Southern Rock, where have you been? It was just last night that I was discussing with a friend some of the classic rock songs of my youth. He’d been looking for stuff that sounded like Humble Pie, Credence Clearwater Revival and the like. I racked my brain to come up with any current day bands that were doing that sound and came up short. Of course tonight I remembered The Lonely H! With songs like “Diggin’ A Hole,” this young band (most under 21!) recalls the classic rock tunes that still capture our attention. Slide guitars, sparse but well timed bass notes, and the fantastic wailing voice of  Mark Fredson (less bluesy than Chris Robinson and cleaner and younger than John Fogerty).

Opening with “Right Down to Me,” this band immediately tells you what it’s about. There’s no mistaking the fact that they wear their influences on their sleeve. And frankly, I’m in the school of thought that says “Classic Rock don’t need improving!” It’s bluesy, it’s guitar heavy, it’s completely overwhelmed by passionate vocals. I’m telling you right now; I’m going to see them in action in two weeks when they get to Chicago. And I don’t care that the lead singer is young enough to be my son, I’m dying to see how he pulls this off, (and by “pulls this off” I mean how sexy his stage presence is because this music screams out for SEXY!) So, Mark, sweetie, forgive me in advance, ok? I’ll not get too close, I promise

“Out West” reeks of smoky bars, writhing fans and long-haired men in tall hats. I’m glad I saw the Allman Brothers play once, but I’m equally glad I’m gonna get a chance to see the Lonely H do their thing. This is the song that’s gonna make the crowd crazy, I’m telling you already. “The Singer” just makes me crave The Eagles, that opening line is maybe a bit too close for comfort. And “Phoenix” doesn’t thrill me vocally although those  guitar riffs are really good. Regardless, it needs to be said that the one thing the Lonely H gets right is in how they vary their sound without straying too far afield. “Girl From Jersey” lightens the tone quite a bit at this point in the record, but it’s not really a light hearted song. It’s just a sweet and sweetly sung tune.  And as with most Americana/Southern Rock albums, there’s got to be a song about a river;  aptly named, “The River,” it features some great harmonies with minimal guitar backing.  And finally, rounding out Concrete Class, “Strike A Chord” brings the whole thing up to speed, very contemporary sounding.
They’ve been on the road for most of 2008 and show no signs of stopping yet. If you’re a fan of good, old fashioned, Southern classic rock, you really do need to go hear them and buy Concrete Class

Tour Dates
07.14.09 – The Cave w/ Caleb Caudle and the Bayonets – Chapel Hill, NC
07.15.09 – The Garage w/ Caleb Caudle and the Bayonets – Winston Salem, NC
07.17.09 – V-Club – Huntington, WV
07.18.09 – Dantes – Frostburg, MD
07.19.09 – Fennario’s w/ Riverwinds – West Chester, PA
07.22.09 – The Dover Brick House w/Riverwinds – Dover, NH
07.24.09 – Pianos – New York, NY
07.27.09 – The Bug Jar – Rochester, NY
07.28.09 – The Strutt – Kalamazoo, MI
07.30.09 – Martyr’s w/ Steepwater – Chicago, IL
07.31.09 – Up and Under w/ Steepwater – Milwaukee, WI
08.01.09 – Ballyhoos w/ Steepwater – Merrill, WI
08.05.09 – Cicero’s – University City, MO
08.07.09 – The Basement – Nashville, TN
08.12.09 – Stafford Main Street – Bryan, TX
08.13.09 – Trophy’s – Austin, TX
08.14.09 – Rudyards – Houston, TX
08.15.09 – Bill’s Records (Instore) – Dallas, TX
08.15.09 – The Chat Room – Fort Worth, TX
08.18.09 – Casbah – San Diego, CA
08.19.09 – The Hemlock w/ Stone Foxes – San Francisco, CA
08.20.09 – Old Ironsides – Sacramento, CA
08.21.09 – Cattleman’s – Rogue River, OR
08.27.09 – Concert on the Dock – Port Townsend, WA
09.04.09 – The Tractor – Seattle, WA
09.18.09 – Ash Street Saloon (MusicFEST NW) – Portland, OR