Album Review: South of Reality - Lone Star State of Mind

Artist: South of Reality

Album: Lone Star State of Mind

Genre: Southern Rock/"Progressive Redneck"

Released: September 2021

Album length: 38 minutes/8 songs

Background

South of Reality is a Southern Rock band from Texas. Formed in 2009, the band was originally called Society of Robots. Shane Wesberry joined Jeff McMullen (vocals and keys) and John Walker (guitar) as an additional vocalist in 2011. With Wesberry’s arrival, their self-described genre, “Progressive Redneck”, evolved into Southern Rock with the input of his writing.

Lone Star State of Mind is South of Reality’s third album.

The track breakdown

On repeat: Texas, My Texas; Needle to the Groove; Texas Women; Have a Nice Day

Texas, My Texas starts off with Walker’s fantastic riff and some awesome keyboard action from McMullen. Is that a cowbell?! It’s a catchy tune, with a fun chorus that references the album name (I’m a sucker for details like that). I really enjoy McMullen and Wesberry on this one together; their voices mesh so well.

I like how the lyrics transport you to Texas, with “those neon lights keep shining bright, while the moon takes over your mind,” creating enrapturing imagery. The guitar solo is so cool and wouldn’t be out of place on some big-name albums. Big fan of Walker’s work throughout this track. This one is a foot-tapper.

Murder in the Worst Degree has an enjoyable pace to it, with an engaging storyline that unravels as the song goes on. The solo is excellent again, and there’s a break that adds an opportunity to add yet another solo, which is what I like to hear on an album! The song feels a little too long for me, but I really enjoyed the guitar on this one. I also appreciate the punny title.

Needle to the Groove immediately gives off laid-back, relaxing vibes, with stripped back instruments. The cadence of McMullen’s vocals adds something new to the album, and the acoustic fits the song well. The lyrics are great too. I get Genesis vibes from some parts of this one. If you were missing Walker’s jaw-dropping guitar, that joins the groove later and is an excellent addition. It’s a solid track.

Best Years Gone is a seven-minute-long bluesy track. When I listen to such a lengthy track, I have certain expectations for the development of the track. A slow intro, instruments gradually added, more speed, and a lengthy guitar solo (or two).

This track has an intro that doesn’t really grab my attention; it’s just a little too slow compared to the others. However, as the vocals and the bass come in, this becomes an engrossing track. I love how they highlight the bass in this track; it’s an often-underappreciated instrument.

While they introduce more instruments and it becomes a heavier track, it’s stripped down for the verses again, which make the song a bit of a drag for me. The electric guitar makes a proper (fantastic) appearance at 5:30, which is too far along for me, but it closes the track, and I love a lengthy outro! However, I think I’d have broken the song up with an emotive extra riff earlier on.

Texas Women is an ode to… well, Texas women! I really like the lyric “there ain’t nothing like watching those bodies rock, under the moon by the fire making things real hot” as it creates gorgeous, sexy bonfire imagery.

The riff against Wesberry’s twangy vocals is great; I love how they constructed this song. There’s also a fantastic guitar and keys outro. My only complaint about the track is the bustling crowd SFX at the start as it’s mixed a little too loudly against the vocals and acoustic. However, I like the way it ends as it begins, that’s a detail I like to hear.

Have a Nice Day is a song I’d avoid if I wasn’t having a nice day. It’s a little emotional! I like the stripped-back style to this song, much like Needle to the Groove, but this has added harmonizing, and there’s a great riff after the choruses. The harmonies add a lot to this song, as does the soaring guitar solo. It’s a really nice listen.

Ain’t No Saint is another gentle, emotive track. I’m not sure how I feel about two deep songs back-to-back! It builds up well, with some more stunning guitar work from Walker, a stirring vocal performance from McMullen. It earned its place on the album. Great track, but maybe a minute too long. I feel like the keys in the outro would have been really fitting for the end of the album.

Sweet Spirit is Jeff’s personal favourite from the album. There’s such a stunning sound to it, and it’s a duet between McMullen and Wesberry. The lyrics are wonderful and it’s a great close to the album. It finishes so abruptly though, considering the long run-up to the end, which is a shame compared to the keys outro on Ain’t No Saint. I would have swapped the outros around!

Come take my hand

For with you by my side

I swear I can see Heaven from here

In summary

This is a short album! The “short but sweet” saying exists for a reason, though. It’s better to pack in lots of quality in a short album than add fluff. I enjoyed the different genres on display in this album, from prog rock to blues, and you’ve got to give them props for that.

The lyrics and their delivery throughout are stirring and make the album a joy to listen to. My personal favorites had Walker’s impressive guitar prominently featured, and that is a star feature throughout. If I had to choose one, it would be Needle to the Groove. It’s a perfect blend of chilled out rock and a couple of other genres!

This album is literally music to your ears.

You can support South of Reality by buying or streaming Lone Star State of Mind at Bandcamp. You can also stream it through Apple Music and Spotify. Happy listening!

Album rating: 8.5/10