Inspired by tribute albums and comps like White Mansions and Outlaws!, “Southern Family” is a concept album about the small stories of southern families, from guys hanging out at mom’s dinner table to pass the news, to watching grandpa die, to reflections on religion. It’s a stunning album helmed by Dave Cobb, who is the producer du jour in Nashville right now; he’s helmed records from every 21st century outlaw, from Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell to Sturgill Simpson and Shooter Jennings. He busts out the rolodex for Southern Family; he’s got Brandy Clark, Miranda Lambert, Isbell, Jennings, and reclusive outlaw bellwether Jamey Johnson on this thing, and that’s not even half the album. The music Cobb produces gets pegged as country for people who hate country, but this comp is him showing he can straddle both insider Nashville, and outsider Nashville
The Fat Angel Sings 