The Cold Stares, known for their electrifying blend of blues-rock, their highly anticipated seventh studio album, “The Southern“, released on September 6th via Mascot Records. Delving deep into their Southern roots for the first time on record, the album embodies a true reflection of their heritage. “When it came time to record this album, I thought about everybody giving us this Southern rock tag, and decided to intentionally write songs that explore that,” says singer-guitarist Chris Tapp. “In doing so, I realized that being Southern, for me, is more than an accent, and a setlist of songs. It’s about family and tradition.”
Only a year on from the excellent “Voices”, The Cold Stares are dealing in quantity as well as quality. “The Southern” is their impressive attempt at capturing the rock’n’roll geography of its namesake, and it covers a lot of ground. “Horse To Water’s” chorus refrain is seriously contagious; Confession, with its extended jam, sounds like Thin Lizzy and Stevie Ray Vaughan throwing hands in the Wild West.
Though the trio has below the Mason-Dixon Line origins, the group mines a woolier sound than expected. Fuzzed-out guitars, Zep-style riffs, and fleet-fingered Cream-style improvisations abound, as do nods to Delta blues.
“Our version of the South is different,” says Tapp. “When Brian and I were young, we would sit in with these old guys at the local lodge, at the time they were still playing the old hits by Bad Company, Robin Trower, and AC/DC mixed in with country and southern rock – artists like the Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd. When I heard Free’s ‘All Right Now’ I thought they were from Georgia!”
Drawing from the wild tales his grandfather shared with him, Tapp’s cinematic songwriting weaves narratives as vivid as the Western movies they watched together. These stories of crooked cops and outlaw heroes, and local legends like “Hoppy” who tapped out rhythms while shining shoes, infuse the album with a rich, narrative depth. It is thus fitting that one of the standout tracks is titled “Coming Home,” a song that encapsulates the essence of these tales and the sense of returning to one’s roots.
“We are so proud to tip a hat to Kentucky on this album, and embrace being ambassadors of the South,” Tapp concludes, bringing the journey of ‘The Southern’ full circle—a heartfelt tribute to the land and stories that shaped them.
The band have announced that we will be releasing “The Southern Part 2” in early June 2025. The album was recorded alongside “Part 1” at @memphismagneticrecordingco and mixed by Mark.a.Needham
The first single “Automobile” will drop January 10th. We feel this continuation is our best recording and material to date and cannot wait to share it with you. Also scheduled for release in 2025 is the Christ solo album “Green” in the spring, and another Cold Stares album fall of 25 that will be released and distributed in a “new” way….
Accompanying the releases we have touring booked across the states and a EU/UK tour in June that will cover Germany/France/Belgium/Holland/Denmark and the UK, as well as the Rock_legends_cruise and Keepingthebluesalive cruises. Watch for tickets at www.thecoldstares.com and watch for giveaways and presaves for “Automobile” next week!
The Fat Angel Sings 