SOUTHERN GENTLEMEN’S RAVE REVIEWS
Read a short sampling of what they're saying about the band and its music:
Guitar World:A hot-clockin' power-trio stance for a record of raw blues-metal, landing in a sweet spot among legends like Colin James, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Frank Marino, AC/DC and ZZ Top.
Ted Drozdowski (Gibson.com): Since his mid-’80s emergence this Atlanta guitarist has been the undisputed god of underground metal. He is a classically influenced player with chops every bit as formidable as Yngwie and Michael Schenker, but more diverse. His 50-odd albums leap from old-school lyric metal to heavy instrumental fusion to improv to southern boogie.
Mike Greenblatt (Metal Edge):A down 'n' dirty trip into heavier than usual Southern Rock. Chastain, as always, pulls out all the stops. Music like this is meant for a half-crazed ax-wielding son-of-a gun like David T.
Hit Parader:With a sound that recalls the halcyon days of everyone from Jimi Hendrix to ZZ Top, the band's first album, Exotic Dancer Blues, is a treat for anyone who fondly recalls that glorious period in rock history.
Carl Begai (Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles):Chastain is focused more than ever on vibe rather than flash, kicking things into high gear from the get-go, bringing things to an even burn yet keeping it heavy.
Martin Popoff (Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles):“Strafing Axes, grinding blues, very electric metal, stamped with Chastain’s seal of quality.”
Guitar One:A raucous mix of 80s metal sound with a 70s classic rock vibe.
Michael Allison - musicdish.com: “The Rock album of the year.” I've heard nothing that even compares. The musicianship is unmistakably top notch.
Alan Gilkeson (Metal Rules):Chastain belongs among the greats. Morse, Johnson, and Vai. One could literally study all that he's done for years and years, the volume is amazing. Most of the great neo-classical guitarists don't even touch the versatility, styles, and size of his catalog.
Chris Forbes (Metal Core): Holy hell is this one hell of a release! I can easily say it would be in my Top 10 Cds of 2008!
JRRBLL(WKRL/WKRH/WKLL-FM):Fresh, yet reverent approach to an age old sound with amazing and consistent quality.
Heavy Harmonies: Very good! Their 4th CD and the second with Eric Johns on vocals with huge raspy vocals and trademark Chastain's smoking solos!
20th Century Guitar: One of the top fretboard masters on the music scene.
Cincinnati City Beat:"The Gentlemen's sound takes on southern rock and blues, but gives it a more progressive slant, in much the same way Hendrix and Clapton reconstructed Blues in the 60s." “Hot and sweaty new blues rock from guitar wizard!”
KNAC.COM:This blues-based rock band actually caused smoke to leap outta my car's CD player, forcing me to stop my Honda on the freeway. Yep, it's that good.
Rick Bird (Cincinnati Post):"A wonderful backyard barbecue boogie CD meant to be played loud to annoy your neighbors. A great down-and-dirty release meant for summer-time cruising or rock 'n' roll cookouts. Chastain's guitar work is stellar as ever, even as he reveals a more gutsy and slowed-down sound."
ABOUT.COM(Heavy Metal):"David T. Chastain proves once again that he is a versatile musical visionary, a Classic Rock inspired, bluesy but heavy collection."
Will Romano (Modern Drummer):“Drummer Mike Haid's uncluttered performances and spotless time-keeping serves these riff-driven, often suggestive Whitesnake-esque tracks.”
Todd Smith(The Cutting Edge): Stirring up a mixture of Savoy Brown, early-Whitesnake and even a hint of Dio-era Rainbow the disc welts up a feisty combination of blues metal and technical guitar wizardry.
MetalExpressRadio.com: Wow, this album kicks some major ass. It definitely has Hard Rock, Blues, and Metal carefully integrated within each other in such a way that one doesn’t overpower the other and take away from the final effort.
Amazon.com: Any Album By This Band Is Awesome !!! This Is Their Fourth C.D. And This Cd Rocks!!!
CD Services Online (UK):Oh boy - you have just GOT to hear this - it's fantastic!!!!…possibly THE finest electric blues album of the last ten years, with comparisons to and even eclipsing the best that the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan /Kenny Wayne Shepherd have to offer, and no mistake - this is AMAZING.
Listen.com:Southern Gentlemen are unreformed and unrepentant loyalists to the Southern/Blues Rock cause. Led by David T. Chastain's swaggering riffs and drier-than-cured-tobacco voice, this band storms the ramparts of rock and roll and emerges victorious.
John Haseltine (Ballbuster Music): Chastain and Co. have on their hands a real winner here. It's an upbeat, "lethal combination" of hard rock, blues and metal.
METAL JUDGEMENT-SG is chock full of good ol' down home southern heavy blues rock. It does crossover into metal territory on some tracks.
HeavyHarmonies.com:How about Bad Company meets Jimi Hendrix meets Stevie Ray Vaughn? If you like blues with a heavier edge, this is for you!
Jason Ritchie (Classic Rock Newswire)If riff heavy blues rock is your thing, you will really enjoy this album. Plenty of sleazy blues here!
John Waldo (live4metal):Johns’ vocals are a great fit for this style of music, giving it that whiskey-soaked-dragged-through-the-gravel power, and he has a great range to boot, almost like a David Coverdale on steroids.
MUEN Online:4-Stars "WOW!…genuine professional (70s rock) style blues playing done with a variation of influences…straight from the heart."
Powerpacker Magazine-Chastain still has not lost his musical touch.
Blues Access:Blues-Metal Power trio. Heavy with a capital H-with licks galore.
80smetal.com:This is down & dirty, bluesy hard rock that has some totally killer lead guitar work. Killer axework! Highly, recommended!!
Dan Kelleher (WXAV)-Chicago:The Southern Gents cd gets better w/every listen.David gives us one more reason to acknowledge him as one of today's greatest and most versatile musicians.
Geno (Generations Underground, heavyrock.com):I absolutely love the direction of this heavy-guitar blues music of the Southern Gentlemen.
Amazon.com: Very Good! All the way thru. Sounds a lot like a harder, faster, early ZZ TOP/ ROBIN TROWER with splashes of Jimi Hendrix here and there.
Eric Steiner (Cosmik Blues):I'd put Southern Gentlemen's near the top of my list--particularly for the Gentlemen's hard-driving blues.
Steve Huey -allmusic.com: Blues-rock in the vein of idols, like Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower, and ZZ Top.
Richard Paton (The Blade):"The band packs the disc with enough riffing and spirited soloing to please any blues rock fan."
Larry Nager (Cincinnati Enquirer):"His most accessible and satisfying Cd with enough fretboard fireworks to keep his audience happy."
Michael Chlasciak (Aquarian):"This album is a great ride featuring solid songwriting, powerful performances from the band and well-delivered vocals from Chastain himself."
Scorchin Scotty (Hard Radio):Rock with it.grind with it. sweat with itthen have a smoke Exotic Dancer Blues is another sparkling jewel in the gem studed g-strings of exotic dancers everywhere
Southern Gentlemen's last Cd, "Valley of Fire" is now available at most retailers including:
You can now download individual tracks or this entire Cd at itunes, napster, rhapsody, emusic and many more!!
Emusic has an Alternate version of the band's "Third Time Is The Charm" Cd that is a more traditional rock sounding Cd.Southern Gentlemen T-shirts and more!
