilly flavour.strong harmonies, slide guitars crying in reply. My Addiction leaves you haunted by the lyrics and resonating vocals. In Angels Still Love Me you can hear Tripp's first influences. Alice Cooper, even punk resounds in the one song that could be remotely considered a love song - Black n Blue.
Finally, the coup de grace -That's What I Am - with a hard-pumping guitar riff recalling the late 60s and the perfect line . "what goes around comes around" . once again showing us the lyrical and vocal talents of Mr. Smythe. This is a fine way to end a set - intelligently leaving you wanting more.
The end of their set left me hard-pressed to pigeon-hole HBP with a genre label and feeling like i'd heard music from every era beginning with the late 60s all the way to the present.
You'll find yourself singing along with every HBP tune while saying "makes me wanna do the dirty!!"
After all, isn't that what rock n roll is all about?
--reviewed by TantraGoddess