At one time it was difficult to find good Southern food in the Pacific Northwest. Field theory suggests that localities will eventually spread out until they reach a steady state of relatively even distribution. Such theory applied may account for the recent proliferation of rib, chicken, 'slaw and grits serving restaurants on the West Coast - from San Diego to Seattle. The food has brought a music genre with it - kick ass Southern rock.
Southern rock and food are not new to the Left Coast. The Pacific has always paid reverence to the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Marshall Tucker Band, to name a few of the rock legends who perform the genre. There are even a few performers who pumped out great Southern-tinged rock who originated from the West Coast, such as John Fogerty and the Doobie Brothers, but they have been far and few between, until now.
The genre as diffused across all geographical lines. Want proof? Pick up the album A Reckoning Is Coming by SweetKiss Momma. The four piece band hails from Pullyap, Washington. That is about as Pacific Northwest as Pacific Northwest gets. Jeff Hamel sings. Aaron Arnold plays guitar. Jeremy Hamel plays bass. Jimmy Hughs beats the drums. For the album Dan Walker helped out on keyboards and Kim Hamel provided background vocals thereby making the album a family effort. A Reckoning Is Coming was produced by a founding member of Wilco, Ken Coomer, and engineered by Richard Dodd (Tom Petty, John Lennon, Johnny Cash . . . . )
This is not fancified or watered down Southern rock. It is smoking hot Southern roots rock n' roll . Among the confederation of songs on the album you get a slide guitar delta blues-inspired opener, "Fix My Hair"; the double-barreled shotgun of lead attack on the title track; the boogie of "Dirty Uncle Deezer"; genial sentimentality with "Same Old Story"; an acoustic instrumental, "Laura Rose"; as well as two versions of a back porch jam number, "Breathe Rebel."
So, now, you don't have to look toward the Gulf of Mexico for good southern music and food. You can go to the Pacific Northwest and see SweetKiss Momma. Go to dinner before the show. I recommend the organic wild Pacific Salmon jambalaya.
- Old School
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