Out in the USA, Phoenix, Arizona to be exact, Southern rockers, The Bayou Bandits are gearing up to release their sophomore album, Arizona Stepson, on Friday, 28th June.
Nine tracks strong, the self-released Arizona Stepson has been described as “a heavy southern rock punch in the mouth that brings listeners back to Rock ‘n roll 101. With soulful melodies and organ to dirty blues driven guitars and harmonicas, the album should take you back to church the southern rock way.
Opening with the single ‘Roll On Mississippi’, a boot stomping, hell raiser where frontman Joshua Strickland pays homage to the Mississippi River that runs through his hometown of Walker, LA. After listening to the new single, co-producer Shawn White jokingly stated, “Can’t get any more southern rock than that…You have mama, Jesus, and the Mississippi River all in the first damn verse!” It is a heavy blues guitar driven southern rock song written about wherever he is in the world, the mighty Mississippi will always be there to guide him home.
On ‘Born to Lose’ lead guitarist, Jeremy Magid’s Fender Jaguar comes in driving harder than a NASCAR driver at Talladega. Initially written as an assignment given to Strickland from a therapist, the song has quickly morphed into the band’s favourite song to play live. When asked, Strickland stated, “I was going through a very dark time and it started as a blues song. However, we wanted it to be more in your face.” Strickland wails on his harmonica throughout ‘Born to Lose’, and while written as an assignment the song’s performance takes us all back to music school. The album’s closer, ‘Gasoline’ , as Strickland puts it, “is a real punch to the face.” A gritty harmonica laced southern rock song, that speaks about the peaks and valleys of the struggle trying to make it as a singer, not taking no for an answer and never letting others tread on himself and his band.
As for the album’s title, Strickland revealed, “It came from me paying homage to the people of Arizona who really took me in when I moved here and even though I ain’t from here I still feel like I’m part of the family.”
The band is completed by Jay Kereny on bass, and Dan Johnson drums and percussion and will be touring the USA shortly.
