Album Review: Various Artists - Southern Family

The concept of southern country music actually covers a fair few genres including folk ballads, spiritual hymns, early rock'n'roll and of course country.

This lovingly compiled album takes a group of soloists (who are quite well known on the country scene) and gets them to record their favourite plaintive songs. The opening track by John Paul White somehow captures an element of Elvis and Chris Isaak in his reading of a gorgeous ballad. On the more country-styled God Is A Working Man by Jason Isbell we get a dose of southern humour and the more predictable workings of a country song. Possibly the most interesting tune is the classic You Are My Sunshine, which puts a swamp-blues feel into what is normally a simple ditty. All the tracks here are recorded with a lot of love by Dave Cobb so there is nothing astray or untoward. It's good to hear musicians playing to their strengths for the love of music.