Southern rock powerhouse Blackberry Smoke have premiered a new song, "Let Me Down Easy," and you can hear it below. The upbeat, folksy, acoustic ballad represents the third official taste of Find a Light, the band's new album, which'll be released April 6 via Thirty Tigers. For the first taste and second taste—the Led Zeppelin-esque "Flesh and Bone" and the 12-string-riffing power-popper "Best Seat in the House"—head here and here.
"Let Me Down Easy," which features Amanda Shires on backing vocals, is a catchy crowd pleaser that's layered with rich acoustic guitars—not to mention a resonator, which enters the song at 1:48, just in time for the solo. The track recalls some of Eric Clapton's best Seventies material—or maybe even a very happy version of "Curtis Lowe"-era Lynyrd Skynyrd. Like most of the band's best tracks, it was written by frontman/guitarist Charlie Starr, this time with Keith Nelson, who also co-wrote "Best Seat in the House."
“The new album is a melting pot of Blackberry Smoke music with a wide range of sound and emotion," Starr says. "I think it’s our most inspired work yet.”
In addition to Starr and band members Richard Turner (bass, vocals), Brit Turner (drums), Paul Jackson (guitar, vocals) and Brandon Still (keyboards), the album features Robert Randolph (“I’ll Keep Ramblin’”), the Wood Brothers (“Mother Mountain”) and Shires.
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
